As a result of growing up with television shows and literature about serial killers and detectives, we all have a little bit of a detective in us. We all enjoy suspenseful movies, but we all know that we enjoy television shows even more since they reveal more depth in the characters, such as how the main protagonist evolved into the agent that he is and what the true motivation of the antagonist is.
One of such series is the political thriller series Jack Ryan which is about a CIA analyst named Jack who, after uncovering a series of questionable bank transfers, is forced out of the safety of his desk job and into the field. The thrill, the action, and the suspense that it reveals are outstanding, and who is not a fan of Jack Ryan?
If you are someone who enjoys watching political thriller action series just as much as I do, then you have arrived at the correct place. Here is a list of 36 series that are similar to Jack Ryan.
1. Homeland
The American television series Homeland is an espionage thriller. The show’s plot centers on a bipolar CIA operations officer named Carrie Mathison. To date, there have been a total of eight seasons of Homeland. The show is filled with suspense, action, and various strategies that the CIA uses to prevent terrorist attacks.
The show has been praised by critics and audiences alike, earning several awards and nominations, including the Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Drama in 2011 and 2012.
- Creators: Alex Gansa (developed for American television by), Howard Gordon(developed for American television by)
- Starring: Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, Damian Lewis
- Where to watch: Hotstar
2. Treason
The plot of Treason centers on Adam Lawrence, the newly appointed Deputy Chief of MI6, whose promising career is threatened when Sir Martin Angelis, the agency’s previous head, is poisoned. A Russian agent and Adam’s ex-lover with whom he still has ties is the key suspect.
Adam learns he can’t trust anyone when leaders begin to question his background and loyalty, and threats are made to his family. Given the danger to his daughter Ella, his actions in accepting a temporary charge of MI6 are a bit of a stretch. Binge-watchable and packed with action and excitement, Treason consists of a total of five episodes.
- Directed by: Louise Hooper, Sarah O’Gorman
- Starring: Charlie Cox, Olga Kurylenko, Oona Chaplin and Ciarán Hinds
- Where to watch: Netflix
3. The Night Manager
The Night Manager is a popular television program that airs in the United Kingdom. It is a retelling of the author John le Carré’s novel of the same name, which was published in 1993. The plot of “The Night Manager” centers around the character of Jonathan Pine.
The head of the Foreign Office team looking into unlawful weaponry sales, who approaches Jonathan Pine, now the night manager of a luxury hotel in Cairo and a former British soldier, with the intention of having him infiltrate the inner circle of arms dealer Richard Roper. Pine previously served in the military.
- Written by: David Farr
- Directed by: Susanne Bier
- Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Olivia Colman, Tom Hollander and Hugh Laurie,
- Where to watch: Amazon
4. Reacher
Reacher is a crime-themed action series that airs on Netflix. Jack Reacher, a former member of the United States Army military police, travels to the fictional small town of Margrave, Georgia, and winds up getting jailed for murder during the first season of the show, which is based on the debut novel written by Lincoln Child in 1997 titled Killing Floor.
After being released from prison, he joins forces with Roscoe Conklin and Oscar Finlay to investigate a massive conspiracy that involves corrupt law enforcement officials, politicians, and businesses.
- Director: Nick Santora
- Starring: Alan Ritchson, Malcolm Goodwin and Willa Fitzgerald
- Where to watch: Netflix
5. Bodyguard
Bodyguard is a British political thriller television series consisting of a total of 1 season with six episodes. The story is about a bodyguard named David, and when he is appointed as a Bodyguard to the Home Secretary, his methods of trying to save her and mysteries emerge.
If you are searching for a show to watch on its whole that has both action and suspense in it, this is a wonderful choice.
- Creator: Jed Mercurio
- Starring: Richard Madden, Sophie Rundle and Vincent Franklin
- Where to watch: Netflix
6. Shooter
The protagonist of the American drama television series Shooter is a reclusive former United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper from MARSOC named Swagger, who is enticed back into action after learning of a conspiracy to kill the President. The film with the same name was released in 2007.
There are a total of three seasons to the show.
- Directed by: Antoine Fuqua
- Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Shantel VanSanten and Omar Epps
- Where to watch: Netflix
7. Condor
Based on James Grady’s novel Six Days of the Condor, the American thriller series Condor airs on television. The series follows the exploits of Joe Turner, a young, idealistic man who signs up with the CIA in an effort to bring about systemic change there. When he discovers the secret plot, millions of people could be in danger.
When a team of hired assassins opens fire at Joe’s workplace, he must confront some of the most lethal parts of the military-industrial complex.
- Created by: Todd Katzberg and Jason Smilovic
- Starring: Max Irons, Brendan Fraser, William Hurt and Leem Lubany
8. Berlin Station
Daniel Miller, who has just arrived at the CIA station in Berlin, Germany, is the protagonist of the American television drama series Berlin Station. The show chronicles the tale of Daniel Miller. Miller is tasked with a covert assignment at the beginning of the first season, which is to identify the source of a leak that has provided information to a well-known whistleblower named Thomas Shaw.
- Director: Olen Steinhauer
- Starring: Richard Armitage, Rhys Ifans, Leland Orser
9. The Looming Towers
The Looming Tower is a miniseries on American television that was adapted from a novel by the same name published in 2006 by Lawrence Wright. In Looming Tower, we follow the story of how the rivalry between the FBI and CIA in the late 1990s may have unwittingly paved the way for the tragedy of September 11, 2001.
It follows agents from the FBI’s counterterrorism I-49 Squad in New York City and the CIA’s Alec Station in Washington, D.C., as they compete for control of intelligence while ostensibly seeking to stop an impending assault on U.S. land.
- Created by: Dan Futterman, Alex Gibney, and Lawrence Wright
- Starring: Jeff Daniels, Tahar Rahim and Wrenn Schmidt
- Where to watch: Amazon
10. The Recruit
The Recruit is an American television series that focuses on espionage and action. Owen Hendricks, played by Noah Centineo, is a CIA lawyer who, in the course of the series, finds himself embroiled in enormous international conflicts with dangerous parties. These conflicts arise as a result of an asset’s attempt to reveal her connection to the CIA.
- Created by: Alexi Hawley
- Starring: Noah Centineo, Laura Haddock, and Aarti Mann
11. Nikita
Nikita is a television series from the United States that focuses on action, suspense, and drama. The series is based on the French movie La Femme Nikita, which was directed by Luc Besson. The plot of Nikita revolves around a former assassin gone rogue who goes back to destroy the covert group that was responsible for her training.
This television program spans a total of 4 seasons and 73 episodes, all of which are packed with exciting and suspenseful content.
- Creator: Craig Silverstein
- Starring: Maggie Q, Shane West and Lyndsy Fonseca
12. The Spy
The Agent is a French television show that is dubbed into English and is based on the life of Eli Cohen, who was the most senior spy for Israel’s Mossad agency. Eli Cohen, a Mossad agent, is the protagonist of this miniseries, which chronicles his missions.
The action of the story takes place in the years leading up to Israel and Syria’s Six-Day War in 1967. The narrative moves from Cohen’s time spent as a deserter in the Egyptian army to his covert operations within the Syrian Ministry of Defense.
- Directed by: Gideon Raff
- Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen and Noah Emmerich
13. The Blacklist
The Blacklist is a 10-season crime drama that premiered on September 23, 2013. It follows Raymond “Red” Reddington, a former US Naval Intelligence officer turned rouge who is now on the FBI’s most wanted list. One day, he surrenders to the FBI and says he has a list of the world’s most dangerous criminals, complete with information about each one, and he’ll give it to them if they give him full immunity in exchange.
- Creator: Jon Bokenkamp
- Stars: James Spader, Megan Boone, Diego Klattenhoff
- Where to watch: Netflix
14. Treadstone
Treadstone is a one-season miniseries inspired by the Bourne films that follow the fictional CIA black-ops program Operation Treadstone. In this series, recruits undergo a behavior modification regimen in order to become virtually superhuman assassins.
A worldwide cast of sleeper operatives is inexplicably ‘awakened’ to begin their lethal tasks in this action-packed series. In order for these killers to be effective in their missions across the globe, the program strips them of their identities, wipes their memories, and removes their sense of morality.
- Creator: Tim Kring
- Starring: Jeremy Irvine, Tracy Ifeachor and Omar Metwally
- Where to watch: Prime
15. 24
Each episode of the action drama 24 lasts an hour and depicts events as they occur in real-time; the series spans nine seasons and centers on Jack Bauer, an agent of the United States Counter Terrorism who must save his country in the span of 24 hours.
Winner of multiple honors, including Best Drama Series at the 2004 Golden Globes and Outstanding Drama Series at the 2006 Primetime Emmys, 24 has a long list of accolades to its name.
- Creators: Robert Cochran, Joel Surnow
- Starring: Mary Lynn Rajskub, Carlos Bernard and Kiefer Sutherland,
16. Hanna
Taken from the film of the same name released in 2011, Hanna is an American action movie about a 15-year-old girl who is a covert CIA operative who was raised in the woods by her father, Erik. The series follows Hanna as she searches for her identity while the CIA tries to eliminate her.
- Creator: David Farr(created for television)
- Starring: Esme Creed-Miles, Áine Rose Daly and Mireille Enos,
- Where to watch: Prime
17. Bosch
Based on The Concrete Blonde (3rd book in the series), City of Bones (the 8th book), and Echo Park (the 12th book), Bosch is a crime thriller drama that follows an LAPD investigator named Bosch as he investigates a new murder case each season despite the constant threat to his life and career. There have been seven seasons of the show.
- Creator: Eric Ellis Overmyer(developed for television by)
- Starring: Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector and Amy Aquino
- Where to watch: Amazon
18. Designated Survivor
Possessing a grand total of three distinct seasons, The political thriller drama Designated Survivor, After a cataclysmic strike kills everyone in the line of succession above him, a low-level Cabinet member named Thomas Kirkman becomes President of the United States. However, the incident is only the beginning of what is to come.
- Creator: David Guggenheim
- Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Adan Canto and Italia Ricci
- Where to watch: Netflix
19. Sherlock
Based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel of the same name, the television series Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, follows the exploits of the eponymous detective and his trusted companion, Dr. John Watson. The show has been on the air for a total of four seasons, with three or four episodes every season. It has been nominated for three Emmys and won two of them during the 66th annual ceremony.
- Creators: Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat
- Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman and Una Stubbs
- Where to watch: Netflix
19. Fauda
The Israeli television series Fauda has a total of four seasons to its name. The Fulda is a series that tells the narrative of humanity caught up in the struggle between Israel and Palestine from both perspectives.
- Creators: Avi Issacharoff, Lior Raz
- Starring: Lior RazItzik Cohen and Neta Garty
- Where to watch: Netflix
20. The Widow
British television drama series The Widow centers on Georgia Wells, whose husband Will was killed in an aircraft crash while on a business trip to the Congo in Africa. She recognizes his likeness in a news program on civil instability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo three years later, prompting her to journey to Kinshasa in search of answers.
She starts asking questions, including why her spouse would feign suicide. The eight-part series delves into heavy topics like violence and corruption through its many plots.
- Directed by: Sam Donovan and Olly Blackburn
- Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Charles Dance and Matthew Le Nevez
- Where to watch: Amazon
21. 24: Legacy
American TV series 24: Legacy It’s a spin-off of the 24 series. The series follows a former Army Ranger named Eric Carter who, after leading a mission to kill terrorist leader Sheikh Ibrahim bin Khalid, returns to the United States and learns that he and his former comrades are being targeted for assassination because one of them stole a flash drive containing a list of terror cells operating in the United States and the codes to activate them.
- Director: Manny CotoEvan Katz
- Starring: Corey Hawkins, Miranda Otto and Anna Diop
22. Deep state
The plot of the British television espionage thriller series Deep State revolves around what happens to a man who has retired from MI6 but is called back to complete one final assignment in order to regain his life, only to learn that completing this assignment may mean he has no life to regain at all.
- Creators: Matthew Parkhill, Simon Maxwell
- Starring: Joe Dempsie, Karima McAdams and Anastasia Griffith
23. The Little Drummer Girl
A TV adaptation of John le Carré’s novel of the same name from 1983, The Little Drummer Girl. The story centers on a Palestinian assassin who is killing high-profile Israelis; a Mossad agent recruits a young English actress to infiltrate the assassin’s terrorist cell, a mission that will test her acting chops to the fullest and put her life in grave danger.
- Starring: Simona Brown, Gennady Fleyscher and Clare Holman
24. Jett
Daisy “Jett” Kowalski, a former world-class burglar, has recently been released from prison, but a ragtag band of colorful and deadly criminals is determined to have her return to the life of crime that landed her in jail in the first place.
- Directed by: Sebastian Gutierrez
- Starring: Carla Gugino, Giancarlo Esposito and Elena Anaya
25. Traitors
Miniseries drama on British television that goes by the name “Traitors.” In the years following World War II, a young woman working as a civil servant in the United Kingdom made the decision to spy for the United States in her own country.
- Starring: Emma Appleton, Luke Treadaway, Michael Stuhlbarg and Keeley Hawes
- Where to watch: Netflix
26. Sneaky Pete
A crime drama series set in the United States, Sneaky Pete Marius, a con artist on the run from a brutal gangster, assumes the identity of Pete, his cellmate in prison, and reconnects with Pete’s estranged family, who threaten to pull him back into a world just as deadly as the one he’s trying to escape.
- Creators: Bryan Cranston and David Shore
- Starring: Giovanni Ribisi, Marin Ireland and Shane McRae
27. Quantico
Starring Priyanka Chopra, Quantico is a television series from the United States that combines elements of suspense and drama. An in-depth look at the life of young FBI recruits undergoing training at the Quantico base in Virginia during a time when one of their own is suspected of being a sleeper terrorist. The television series Quantico has a total of three seasons.
- Created by: Joshua Safran
- Starring: Priyanka Chopra, Josh Hopkins and Jake McLaughlin
28. The Enemy Within
The Enemy Within is a series that revolves around the CIA’s deputy director of operations named, Erica Shepherd. Erica is compelled to divulge the identities of four spies when Russian master terrorist Mikhail Vassily Tal threatens her daughter Hannah. These agents are Steven Haibach, Brian Lanich, Desiree Villareal, and Laine Heffron.
After the agents are slain, FBI agent Will Keaton captures Erica and has her sentenced to 15 consecutive life terms in prison without the chance of release. The next year, Tal launches another attack, and Keaton is tasked with bringing Erica out of ADX Florence to help in the hunt for Tal and his expanding network of spies. This all takes place three years later.
- Created by: Ken Woodruff
- Starring: Jennifer Carpenter, Morris Chestnut and Raza Jaffrey
29. Alias
Sydney Bristow, the protagonist of the American action thriller and science fiction television series Alias, is a former college student turned worldwide spy. There have been a total of 5 seasons of the show, and it has been featured on numerous “best of” lists, including the top ten list of television shows from 2003 compiled by the American Film Institute.
- Created by: J. J. Abrams
- Starring: Jennifer Garner, Ron Rifkin and Michael Vartan
30. Special Ops
The Indian spy drama Special Ops is full of excitement and action. Himmat Singh, a member of the Research and Analysis Wing, is the protagonist of the show. He notices patterns in terrorist acts and becomes certain that a single individual is responsible for them all. His task group consists of five agents located in different regions of the world, and they are working together to track down the villain.
The first season of Special Ops follows Himmat Singh and his squad as they try to eliminate the mastermind, while the second season delves into Himmat Singh’s backstory.
- Created by: Neeraj Pandey
- Starring: Kay Kay Menon, Vinay Pathak and Karan Tacker
- Where to watch: Hotstar
31. The Family Man
Top 10 Black Clover Fights of All Time is an action thriller dark comedy series that stars Manoj Bajpai. The series has aired two seasons so far, and the plot centers on Srikant Tiwari, who appears to be a normal family man with a normal family but is actually a senior officer in the Threat Analysis and Surveillance Cell (TASC), and his struggle to stop the threat of terrorism in India while also dealing with his personal life at the same time. Family Man is a dark comedy.
- Creators: Krishna D.K. and Raj Nidimoru
- Stars: Manoj Bajpayee, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Priyamani
- Where to watch: Amazon
32. Echo 3
Amber Chesborough, a scientist from the United States who is working in Colombia to investigate the use of psychedelics as a treatment for addiction, is the protagonist of the American television series Echo 3, which is an action thriller.
Her brother, Bambi, and her husband, Prince, both active duty soldiers in the United States Army’s Delta Force, make an attempt to free her when she is taken hostage by extremists. After a recent operation that resulted in the death of their team commander, the relationships among the guys are tense and complicated.
- Created by: Mark Boa
- Starring: Jessica Ann Collins, Luke Evans and Michiel Huisman
33. Killing Eve
Killing Eve is a British spy thriller that tells the story of a security operator and an assassin whose lives become so intertwined that they become obsessed with one another. Many consider this show to be among the very best instances of Sapphic exploration in popular media.
Here, Jodie Comer delivers a career-defining performance. Each season of the show, which is based on Luke Jennings’ Villanelle novel series, is created by a new female showrunner. With Phoebe Waller-Bridge at the helm, the performance is off to a rousing start.
- Creator: Phoebe Waller-Bridge
- Starring: Jodie Comer, Sandra Oh and Fiona Shaw
- Where to watch: Amazon
34. The Terminal List
The Terminal List is the name of both the novel that Jack Carr published in 2018 and the corresponding television series that was produced in the United States. After the attack of his Navy SEAL team while they were on a secret operation, Lieutenant Commander James Reece becomes the protagonist of this television series.
After the incident, Reece travels back to his hometown to be with his family, but he is plagued by contradictory memories of the occurrence and worries about his level of responsibility. Reece learns that his life and the lives of the people he cares about are in grave danger from nefarious powers who are conspiring against him.
- Created by: David DiGilio
- Starring: Chris Pratt, Constance Wu, Taylor Kitsch and Riley Keough
- Where to watch: Amazon
35. Person of Interest
The American science fiction crime drama Person of Interest has aired for five seasons and follows the story of an ex-CIA agent and a wealthy programmer who work together to save lives with the help of using an artificial intelligence that monitors the streets and alerts them to the identity of those who are involved in crime. On the other hand, the specifics of the crimes, particularly the roles played by the citizens, remain a mystery.
- Creator: Jonathan Nolan
- Starring: Jim Caviezel, Taraji P. Henson and Kevin Chapman
- Where to watch: Amazon
36. The Deuce
The Deuce, a three-season American drama series, follows a group of young men who get involved in a series of increasingly dangerous situations. The series is set in New York City during the 1970s and 1980s when the city’s drug epidemic was at its worst.
It follows Vincent and Frankie Martino, twin brothers who use Times Square as a front for the Mafia. There, they meet Eileen “Candy” Merrell, a prostitute who escapes the dangers of the streets by becoming an actress and director in the emerging porn industry, which is now legal.
- Creators: George Pelecanos, David Simon
- Starring: James Franco, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Lawrence Gilliard Jr.
