If you fancy yourself as an MI5 agent in another life (or even this one!) and have already lived out your fantasies through Slow Horses and Killing Eve, you're in the right place! We've binged our way through a whole catalogue of spy thrillers to bring you the underrated gems that deserve a spot on your watchlist - and we even have a John le Carré adaptation that's absolutely perfect for The Night Manager fans.
From a dangerous undercover hacking mission in Tehran to a perfect John le Carré adaptation in the form of A Perfect Spy, we've got some seriously addictive series on the agenda. So, remotes at the ready, as these are the 7 best spy thrillers to watch now on ITV, Netflix, the BBC and more.
Tehran
This superb Israeli spy thriller tells the captivating story of Mossad agent and skilled hacker, Tamar Rabinyan (Niv Sultan), who goes on a dangerous undercover mission in her hometown of Tehran to disable local air defences - which puts the lives of almost everyone around her in jeopardy. Tense and extremely bingeworthy, two further series see Tamar lose her closest allies and go rogue, before trying to win back the Mossad's support in a bid to survive. It's a stomach-clenching watch! Available to watch now on Apple TV.
Spies of Terror
Set during the dark aftermath of the November 2015 attacks in Paris, this chilling thriller is based on real-life events as one of the biggest manhunts across Europe takes place to find those responsible. Based on the book, The Spies of Terror, by Matthieu Suc, the series follows police officers and intelligence as they work to stop another imminent attack. Malika Berthier (Rachida Brakni), a French secret service analyst, joins forces with police officers, Lucie Kessler (Fleur Geffrier) and Vincent (Vincent Elbaz), on the nail-biting race against time. Available to watch now on ITVX.
Spy/Master
This intense but perfectly written series takes us to 1980s Romania during the height of the Cold War. Victor Godeanu (Alec Secăreanu) is the right-hand man to the Romanian President, Nicolae Ceaușescu (Claudiu Bleonț), but he's also hiding something - he's a secret agent for the Soviets, and the government is about to out him. As he sets off on a diplomatic trip to Germany to try and suppress the suspicions of his own country and the KGB, his daughter and wife face the fallout back home. Available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
A Perfect Spy
This fantastic adaptation of John le Carré’s 1986 novel of the same name first aired on the BBC in 1987 and is one of the broadcaster's best-kept secrets. The 7-part series. which is perfect for The Night Manager fans, charts the rise and fall of Magnus Pym (Peter Egan), an agent for the British Secret Service - from his childhood and his relationship with his conman father to his turbulent career as a double agent - which is deeply marked by a close friendship with a Czech spy called Axel (Rüdiger Weigang). Available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
Rogue Agent
Based on a true story, Rogue Agent, tells the disturbing story of Robert Freegard (James Norton) who made a career as a conman masquerading as an MI5 agent who recruited civilian informants in the wake of ongoing IRA attacks. Years later, a London lawyer, Alice Archer (Gemma Arterton), falls for Robert, who now works as a luxury car salesman - but she soon realises he is not who he purports to be, and unravels a harrowing timeline of criminal deceit when he steals a large sum of money from her. Available to watch now on Netflix.
Traitors
No, we're not talking about the BBC show, but the lesser-known spy thriller set in post-World War II London. The series introduces us to young, naïve and upper class civil servant, Feef Symonds (Emma Appleton), who's charmed by an enigmatic American agent, so much so that he manages to recruit her to spy on her own government in a bid to root out Russian spies. Unaware of the risks it entails, Feef thinks she's been awarded the adventure she's always longed for, but is soon thrust into a world full of danger, lies and seduction. Available to watch now on Netflix.
The Copenhagen Test
This brilliantly twisty series recently landed on Channel 4 and it's well worth diving into. Set in the near future, the series follows army veteran and spy Alexander Hale (Simu Liu), who discovers his brain has been hacked, giving his foes access to everything he sees and hears. To make matters worse, he's also suspected of being a mole by the organisation and his fellow agent, Michelle Cyr (Melissa Barrera), is given the job of secretly monitoring the accused Hale by going undercover. Totally mind-bending. Available to watch now on Channel 4.
