TV & Beyond on 2025-06-13 11:10:00

by | Jun 13, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles | 0 comments

TV & Beyond on 2025-06-13 11:10:00

a big hit for Netflix (even though they almost turned it down). The series follows in the footsteps of many political thriller TV shows, as audiences partake in the journey of Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso), who becomes entangled in a far-reaching conspiracy about a mole within the United States government. 

Fans reacted overwhelmingly positive to the series, with the first season remaining one of the most-watched Netflix seasons of all time. Season 2 didn’t disappoint when it came out in 2025, garnering 13.9 million views within its first four days. All of this is to say that it’s not too surprising that season 3 of “The Night Agent” is in the works. However, if you’re looking for something similar to keep you in that conspiracy-riddled mindset, here are some shows like “The Night Agent” to consider putting on your watchlist. 

The Americans

Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell) staring ahead on The Americans

FX

“The Night Agent” is about constantly testing a person’s allegiances, and if you love those political machinations, then you’re going to love “The Americans.” It’s easily one of the best political shows of all time, as it follows two KGB agents — Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell) — who go undercover in the United States to obtain whatever classified information they can, all while raising their children in an American backdrop.

What makes “The Americans” so engaging is how people’s ideologies are constantly shifting as they’re exposed to new ideas. Elizabeth is a staunch supporter of the Soviet Union, but as the seasons go on, Philip becomes more accustomed to the American way of living. This puts them into regular conflict, especially when it comes to what ideals to espouse to their kids. The series ran for six seasons, never overstaying its welcome or dipping in quality. It’s a must-watch for anyone who even has a passing interest in learning more about attitudes present during the Cold War.

Homeland

Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) in the shadows on Homeland

Showtime

Across eight seasons, “Homeland” manages to weave together a delicate tapestry of geopolitical storylines. At the center is Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes), a CIA operative who travels abroad over the course of the show to handle various threats against the United States, all while dealing with bipolar disorder. In a rare but pleasant surprise for a television series, “Homeland” manages to handle the subject matters of international affairs and mental health disorders pretty well most of the time, resulting in a complex, riveting protagonist. 

This idea wasn’t lost on Danes herself, who described the show as “origami,” in that it could be re-contextualized from season to season to form a different picture. “Homeland” became known for pulling plot threads from real-world events, and the show mirrors the anxieties of the modern world while never missing an opportunity to turn the magnifying glass inward. What does it mean to be a patriot? While there are plenty of foreign threats to American soil, those in positions of power should never turn their backs to what could be brewing within the country itself. 

Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan

Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) holding a gun amid cars on Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan

Attila Szvacsek/Prime Video

Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan character has had a surprising amount of longevity in pop culture. His books have been adapted across the mediums of film and television, and Amazon Prime Video’s “Jack Ryan” show exists as one of the best of the bunch. John Krasinski takes the mantle of Ryan this time around after the character had previously been portrayed by the likes of Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck, and Chris Pine. Thanks to this being a TV show, we get to spend more time with Krasinski’s version, who goes on various foreign missions throughout the series’ run to protect America interests. 

Krasinski is a solid choice for Ryan, as he embodies the sort of everyman attitude the character needs to possess. This isn’t some superhuman force of nature (see: Alan Ritchson on “Reacher”) but a guy trying to do the right thing in a world where black and white are continually getting mixed together. Krasinski’s also backed up by an incredible cast, including Wendell Pierce as Jack Ryan’s boss and Michael Kelly as a private contractor working with Ryan. 

Black Doves

Sam Young (Ben Whishaw) and Helen Webb (Keira Knightley) in a car on Black Doves

Ludovic Robert/Netflix

In December 2024, Netflix quietly dropped one of the best thrillers on television right now — “Black Doves.” It’s handily one of the most underrated Netflix shows around at the moment, but more people should give it a chance, as it’s an opportunity to see Keira Knightley engage in some stellar spycraft. She plays Helen Webb, the Secretary of State for Defence’s wife whose identity as a spy gets compromised, forcing her to go on the run with one of her oldest friends, Sam Young (Ben Whishaw). 

Netflix must’ve known it had a hit on its hands, as the streamer renewed “Black Doves” for season 2 before the first episodes even aired. There are only six episodes in that first season, so it makes for a simple binge-watch. You’ll be gripped to your seat regardless, as the show masterfully utilizes a series of twists to have you guessing what’s going to happen from one episode to the next. Knightley also gets ample opportunities to show why she’s always a great choice for more action-oriented projects. 

Slow Horses

Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman) and River Cartwright (Jack Lowdon) in a doorway on Slow Horses

Apple TV+

In a media landscape where fans constantly have to wait multiple years to see a new season of their favorite show, “Slow Horses” dares to defy expectations. Since its debut on Apple TV+ in 2022, “Slow Horses” has never gone more than a year between seasons, which is to be expected considering each season only has six episodes, but it’s welcome nonetheless. The series itself is a gripping treat as the rejects of MI5 are brought out of mundane office tasks into the field to protect Britain. 

“Slow Horses” also gets some bonus points for featuring one of Gary Oldman’s best performances ever as Jackson Lamb, the leader of this particular unit who gets a lot of mileage out of yelling at his subordinates and farting way more than you would expect within a prestige drama. “Slow Horses” is the rare espionage series that isn’t afraid to get silly sometimes, offering much-needed respites between all of the spying.

The Diplomat

Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) and Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell) watch someone speak in The Diplomat

Netflix

In the event you’re looking for more shows like “The Night Agent” on Netflix itself since you already have a subscription to that, look no further than “The Diplomat.” Keri Russell is once again in political intrigue mode as Kate Wyler, the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom regularly dealing with foreign conflicts. While there are still some riveting action set pieces, “The Diplomat” is more concerned with what goes down behind closed doors, as a handful of people are responsible for deciding the course of international affairs. 

The diplomatic missions are complemented wonderfully against the backdrop of Kate trying to save her marriage with Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell). The two actors have amazing chemistry to where you want to see these two succeed, and the show might even work better if you just view it as a relationship drama that happens to have some political elements. It’s a far lighter series than some of the other shows on this list, but we’re never going to be mad that Keri Russell’s getting more work. 

Bodyguard

David Budd (Richard Madden) wearing an ear piece on Bodyguard

Netflix

BBC One’s “Bodyguard” accomplishes more in six episodes than some series do across multiple seasons. It follows Police Sergeant David Budd (Richard Madden), who’s assigned with protecting the nation’s Home Secretary, Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes), while suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. It doesn’t help matters that Budd doesn’t share Montague’s political views, forcing him to question where his loyalties should lie. 

This is a show with zero filler, and you’re dropped right into the thick of the action with a gripping opening sequence that sees Budd try to negotiate with a terrorist and prevent him from detonating a bomb on a train. Things only grow more intense from there, and by the time episode 6 comes around, you’ll be glued to your television set to see how everything plays out. “Bodyguard” might just have Madden’s best performance to date, and seeing as it came out back in 2018 with no follow-up seasons since, you can be certain this is a one-and-done show you can finish in an afternoon. 

24

Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) points a gun in 24

Fox

“24” is an odd show to recommend in this day and age. It’s post-9/11 media that regularly engaged with Islamophobia and used torturing a suspect as a plot device. Keeping all of that in mind, TV connoisseurs who want to get a sense of what dramas were like in the 2000s owe it to themselves to at least get partially familiar with this show. If nothing else, it’s worth watching at least some of the best seasons of “24,” with the first season arguably being the platonic ideal of what this series should’ve been about. 

“24” follows Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), a counter-terrorist agent for the United States who quite literally races against the clock to protect his country. In this day and age, probably the most interesting aspect of the show is its use of real time. Each hour-long episode takes place over the course of an hour. This makes it a fast-paced series where no minute can be wasted, and it helped set the template for many political action shows that followed, including “The Night Agent.” 

The Day of the Jackal

Alex Duggan (Eddie Redmayne) looking through a gun scope on The Day of the Jackal

Peacock

You owe it to yourself to check out 1975’s “The Day of the Jackal,” one of the most underrated films of the 1970s. It’s a tense political thriller following an assassin attempting to kill the French president, and once you’re done with that, you can see how it compares to Peacock’s “The Day of the Jackal” series. The show recontextualizes the plot into a contemporary setting and allows for more time to really get to know our assassin, Alex Duggan (Eddie Redmayne), and MI6 agent, Bianca Pullman (Lashana Lynch), trying to bring him down. 

Part of this extra runtime means that we really get to know Alex, aka the Jackal, as a person. That means a lot of interpersonal drama with his family, who are unaware of how exactly he earns a living. You fully understand what an awful person Alex is, and yet, it remains all the more riveting to see how he gets out of each respective jam. Whether you want drama or action, “The Day of the Jackal” has a little something for everyone. 

Special Ops: Lioness

Joe McNamara (Zoe Saldaña) wearing army gear on Special Ops: Lioness

Ryan Green/Paramount+

Taylor Sheridan is Paramount’s golden goose at the moment. In addition to kicking off the wildly successful “Yellowstone” franchise, he’s also the mastermind behind various other TV shows on Paramount+, including “Tulsa King,” “Landman,” and “Special Ops: Lioness.” His shows tend to be testosterone fests, but “Lioness” gives the women a chance to shine, as it follows female operatives in the CIA fighting the war on terror. Leading the pack is Joe McNamara (Zoe Saldaña), who oversees the Lioness program and tackles various missions overseas. 

“Lioness” is the kind of spy show you watch when you want all gas and no brakes. It moves at a break-neck pace while delivering on many of the tenets that have come to define Sheridan’s shows, like having characters routinely monologuing about what their ideals are. Saldaña has a first-class cast supporting her, like Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman. Michael Kelly’s also here in addition to “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” because no one looks like a CIA operative more than him. 

Designated Survivor

Tom Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland) adjusting his tie on Designated Survivor

ABC

Kiefer Sutherland went from playing a counter-terrorist agent, screaming at anyone in his way, to Commander-in-Chief on “Designated Survivor.” There’s a real political practice by the same name, wherein a member of Congress is kept away from anyone else during larger gatherings, such as the State of the Union, in the event anything untoward should occur. The series examines what would happen if the President, Vice President, and others suddenly perished, and someone had to make good on their promise to ascend the presidential line of succession. 

In this case, Tom Kirkman (Sutherland) is the new president, and he has to juggle a lot, from responding to the horrific attack to engaging with the day-to-day responsibilities of the position. The show also examines the emotional toll this sudden job promotion has on Kirkman’s family, as the unit navigates this new life together. It’s not just an entertaining drama but a fascinating civics lesson into how the government operates. 

Chuck

Chuck (Zachary Levi) looking stressed as Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) and John Casey (Adam Baldwin) argue over a laptop on top of a bomb in Chuck

NBC

The problem with trying to binge-watch a bunch of spy shows all at once is that they can get pretty heavy over time. You’re constantly having to follow interweaving plotlines and impassioned speeches about the importance of national defense. If you need something sillier but in that vain to keep you motivated, then it’s high time to finally check out “Chuck.” 

The titular Chuck (Zachary Levi) is an unmotivated slacker going nowhere in life when he suddenly becomes embedded with a software program containing U.S. spy secrets. This makes him a valuable asset for the country, and he goes on top-secret missions that he has to keep secret from his friends and co-workers (which make for a fun ensemble cast). The series has all the hallmarks of spy dramas you love but with comedic twists and frequent pop culture references thrown in. And like any good sitcom, there’s a great will they/won’t they dynamic between Chuck and Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski), as she learns to open up emotionally to him and he learns the ins and outs of being an effective spy, even if he prefers nonviolent methods to save the day.

The Agency

Brandon Colby (Michael Fassbender) smiles as an office claps for him in The Agency

Paramount+

One of the truly remarkable (and occasionally frustrating) things about the streaming era is that so many great shows pop up, but you may not hear about them all. “The Agency” came out toward the end of 2024 and flew under the radar for most despite being one of the best-shot TV shows of the year. It backs up some excellent cinematography with a stellar cast, including Michael Fassbender, Jeffrey Wright, Richard Gere, and Jodie Turner-Smith.

The show picks up with Brandon Colby (Fassbender), a CIA agent who’s reassigned from a covert mission in Africa back to London. An old flame from his previous assignment winds up there as well, and that forces him to consider what he values most. The storyline’s a slow burn, which may have turned some people off with its weekly release schedule for the first season. But now that all the episodes are out there, you can burn through them at whatever pace you please to see how Brandon’s journey plays out.

The Recruit

Owen Hendricks (Noah Centineo) peeking over a cubical on The Recruit

Ricardo Hubbs/Netflix

Noah Centineo might as well be a Netflix mascot at this point. After appearing in various rom-coms like the “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” trilogy and “Sierra Burgess is a Loser,” Centineo shows off more of his action chops on “The Recruit.” He plays Owen Hendricks, a rookie to the CIA who becomes entangled in an extortion plot that wraps him up further in international politics, putting the young recruit hopelessly out of his depth. 

Out of all the shows like “The Night Agent,” “The Recruit” might be the most similar. It’s a spy drama with ample cliffhangers, but unlike its sibling show, it couldn’t make it past two seasons. The reason Netflix cancelled “The Recruit” likely came down to viewership, as it didn’t receive the same number of eyeballs as “Night Agent.” The fact there was over a two-year break between seasons likely didn’t help with retention, either. But it’s still on the platform for anyone wanting to see Centineo in a vastly different light.

Condor

Joe Turner (Max Irons) looking shirtless in a mirror on Condor

Audience

The novel “Six Days of the Condor” got turned into one of the greatest spy films of all time, “3 Days of the Condor.” They lost three days in that adaptation, and when turning it into a TV series, they decided to forego the timestamp entirely by simply calling it “Condor.” The basic outline remains the same, as Joe Turner (Max Irons) is the lone survivor of a massacre at a CIA office, pushing him further into a dark, seedy labyrinth of geopolitics. 

The show moves at a propulsive pace, lending it an air of “24” for the modern day. Themes related to paranoia and an inherent mistrust of the government remain front and center, just like they were for the original novel. But perhaps the greatest strength of this show is its ability to incorporate themes related to isolation, both as they relate to Joe feeling isolated from his support network and the world at large isolating communities, with no one ever really able to open up emotionally to one another.

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