15 TV Shows To Watch If You Like The Night Agent – TVLine

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“The Night Agent” has been a major hit for Netflix, and with Season 3 now available to stream, fans have even more spy action to indulge in. But as a highly bingeable show with only 10 episodes per season, you’re likely to get caught up on the exploits of accidental spy Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) pretty quickly. Thankfully, Peter isn’t the only secret agent worth following these days. We’ve come up with a collection of similarly thrilling shows for you to sink your teeth into.

The recipe for success used by “The Night Agent” is fairly simple. You have a sympathetic protagonist who’s easy to root for, thrilling twists and turns that keep you guessing, high-stakes action, and a rotating cast of charming actors that bring the story to life. The shows on this list abide by similar criteria, albeit with a few ingredients swapped out. From political subterfuge to covert operations to games of cat and mouse, these series are sure to entertain action-loving fans of “The Night Agent.”

Fans of “The Americans” will jump at the chance to tell you, given any inkling of an opening, that the FX series is perhaps the greatest spy show ever made — and they’re not wrong. “The Americans” stars real-life couple Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys as Elizabeth and Phillip Jennings, two KGB spies posing as an all-American family to uncover valuable intelligence for the Soviet Union. By day, Elizabeth and Philip run a travel agency and live in the suburbs of Washington D.C. with their kids, but by night, they don some truly wonderful wigs, engage in subterfuge, and run undercover operations for their cause.

Though not as fast-paced as “The Night Agent,” “The Americans” takes a thoughtful look at the long-term costs of deception in a way few other spy stories ever have. Elizabeth and Philip are often faced with difficult questions about the nature of their loyalties. What’s more important: country, or family? Following orders, or saving your marriage? If the action — which there is plenty of — doesn’t keep you on the edge of your seat, the always-in-flux nature of Elizabeth and Philip’s relationship certainly will.

“Black Doves” is exactly what you want from a six-episode Netflix spy thriller. The great Keira Knightley has a delightful romp in the present day, for once, playing Helen, the wife of the Secretary of State for Defence. Her status as a political wife is just a cover, however. Helen is actually a “Black Dove,” part of a group of spies who sell information not for country or ideology, but for money. Helen finds herself in more danger than usual when her lover, Jason (Andrew Koji), is murdered. Helen’s boss, Reed (Sarah Lancashire), suspects something fishy is afoot and enlists the services of Sam (Ben Whishaw), a long-retired assassin and Helen’s best friend, to protect her.

“Black Doves” doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to spy thrillers, but it’s an entertaining outing with plenty to offer fans of the genre. Speaking of genre, it’s great to see Knightley sink her teeth into an action series like this, and she injects a sense of supercharged energy and glee into all of her fight scenes. You’ll love the sibling-like dynamic between Helen and Sam, who have easy chemistry and give the show some levity.

Gabriel Basso’s character in “The Night Agent,” Peter Sutherland, is a cool guy. He doesn’t set out to be a hero, but he’s good at what he does, and let’s face it, he’s nice to look at, too. The Apple TV series “Slow Horses” does not depict cool Bond types. Instead, it follows a group of spies who are as washout as spies can be. Gary Oldman, who considers the show a career highlight, plays Jackson Lamb, the pathetic, crabby boss of Slough House, a makeshift office for failed MI5 agents who are made to do menial tasks rather than be fired.

If you’re in the mood for a different take on the spy genre, “Slow Horses” is an excellent place to start. In many ways, looks can be deceiving. Lamb is unkempt and seemingly uncaring, but his disheveled appearance belies a keen intelligence beneath. Despite their subpar placement, Lamb and his lovable band of busted-up spies still find themselves amidst dangerous plots that threaten national security. “Slow Horses” is a lot of fun, with an acerbic wit and idiosyncratic characters whose teamwork generates a pleasing amount of chaos.

“Bodyguard,” a six-episode BBC miniseries, is the perfect antidote for television malaise and an excellent binge-watch. Richard Madden plays David Budd, a Police Sergeant and military veteran who served in Afghanistan. Plagued by PTSD he refuses to seek treatment for, David becomes an unwitting hero after stopping a terrorist bombing on a train. His newfound celebrity lands him a job as the security detail for Home Secretary Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes), an ambitious politician whose views David vehemently disagrees with. Namely, Julia is a proponent of giving even more power to the government to surveil its citizens.

You might think you know where “Bodyguard” is going, but you’d be wrong. A less clever writer might have resolved David and Julia’s issues with some sexual gratification or the clear-headedness that results from a near-death experience, but “Bodyguard” doesn’t fall into such cliches. A sense of paranoia drives the series, and the tension derived from David and Julia’s ideological differences, as well as the very real threats they face, never lets up.

“The Diplomat” has been a huge success for Netflix, wowing both critics and audiences with its snappy blend of political intrigue and personal dramas. “The Americans” star Keri Russell plays Kate Wyler, a no-nonsense diplomat with years of experience in the Middle East. Kate is surprised to find herself appointed to a cushy-seeming position as the ambassador to the United Kingdom, a job that is mainly about optics and putting on a show. This is very much out of Kate’s wheelhouse, but behind closed doors, those in power are testing her out as a potential vice president. Meanwhile, her tenuous relationship with her husband, Hal (Rufus Sewell), complicates matters further.

Netflix’s Head of UCAN (U.S.-Canada) Scripted Series Jinny Howe has often described the streamer’s ideal type of content as a “gourmet cheeseburger,” and “The Diplomat” fits that brief more than most shows on the platform. It’s hugely entertaining without dumbing down the plot or sacrificing accuracy for the sake of titillation. Created by Debora Cahn, who previously worked on “Homeland” and “The West Wing” (her former colleagues Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford appear), the show has some Sorkin-esque qualities but lacks a stuck-up attitude. Fans of “The Night Agent” and its popcorn approach to political thrills will appreciate how fun “The Diplomat” can be.

Jennifer Garner delivers the best performance of her career in the J.J. Abrams-led series “Alias,” and she doesn’t get enough credit for it. The normally cheery Garner took on a challenging new role in “Alias,” playing secret agent Sydney Bristow. Sidney works for SD-6, an organization she believes is a clandestine group embedded deep within the CIA. She learns the hard way that she’s been lied to and that SD-6 is essentially part of a worldwide terrorist group. Sydney goes to work for the real CIA, posing as a double agent and working alongside her estranged father, Jack (Victor Garber, in one of his best roles).

It’s a compelling concept, and it’s not hard to see why ABC greenlit the show. But it’s Garner’s performance that makes it work. She maintains some of the earnestness she’s known for, imbuing Sydney with unassailable warmth alongside her steely determination and hard-won strength. Though it has an air of stillness to it sometimes, reflecting early 2000s spy aesthetics, it’s an ambitious, globe-trotting show filled with awesome fight scenes and thrilling espionage.

Taylor Sheridan’s action thriller “Lioness” proves that kicking ass and taking names isn’t just for the boys. Zoe Saldaña, who delivers a magnetic performance, plays Joe, a CIA officer in charge of the clandestine Lioness program, which sends highly trained female operatives into the field on delicate, dangerous missions. In Season 1, Joe recruits Cruz (Laysla De Oliveira), a U.S. Marine, to go undercover in the Middle East to apprehend a terrorist. In Season 2, Joe and her team take on the case of an abducted congresswoman, which leads them to a bigger conspiracy.

“Lioness” is an action-packed series that moves at a breakneck pace, challenging viewers (in a gratifying manner) to keep up. The strengths of the first season — compelling, mysterious characters, tricky ethical questions, and high-octane fight sequences — are enhanced in the show’s excellent second season. In addition to the unstoppable force that is Saldaña’s Joe, the show also introduces us to her higher-ups, which include characters played by Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman. If you’re looking for a show that matches “The Night Agent” in intensity (and then some), “Lioness” is a great choice.

Turning the 2005 spy film “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” starring unparalleled superstars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, into a television show seemed an impossible task. Somehow, the producers of the Prime Video adaptation pulled it off, thanks to two charming leads and a clever change to the original story. Instead of depicting a long-married couple, series stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine play beginner spies who land a job at a mysterious organization that pairs them up as husband and wife. They are given aliases — John and Jane Smith, of course — and tasked with gathering intel for their nameless, faceless bosses.

Unlike in the film, John and Jane aren’t very good at being spies, but rather than making the show dull, their lack of skill actually produces more thrills — and humor. As a viewer, you’re often afraid things will go wrong, and go wrong they do. Perhaps most important is the chemistry between Glover and Erskine. Their instant connection and sexual chemistry complicate their job, even though they’re posing as a well-established couple.

If you love spy shows but are looking for something a little more off-kilter, we strongly suggest you check out the Prime Video series “Patriot.” Michael Dorman, who you might recognize from the great alternate history show “For All Mankind,” plays intelligence officer John Tavner. John is a depressed folk singer who uses music as an outlet to express his sorrows and lots of marijuana to ease his pain. After a recent assignment gone bad, John goes undercover as an industrial engineer at a piping firm in Milwaukee. A problem quickly arises: John doesn’t know anything about industrial engineering, forcing him to (literally) throw his competition under the bus.

The tone of “The Patriot” is all over the place, making it difficult to describe. Its comedic stylings are sometimes reminiscent of the Coen Brothers, while John’s depressed poet schtick feels straight out of “Inside Llewyn Davis.” Though it follows a spy, John’s exploits exist in a totally different universe than Peter Sutherland’s cool-guy antics in “The Night Agent.” That’s a good thing, as it makes “The Patriot” stand out amidst the crowd. Its excellent, out-of-the-box two seasons flew under the radar, but there’s still time to get acquainted with this cult favorite.

“The Night Agent” and “The Night Manager” should link up sometime, considering how similar their titles are and the fact that they both work as super-cool spies. Once a favorite to play James Bond, Tom Hiddleston gets his chance to play a suave sleuth as Jonathan Pine, a British Army veteran. Scarred by his time in the military and working at a hotel in Cairo during the Egyptian Revolution, Pine relocates to Switzerland, where he works as a night manager at an upscale hotel. Pine’s hotel is the favorite vacation spot of Richard Roper, a dangerous arms dealer played by Hugh Laurie. Olivia Colman rounds out this incredible ensemble as Angela Burr, the Foreign Office leader who enlists Pine to go undercover and take Roper down.

The show, which premiered back in 2016, was met with critical acclaim, picking up two Emmys and three Golden Globe Awards. Despite this warm welcome, “The Night Manager” wasn’t brought back until 2024, with a second season premiering in early 2026. A pitch-perfect adaptation of John le Carré’s novel, this show is bound to satisfy spy lovers everywhere.

Peter Sutherland does what he does to avenge his father, who was accused of betraying his country as an FBI agent. Though he goes about his mission on the “right” side of the law, it’s not hard to imagine him having gone in the other direction. Such is the premise of the French thriller “Lupin.” Omar Sy plays Assane Diop, a thief who draws inspiration from beloved gentleman thief Arsène Lupin. But Assane’s motivations for stealing are much deeper than that.

When he was a child, his father, a Senegalese immigrant, worked for the wealthy Pelligrini family, led by cruel patriarch Hubert Pellegrini (Hervé Pierre). The Pellegrinis possessed a necklace once owned by Marie Antoinette, and Hubert Pellegrini framed Assane’s father for its theft. He died by suicide in prison. Now a grown man with his own financial woes, Assane plans to steal back that same necklace from the Louvre, paying off his debts and plotting to take down Pelligrini in the process.

“Lupin,” which was a massive hit for Netflix, is a slick, cleverly-plotted show full of surprising twists and juicy cliffhangers. Sy is the show’s biggest selling point, as his easy charm turns Assane into the most lovable thief you’ve ever encountered.

Though it has moments of levity, “The Night Agent” takes itself seriously, and the tension doesn’t feel manufactured. The USA series “Covert Affairs” is a much breezier take on the spy genre, and while it may not appeal to every fan of “The Night Agent,” it’s a ton of fun. 

The wonderfully charming Piper Perabo plays Annie Walker, a fresh-faced CIA agent trainee suddenly thrust into the field. She’s sent to work for the Domestic Protection Division (DPD), looking after persons of interest around the world. Annie is supported in all things by her handler, Auggie (Christopher Gorham), a blind CIA officer who shows her the ropes.

“Covert Affairs” isn’t the most realistic spy series out there, but its charming leads distract you from any lack of verisimilitude. Perabo oozes charisma from every pore, and it’s impossible to dislike her even though Annie should probably be fired. Her chemistry with Gorham provides the beating heart of the series, which proves that spy shows don’t always have to feel so life-or-death.

One of the most underrated spy shows out there, “Condor” is a great follow-up to the action-packed scenes in “The Night Agent.” Based on the James Grady novel “Six Days of the Condor,” famously adapted into the Robert Redford film “Three Days of Condor,” the propulsive spy show premiered on Audience before moving to EPIX (now MGM+) — hence its lack of viewership.

Max Irons plays Joe Turner, a tech expert who works for the CIA as a data analyst. Joe is a deeply moral person whose beliefs about the sanctity of human life often contrast with those of his employers. When he uncovers a plot that could put millions of lives at risk, he feels obligated to dig further. His curiosity leads to the death of all his coworkers, leading Joe down a dangerous path to discover the truth. 

“Condor” cleverly updates the Watergate-era politics of the novel and film, tackling modern-day tech advancements and millennials’ existential dilemmas. Fleshing out the ’70s paranoia of its source material, the show explores modern loneliness while traveling at breakneck speed.

“Secret City” takes a different approach to the political espionage depicted in “The Night Agent,” delivering us the action through the eyes of an intrepid reporter. “Fringe” star Anna Torv plays Harriet, a journalist intent on investigating government abuses of power — at her own peril. In the capital city of Canberra, a murder cues Harriet into a larger conspiracy that puts the lives of her fellow countrymen at risk. Amidst rising tension between China and the United States, Harriet looks into the shady dealings of powerful politicians. Her biggest (and most entertaining) foe is Attorney-General Catriona Bailey, played by Jacki Weaver, who gets to deliver amazing lines such as: “You’ve unleashed a sh**storm of biblical proportions.”

Unlike “The Night Agent,” the action in “Secret City” takes place not through explosions and hand-to-hand combat, but through dogged investigations, tense conversations, and many sidelong glances. While this kind of slow burn can get tedious in the wrong hands, following along with Harriet as she pieces together clues is as riveting as it gets.

Though it treads familiar ground, “The Day of the Jackal” is a tense game of cat and mouse like you’ve never seen before, perfect for thrill-seeking fans of “The Night Agent.” Based on Frederick Forsyth’s 1973 novel, the show stars a mesmerizing Eddie Redmayne as The Jackal, a cold-blooded assassin of great renown. Lashana Lynch plays his latest mark, Bianca Pullman, a dogged MI6 agent hot on the Jackal’s trail. As the two brilliant and dangerous individuals track each other across the globe, chaos follows in their wake.

A sleek thriller that derives juicy tension from its two unstoppable opposing forces, the show also takes the time to sit with the emotional cost of our protagonists’ deadly chase. Though he styles himself as a detached killer, the Jackal is also a family man, and his mask ever-so-slowly slips off as the series progresses. Bianca similarly defies expectations, as her would-be hero shirks any do-gooder responsibilities in favor of capturing her mark — consequences be damned. Both actors excel in their roles, deliciously blurring the lines between right and wrong as they close in on each other.