We’re in the golden age of spy thriller shows — here’s the 5 best to stream right now
We are officially in the golden age of spy thriller shows. This fall alone brought us three killer new spy shows and a new season from one of my all-time favorites. And earlier in the year, we got “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” which while not a traditional spy thriller was a show I loved when I watched it all in one sitting.
So if you’re looking for espionage thrillers from the best streaming services, don’t worry. I’ve already done the recon and gathered intel. These five spy thrillers are the best espionage shows of 2024 and you can stream them right now from Netflix, Prime Video and more. Some even made the cut for my best shows of 2024 — period.
‘The Agency’ (Paramount Plus with Showtime)
“The Agency” is based on the acclaimed French spy thriller series “Le Bureau des Légendes” (or “The Bureau”) which itself was a great spy thriller when it ran from 2015-2020. That show was based on real-life accounts from life in the Bureau of Legends in the French Directorate-General for External Security, which is the French equivalent of the CIA or MI6. Legends are the identities that deep-cover spies build for themselves for long-term missions.
“The Agency,” swaps out the French for the CIA and France for London. It stars Michael Fassbender as an agent code-named “Martian” and the show kicks off with him being pulled from an undercover operation in Africa where he had been operating “under legend” as Paul Lewis for six years. That leaves some loose ends and when he gets back to London suddenly his past starts to creep into his present. This show is a slow burn but between the incredible performances and excellent production values, you’ll find yourself forgiving its occasionally plodding story.
Stream episodes 1-5 of “The Agency” now on Paramount Plus with Showtime
‘Black Doves’ (Netflix)
“Black Doves” stars Keira Knightley as Helen Webb, a politician’s wife and a loving mother with a dark secret. She’s been spying on her husband for years and is secretly a member of the Black Doves spy agency. She’s also been having a secret affair with a man named Jason (Andrew Koji) who she’s very much in love with.
Oh, and someone’s killed Jason and now she’s out for revenge.
Because of Helen’s questionable state, her boss, Reed (Sarah Lancashire), has called in Helen’s old partner Sam (Ben Whishaw) to keep her safe. This show feels like a Daniel Craig James Bond movie with just a touch of John Wick. It’s campy and pulpy, there’s plenty of sex and political intrigue. There’s even a gun shop masquerading as a music store and an assassin who gets demolished by a shotgun, spraying Knightley’s Helen Webb with blood in the process. And that’s just in episode 1. “Black Doves” may not be the best show on this list, but it might be the show you have the most fun watching.
Stream “Black Doves” now on Netflix
‘The Day of the Jackal’ (Peacock)
“The Day of the Jackal” stars Eddie Redmayne as a world-class assassin and Lashanna Lynch as the MI6 agent hot on his trail. It’s a modern reimaging of the 1971 Frederick Forsyth novel and the 1973 movie adapted from it. The show kicks off with a Radiohead soundtrack and a masterful assassination by Redmayne’s “The Jackal” and then becomes a 10-episode game of cat-and-mouse to not only bring the contract killer to justice but also prevent him from killing again.
While “Black Doves” can be campy, this show is not. It’s methodical, it’s calculating and it’s brilliantly executed. It also deviates from the source material and gives us a look at who “The Jackal” was before he became a master assassin and what it’s like for him to live a double life when he’s around his wife and son. If you love adaptations of John le Carré novels like “The Night Manager” or the first three Jason Bourne movies, read my interview with the show’s executive producers where we discuss five things to know about the season 1 finale, season 2 and more.
Stream “The Day of the Jackal” now on Peacock
‘Slow Horses’ (Apple TV Plus)
“The Day of the Jackal” was almost my top spy thriller of the year. But it just couldn’t beat out “Slow Horses” season 4, which while not the best season of the acclaimed Apple TV Plus show ended on a high note with the season finale “Hello Goodbye.”
If you’ve never seen this show before, “Slow Horses” stars Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb, a washed-up MI5 agent who oversees Slough House. This nondescript building is home to MI5’s “rejects,” many of whom are admittedly incompetent, have tainted their careers or are personally damaged to some degree. The top spy in this group is River Cartwright (Jack Lowden), who is a surprisingly competent spy with a former MI5 higher-up for a grandfather (Jonathan Pyrce). This show excels for three reasons: Gary Oldman’s performance, the tight six-episode pacing and the fact that you get a trailer for the next season after every season finale.
Stream “Slow Horses” now on Apple TV Plus
‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ (Prime Video)
Inspired by the 2005 movie of the same name, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” seemingly exists in the same universe. It stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine as two strangers who apply for work with a spy agency. As part of their application, they agree to live with a partner and suddenly they find themselves in a fake marriage as their cover story.
This was one of my most anticipated new shows of 2024 and it did not disappoint. In my review, I dubbed it “the most enjoyable show I’ve watched so far in 2024” and it’s still high on that list. The show’s mission of the week structure works brilliantly and has broad appeal and makes the show as much “Suits” as it is James Bond. It’s not a traditional spy thriller, but there are certainly thriller elements when things in a mission go wrong, including an incredible car chase in Italy with Ron Perlman in the backseat. If nothing else, I implore you to watch the episode “Couples Therapy (Naked & Afraid),” which was one of the best episodes of TV I saw all year.
Stream “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” now on Prime Video
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