12 12 12 Review: In Apple TV’s 12 12 12, things take a rather surprising (and a bit unnecessarily complex) turn as we see the 12 months of planning, 12 hours during the heist and 12 days following it. Going against one another are FBI agent Jack Strickland and master thief Paul Galvin, who share a history before arriving at the current heist. As one can expect, the story takes place across three timelines that work around one another, adding an interesting structural twist to the familiar heist genre.
Thanks to its structure, viewers can get different perspectives of the heist and what goes into it, as well as understanding the madness of wanting to catch a criminal who has taken everything from you. While the premise is intriguing, the series gets into a slump sometimes that is hard to get out of.
The cast includes Anthony Mackie, Jamie Dornan, Jack Kesy, Agathe Rousselle, Sallie Harmsen, José Garcia, and Kali Reis, with Kari Skogland, Ellen Kuras and Takeshi Fukunaga directing the episodes. Jim Keeble and Dudi Appleton are the creators of the series.
12 12 12 Review
12 12 12 Builds an Interesting Story Around Three Timelines
Of course, as one can already predict from the title, the most interesting part about the series is its premise and structure. The series not only divides the show into different parts, but interweaves these different narratives together to contextualise every move. Viewers will find themselves getting answers and context the moment something is shown, and how a situation arises and the consequences of a decision adds an interesting element to the storytelling.
This choice adds more than just seeing a bank getting robbed; we see the mechanics of the operation, the relationships and what’s at stake, as well as what happens when an unrelenting FBI agent goes after them at every turn. The shifting loyalties throughout the runtime are also an interesting part of the storytelling, since Paul finds himself in a dangerous position against his will.
That being said, 12 12 12 series can sometimes feel quite convoluted and drags quite a bit. While planning and executing a huge heist is thrilling, the way the story overexplains a lot of things takes away from the thrill of it. Many episodes will make you feel like the series would’ve benefited from a shorter runtime because it would make the series more tense and fast-paced. Instead, the series sometimes explains something one too many times, leaving viewers to hear the idea behind their decisions over and over again.
Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan Make an Interesting Pairing
We follow Dornan and Mackie throughout the runtime of the series as they consistently butt heads trying to one-up each other. Jack’s agenda to catch Paul goes beyond professional interest, and the personal connection they share makes the push and pull interesting. However, just having two broken people fighting against each other isn’t enough to keep morale high for viewers as, despite this push and pull, the series is unable to keep the show tense or make us root for either.
The series, in an attempt to overexplain things, goes so over-the-top that it loses sight of what it should, in the end, give its viewers – a tense and breathless watch surrounding a daring heist and the consequences of these actions. The series, throughout its 8 episodes, struggles to maintain a momentum that would keep viewers engaged. As a result, neither Dornan nor Mackie are able to add much, despite their characters having the depth to keep us hooked on them and their journeys.
Performance-wise, the supporting cast, too, does a great job, but it’s hard to keep our attention locked on them as the storytelling itself is at fault.
The Zurich Heist Gives the Series a Strong Central Hook
A band of merry thieves stealing from the Russians has an interesting ring to it. Raiding a bank vault underneath Zurich makes for an ambitious backdrop as well as a clear objective around which the timelines can work. However, after the initial few episodes, viewers will become certain about where the story is going and how the consequences will unfold. In the midst of rivalries, hatred and confusion, the series forgets to focus on the heist part and, instead, introduces high conflict and drama that slowly bogs the runtime down. Some decisions and situations are also quite impossible to believe in which takes away from the series being as tense and arresting as it could’ve been.
Thus, while the series has all the makings for a great thriller, it drops the ball more often than not, leaving viewers bored at times.
Final Thoughts
12 12 12 has an appealing premise, a good lead cast and a storytelling structure that gives its heist narrative a fresh dimension. However, it’s the execution that fumbles, and the series overexplains itself so much that viewers will find themselves bored and zoned out at times. At other times, though, the series introduces some good twists that will pique your interest. Overall, this one’s a frustrating experience.
Watch 12 12 12 on Apple TV, streaming from November 13, 2026, to December 25, 2026. What do you think about the series? Let us know in the comments below!
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