10 Near-Perfect Spy Shows On Netflix

Published Oct 25, 2026, 3:45 PM EDT Ben is a Senior Writer on the New TV team at Screen Rant. He graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class B.A. Degree in English Literature and History. Born and raised in Ireland, Ben has always had a love for storytelling in all forms of media and operates multiple projects under the name Benjamin Blogs. Ben is a comic book writer and podcast host, in addition to his work as an entertainment journalist. He has worked as both a writer and editor for Screen Rant, Collider, and other media outlets across various departments, including features, news, reviews, and interviews. Netflix possesses one of the largest content libraries of any streaming platform, with a number of absolutely spectacular spy shows that are worth tuning in for. Over the years, Netflix has evolved from being a rental service, to an online streaming service, and now a powerhouse production studio releasing dozens of new shows and films on a monthly basis. With so many new shows arriving on the platform on a regular basis, it's easy to lose track and miss out on some extraordinary shows, and while a handful of spectacular spycraft has broken through to become globally charting hits, there are several more that have yet to receive the recognition they deserve. With all of that in mind, the following shows are a mix of well-known beloved spy shows, and some of the most incredible espionage series that have managed to fly under the radar. Each one has their strengths, and each manages to create something exceptional over the course of their runs. 10 The Night Agent Starting strong with one of the most well-known spy shows on Netflix, The Night Agent has been streaming since 2023, with Gabriel Basso tackling the leading role of Peter Sutherland, a low-level FBI agent who gets caught in the middle of an incredibly high-stakes scenario. The show involves a high-stakes political conspiracy, a rapid-paced narrative, and fantastic character development throughout the currently streaming three seasons. And of course, the show is still ongoing, with season 4 due to arrive on Netflix in 2027. The Night Agent is one of Netflix's best performing shows for a reason, and it's a must-watch for fans of the spy genre. 9 Black Doves Black Doves is another spy show that has made massive waves since it first arrived in 2024. With the enigmatic and charming Keira Knightley playing the role of Helen Webb, a politician's perfect wife who also leads a double life due to her career as a professional spy, this show delivers pure spectacular tension and intrigue throughout. The series brilliantly balances the public-facing life of Helen Webb with her thrilling work as a spy, which introduces a much darker side to the narrative, full of high-octane violence and intrigue. And of course, the performance of Knightley makes or breaks the series, and thanks to her extraordinary talent, she delivers in every scene. The series is due to return in November 2026 for season 2. 8 The Spy Some of the most thrilling spy shows on Netflix are inspired by real people and real events, as is the case with 2019s limited series, The Spy. The show explores the challenge for Mossad agent Eli Cohen to infiltrate the Syrian government in the 1960s, and in a surprising turn, well-known comedy actor Sacha Baron Cohen takes on the lead role in a jaw-dropping dramatic turn for the actor. While Baron Cohen is not typically associated with serious roles, his performance in The Spy earned him a Golden Globe nomination, which speaks to the extraordinary performance he delivers in this series. Beyond that, the series does an incredible job of exploring how heavy of a burden it is to live and build a reality inside a lie. 7 Kleo Moving on to some of the likely lesser-known spy shows that appear on Netflix, Kleo is a show that deserves so much more praise and attention. With Netflix being a global platform, they release an enormous amount of original content produced in different languages, and occasionally, these shows manage to crossover into the mainstream, as seen with Squid Game. And while some German shows like Dark have managed to draw in wider acclaim, there are still some hidden gems that are worth diving into, such as the thrilling and darkly comical Kleo. Kleo is set in a time shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and it follows a former assassin who is betrayed by her organization, and sets out on a quest for revenge. The series bares some similarities to Killing Eve in terms of the vibrancy and dark comedy elements, but it also manages to blend historical spycraft with a wonderfully unique and eccentric style that makes this series stand out from the crowd. Sally Mais/Netflix Legends is a fascinating and gritty British crime thriller that sees customs agents go deep undercover in an effort to infiltrate and expose some of the most insidious drug gangs and cartels operating in the 1990s. The series was created by Neil Forsyth, who is a popular crime author and screenwriter, and this series is easily one of his best. Between the way the show manages to capture some of the most grounded realism and psychological dread in a spy show to the fact that it avoids many of the more familiar aspects of a traditional spy story, this is one that genuinely breaks the mold. Unfortunately, it has yet to get the love that it deserves, but for anyone who tunes in, the show is a profound and harrowing study of the reality of undercover work and the dangers attached to it. 5 The Recruit Switching back to another popular spy pick, The Recruit has gotten a great deal of fanfare since it began in 2022. With Noah Centineo in the lead role as a young CIA lawyer, the series manages to blend the action and thrills of typical spy shows with plenty of humor and a unique sense of corporate dysfunction. While many shows follow the elite agents, or even new recruits who join their agencies with a wealth of experience under their belts, this series puts Owen Hendricks (Centineo) into the action despite his complete lack of skills and experience as a field agent. It's fun, it's messy, and it had a great run for two seasons before Netflix unfortunately axed The Recruit. 4 Treason Another underrated spy series, despite starring the incredible Charlie Cox on the heels of his stint as Daredevil in the Marvel Netflix shows, is Treason. This incredible British miniseries all takes place across five heart-pounding episodes, as Cox plays the MI6 deputy whose past introduces major complications when his boss is poisoned. The series moves rapidly through the plot, but keeps the tension high as the story unfolds, and in true Netflix style, this series is one that will absolutely hook the audience in a binge until the story finally resolves. It's thrilling, tense, and absolutely spectacular with a stunning performance from Cox and the rest of the team. 3 Vagabond South Korean drama has had an explosion in popularity since Squid Game, but one of the shows that may have missed out on that wave arrived in 2019, Vagabond. The show follows a stuntman and a National Intelligence Service agent who are investigating a plane crash, which leads to a much larger corruption scandal shrouded in conspiracies. The show itself benefits from a high budget, and some of the most exceptional stunt work in any spy series on Netflix, which all positions this shoe as a serious contender to be placed alongside big-budget blockbusters. And of course, as a K-drama, it delivers a perspective that isn't always present in Western TV or films, creating something that will absolutely keep viewers on the edge of their seats. 2 Fauda Fauda is an Arabic spy series which explores conflict between Israelis and Palestinians in a way that is not often depicted on TV. The series is often praised for the intensity with which it approaches the challenging subject matter, and the way it allows the story to sit in a space of deep moral ambiguity. It also features some of the most visceral and emotional depictions of military intelligence work in TV, as the show dives deep into the immense cost of human lives, and the unending cycle of conflict that has led to the events of the show. It's a fascinating watch, and one that is certainly emotionally taxing in a way many of the others are not, but that is part of the appeal. 1 Unfamiliar Finally, with another German espionage thriller, Unfamiliar rounds out this list. Simon and Meret are two retired secret agents who have been attempting to live a quiet life together as husband and wife in Berlin. However, when their pasts begin to impact on their present, things take a sharp turn. This is one of the most recent series on this list, having debuted in 2026, but already, the show is shaping up to be an exceptional exploration of how spies may struggle to leave the lives they led in the past, and what is at stake when the darkest parts of a person's life are exposed. All of these spy shows are incredible and well worth picking up, especially for anyone already subscribed to Netflix, where each of these shows is currently available to stream.