Season one of the hit Eddie Redmayne thriller The Day of the Jackal has come to an end, and it’s fair to say that fans already can’t wait for the second season.

The drama, which has become one of the most successful shows that Sky TV has ever released, sees Redmayne play a rare villainous role as a mysterious hitman, targeting tech CEOs and influential people across Europe.

The show – which also stars Lashana Lynch, Eleanor Matsuura, Chukwudi Iwuji, and Khalid Abdalla – is based on Frederick Forsyth’s 1971 novel of the same name. The book has previously been adapted into two films: The Day of the Jackal (1973) and The Jackal (1997).

Prior to the finale of season one, viewers had already hailed it as one of the “best shows of 2024” and told people who hadn’t seen it to “stop depriving yourself”.

The 10th and final episode of season one was released on Thursday (12 December), with fans are praising it as a truly staggering and utterly entertaining piece of television.

“Among the numerous films and TV series I’ve watched over the years, The Day of the Jackal stands out as one of the top three. Its exceptional storytelling and masterful execution make it a truly unforgettable experience,” said one enthusiastic viewer on X/Twitter.

Another added: “The Day of the Jackal finale was really excellent. One shot (camera not gun) in particular was a visual masterstroke. If you watched you’ll know which one. A tremendous piece of work.”

Someone else wrote: “The Day of the Jackal is absolutely spectacular. It’s so good I can watch all 10 episodes again and still get the same excitement. It’s a chef’s kiss”, while a fourth person commented: “Very impressed by the ending of The Day of the Jackal! A lesson in when subversion in TV actually works!”

The Day of the Jackal
The Day of the Jackal (Sky TV)

Although season one has only just finished, Variety reported back in November that it had been renewed for a second outing.

In The Independent’s annual ranking of the best series released in 2024,The Day of the Jackal came in 10th place, out of 20 shows. TV critic Nick Hilton ranked Netflix’s Baby Reindeer as the best series of the year, with Disney Plus’s Shōgun and Prime Video’s Mr and Mrs Smith following in second and third place.