The Night Agent. Gabriel Basso as Peter Sutherland in episode 201 of The Night Agent. Cr. Sivirou … [+]
Updated 01/25/25 — See updates below.
After almost two years of waiting, one of the best shows on Netflix just got its second season and it’s great. If you like high-octane action, nefarious terrorist conspiracies, and plenty of tense espionage, you’re in for a treat.
The Night Agent is a no-nonsense, unpretentious spy thriller that should please anyone who enjoys the genre. It combines a competent plot with a likable cast of heroes and villains. The second season is out now on Netflix, but if you missed the first you should definitely start there.
Season 1 of The Night Agent introduces us to the secretive Night Action program, a top-secret federal spy team that investigates corruption in the United States government, finding undercover and double agents in the CIA, even at the highest levels of power.
The story follows Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) who is given a job answering a phone in a secret room in the White House. He’s basically the dispatcher of Night Action, but he soon finds himself caught up in a plot that stretches all the way to the Oval Office. He meets Rose (Lucian Buchanan) after receiving a distress call and from here things go from bad to worse. The duo face double crosses, intense chases and more as they try to stay alive and figure out who’s pulling the strings.
Season 2 adds a few new levels of complexity to the mix, juggling several subplots filled with intrigue, international espionage, and even more dire stakes. Just like the first season, this is a show that doesn’t try to be super sexy or super smart, but executes its spycraft with workmanlike efficiency. Yes, it’s over the top a lot of the time, but its chances are grounded and relatable, and it’s fun from the start.
If you’re looking for a binge this weekend, and especially if you’re a fan of shows like Slow Horses, Reacher, Killing Eve and jack ryan, do yourself a favor and give The Night Agent a shot.
Update 1.25.25
While The Night Agent is a fun spy show, it’s not the only one you should check out if you’re a fan of the genre. Here are some other must-see spy thrillers on TV that will help you scratch that itch.
Slow Horses (Apple TV)
Slow horses is the only show on Apple TV that gives Cut off a run for its money. This is the sharpest, most rigorous and scripted spy show airing right now. It’s also hilarious. Gary Oldman leads a huge cast as Jackson Lamb, the no-nonsense, sloppy boss of Slough House, where MI5 sends its rejects. Every season so far has been absolutely brilliant, edge-of-your-seat television.
The Night Manager (Hulu)
This BBC limited series is based on the 1993 novel by John le Carré. It stars Tom Hiddleston as the night manager of a Cairo hotel who becomes embroiled in a dangerous plot. Hugh Laurie plays a ruthless arms dealer. The cast is completed by Elizabeth Debicki, Olivia Colman, Tom Hollander and David Harewood. Like any Le Carré espionage, this is a slow burn that builds to a rattling finale.
Homeland (Paramount+)
One of the best spy thrillers of all time, Country it’s a must-watch in the genre, and with eight seasons it’ll give you plenty to watch. The first season is still one of the best TV seasons I’ve ever seen. Claire Danes plays bipolar CIA agent Carrie Mathison. He suspects that a recently released prisoner of war, Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) has been turned into a double agent by his terrorist captors. Mandy Patinkin plays Carrie’s boss, Saul Berenson. While the series has its low points, it’s still solid from start to finish.
The Spy (Netflix)
Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen is best known as Borat, and it’s a bit of a shock to see him play such a serious role in the spy, but he does a terrific job as Eli Cohen, a real-life Israeli Mossad spy infiltrating the Syrian government ahead of the Six Day War. Based on true events, this is a really exciting spy drama and Cohen is great. It’s not necessarily the most exciting of these spy thrillers, but it’s worth a watch.
Patriot (Prime Video)
Patriot it’s both extremely underrated and very, very quirky and weird. Michael Dorman plays a depressed spy/musician named John Tavner on a mission to stop Iran from going nuclear. Terry O’Quinn plays Tavner’s father, also an intelligence officer, and Michael Chernus (who you’ll recognize as Ricken Cut off) plays his bogey brother. The show is . . . honestly very strange. It’s not at all like what I expected. Give it a shot.
The Americans (Hulu)
One of my favorite spy thrillers of all time, The Americans It follows the dangerous lives of Phillip and Elizabeth Jennings – played by Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell – two Soviet spies who live in America and pretend to be Americans. They have perfect accents. They have a family and their children don’t even know the truth. As they go about their normal, suburban lives, they also carry out crazy espionage missions for the KGB. Not only is it an incredibly tense series, it’s also morally complex, where you really struggle with your feelings for these characters. Noah Emmerich also stars as Jennings’ neighbor, who turns out to be an FBI officer working in counterintelligence. Another streak that starts strong and makes it to the finish line intact.
