Saagar Kote
Apple TV’s ‘Slow Horses’ is the saga of River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) and his fellow agents, who are called the Slow Horses of the MI5, working under the command of the strange, rude, and sarcastic veteran spy Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman). Unlike regular agents, Slow Horses don’t work at the Park, MI5’s headquarters. River and his colleagues are seen as disgraced or underqualified agents who don’t have what it takes to be elite spies, and are instead reduced to working at Slough House, a division for such agents run by Lamb. Having to face Lamb’s odd and pointed insults on a daily basis for seemingly being unprofessional and unproductive, River has a difficult time adjusting to life as a Slow Horse, especially since he used to be a regular spy under the Park.
What seems like a quiet, thankless, and mundane job routine suddenly gives way to chaos as the Slow Horses get repeatedly pulled into situations that have national security implications. Guided by Lamb’s experience and strategic thinking, River and his teammates risk their lives to save Britain from foreign and domestic enemies, whether they receive recognition or not. Created by Will Smith, the British spy thriller series is based on the ‘Slough House’ novels by Mick Herron. These shows on Netflix, similar to ‘Slow Horses,’ will thrill you with their gripping tales of spycraft, secret identities, risky missions, action sequences, and appealing characters.
8. The Spy (2019)
Created by Gideon Raff, ‘The Spy’ chronicles the dangerous double life of Eli Cohen (Sacha Baron Cohen), an accountant whose patriotism leads him to accept a mission for Israeli intelligence. Inspired by Cohen’s true story and the book ‘L’espion qui venait d’Israël’ by Uri Dan and Yeshayahu Ben Porat, the political thriller drama series begins in 1959 when Mossad recruits Cohen for an undercover operation in Syria. After undergoing extensive training, he assumes the identity of Kamel Amin Thaabet and gradually earns the trust of influential figures. As his relationships bring him closer to Syria’s political and military elite, his position grows increasingly significant.
However, with tensions between Israel and Syria mounting ahead of the Six-Day War, Cohen finds himself navigating a dangerous political landscape where his mission carries enormous risks. Like River Cartwright in ‘Slow Horses,’ Eli Cohen in ‘The Spy’ operates in the world of intelligence, where his assignments demand considerable skill and expose him to danger. Access the English-language French show on Netflix.
7. The Night Agent (2023-)
Creator Shawn Ryan’s ‘The Night Agent’ is an action-thriller series that centers on FBI agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso), whose seemingly uneventful assignment at the White House takes a dangerous turn when an emergency phone finally rings. The call pulls him into a conspiracy involving a traitor within the highest levels of government, setting him on a search for answers that reaches far beyond his routine duties. Peter teams up with Rose Larkin (Luciane Buchanan), a former tech CEO with expertise in computers, to investigate the connections behind the threat.
Their search exposes a plan with serious national security implications, and the two find themselves caught in a perilous world of covert operations and political intrigue. Along the lines of ‘Slow Horses,’ the narrative explores how sensitive information, secretive missions, and competing interests can turn government service into a fight to prevent a larger crisis. Based on Matthew Quirk’s eponymous novel, the show is streaming here.
6. Homeland (2011-2020)
In ‘Homeland,’ CIA officer Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) becomes convinced that a returning American soldier may pose a threat to his own country. Following an unauthorized operation in Iraq, Carrie is reassigned to the Counterterrorism Center in Langley, Virginia, where her attention turns to Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis), a US Marine sergeant who comes home after being held captive by terrorists. Rescued from a compound belonging to terrorist Abu Nazir, Brody is celebrated as a war hero, but Carrie suspects his years in captivity may have altered his loyalties.
Despite the professional risks, she pursues her belief that he could be preparing an attack against the US. Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa are the creative voices behind this thriller series, which is based on the Israeli television series ‘Prisoners of War.’ Both ‘Homeland’ and ‘Slow Horses’ feature dangerous missions and also explore a world of political power, deception, and uncertain allegiances. Watch it on Netflix.
5. The Diplomat (2023-)
‘The Diplomat’ revolves around Kate Wyler (Keri Russell), a US ambassador to the UK whose new posting quickly turns into a test of her diplomatic skills and personal resilience. The political thriller series begins with Kate navigating an already strained marriage to Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell), a former diplomat and accomplished political strategist, when an anonymous attack on a British aircraft carrier triggers an international crisis. While she works with British officials to uncover the truth and prevent the situation from escalating into a wider conflict, Kate must navigate sensitive negotiations, competing interests, and difficult moral choices. The pressure of her position also intensifies the strain in her marriage, while her efforts to establish herself in a male-dominated political environment bring further challenges.
Caught between private turmoil and responsibilities that could affect relations between nations, Kate must make decisions with far-reaching consequences. Kate must navigate diplomatic negotiations and moral dilemmas while under constant vigilance and scrutiny, whereas the agents in ‘Slow Horses’ must use their intelligence to confront threats despite their marginalized position within MI5. The Debora Cahn creation can be viewed here.
4. Bodyguard (2018)
‘Bodyguard’ is the tale of Sergeant David Budd (Richard Madden), a former soldier whose military experiences and personal difficulties continue to affect his life even as he takes on a high-stakes security assignment. From Jed Mercurio’s creative mind comes this British political thriller series, which centers on David’s appointment to protect UK Home Secretary Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes), a powerful politician whose position places her at the center of a dangerous political landscape. The assignment becomes increasingly complicated when David develops romantic feelings for the very woman he is supposed to guard.
He struggles to reconcile his personal attachment with his professional responsibilities and becomes entangled in a political conspiracy with serious national security implications. David must navigate threats surrounding a prominent government figure while contending with the personal challenges that make his already demanding role even more difficult. Akin to ‘Slow Horses,’ the narrative explores how personal circumstances can complicate the lives of people working in high-pressure security roles, while also shedding light on political intrigue and threats to national security. Access it here.
3. Treason (2022)
‘Treason’ is a Matt Charman creation that follows Adam Lawrence (Charlie Cox), an MI6 operative whose carefully managed life begins to unravel when someone from his past returns with dangerous consequences. The British spy thriller series introduces Kara (Olga Kurylenko), a Russian spy whose reappearance draws Adam into a tangled world of espionage, conflicting loyalties, and hidden agendas. The consequences extend beyond his professional duties, putting his marriage to Maddy Lawrence (Oona Chaplin) under strain. With Kara’s involvement pulling him further into danger, Adam must reconsider whom he can trust and where his loyalties truly lie.
He faces the challenge of protecting those closest to him while trying to prevent the situation from upending his life. Adam Lawrence in ‘Treason’ and River Cartwright in ‘Slow Horses’ are intelligence operatives whose professional lives draw them into dangerous situations that test their judgment and loyalties. Adam becomes entangled in a web of espionage after Kara reappears, while River faces high-risk assignments as part of MI5’s sidelined team at Slough House. It can be found on Netflix.
2. The Recruit (2022-2025)
In ‘The Recruit,’ Owen Hendricks (Noah Centineo) is a newly hired CIA lawyer whose first days at the agency quickly spiral into a dangerous international affair. The story picks up when Owen discovers a threatening letter from former CIA asset Max Meladze (Laura Haddock), who warns that she will expose her connection to the agency unless she is cleared of a serious crime. What initially appears to be a problem he can resolve through legal work soon draws him into a world of covert operations, competing political interests, and dangerous individuals. With little experience handling field assignments, Owen finds himself venturing into foreign territories and taking on increasingly risky missions.
He must learn to navigate the agency’s complicated world while fighting to survive situations far beyond what he expected from his new job. Along the lines of ‘Slow Horses,’ the show explores how intelligence work can force relatively unprepared or underestimated operatives into dangerous circumstances. Owen must learn to handle risky field assignments despite his limited experience, whereas River and his colleagues must overcome their poor reputations to confront threats that demand their skills and judgment. With Alexi Hawley serving as creator, the spy drama series is available to watch here.
1. Black Doves (2024-)
‘Black Doves’ depicts the life of Helen Webb (Keira Knightley), a spy who has spent years concealing her true profession while married to the UK’s Secretary of State for Defence. As a member of the Black Doves, she secretly passes her husband’s information to the organization, keeping her two lives carefully separated. However, when her lover is murdered by people connected to London’s criminal underworld, Helen’s carefully maintained cover begins to crumble. With assassins closing in, the British action-thriller series follows Helen’s efforts to uncover the truth while protecting her family and concealing her identity.
Helen turns to Sam Young (Ben Whishaw), a former colleague and friend, for help, but his own secrets complicate their investigation. Dangerous enemies draw closer, and Helen must find those responsible without allowing her hidden life to come to light. Both ‘Slow Horses’ and ‘Black Doves’ focus on agents whose work puts them in dangerous situations where their personal and professional lives become difficult to separate, and unforeseen threats lurk in the shadows. Watch the Joe Barton creation on Netflix.
Read More: Slow Horses Season 6 Ending Explained
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