5 Shows Like ‘The Night Agent’ to Watch If You Loved Netflix’s Political Thriller
Action, romance, political corruption, conspiracies, mystery — The Night Agent has it all. The drama series, based on Matthew Quirk’s book of the same name, rose to the No. 1 spot on Netflix‘s Top 10 in just a few days and earned a speedy season 2 renewal. There are no details yet on the second installment. But if you’re looking for more thrills in the meantime, check out these shows like The Night Agent. Be warned: They’re all just as binge-worthy, so you won’t want to leave your couch.
‘The Recruit’
The Recruit, starring Noah Centineo, arrived on Netflix late last year and became another instant hit. Centineo plays Owen Hendricks, a CIA lawyer who becomes entangled in a dangerous game when he must work with an imprisoned former asset to stop her from exposing government secrets. Much like Gabriel Basso’s Peter in The Night Agent, Owen is thrust into a part of his job he never thought he’d experience.
The Recruit also stars Laura Haddock, Fivel Stewart, Kaylah Zander, Aarti Mann, Colton Dunn, and more. As of right now, there’s only one season of The Recruit. However, Netflix did order a second installment, so more episodes are on the way.
‘Designated Survivor’
What would you do if you suddenly became the leader of the free world? That’s what happens to Tom Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland), the Housing and Urban Development secretary, in Designated Survivor. When an attack on the Capitol kills the president and most cabinet members, Kirkman becomes the new president. He struggles to adjust to the new power, and people question his ability to run the country. But can he uncover the truth behind the attack?
The cast of Designated Survivor also includes Natascha McElhone, Adan Canto, Italia Ricci, LaMonica Garrett, Tanner Buchanan, Kal Penn, and more.
Designated Survivor is loaded with conspiracies and corrupt politics, so it’s a great match with The Night Agent. The show aired on ABC for two seasons before Netflix picked it up for a third and final installment.
‘Bodyguard’
Bodyguard is a 2018 British political thriller series on Netflix. Starring Richard Madden, the show follows Police Sergeant David Budd, who works as a bodyguard for Home Secretary Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes). He doesn’t agree with her politics, but he has a duty to keep her safe. How far is he willing to take his loyalty?
Like The Night Agent, Bodyguard dives into political controversies like the response to terrorism. There’s only one season of six episodes right now, but a second season is in the works.
‘The Enemy Within’
Another show like The Night Agent is The Enemy Within, which deals with a traitor in the CIA and the choices she had to make. Jennifer Carpenter stars as Erica Shepherd, the CIA’s Deputy Director of Operations. When a Russian terrorist threatens the life of Erica’s daughter, he forces Erica to reveal the names of four agents, who are then killed. Erica gets arrested, but when the same terrorist strikes again three years later, she’s enlisted to help track him down.
Morris Chestnut, Raza Jaffrey, Kelli Garner, Cassandra Freeman, and Noah Mills also star in The Enemy Within. The series aired for one season on NBC before its cancellation. The Enemy Within is available to watch on AppleTV.
‘House of Cards’
Finally, we have House of Cards, which was the first original TV series on Netflix. Like The Night Agent, House of Cards is based on a book by Michael Dobbs, as well as the 1990 British version of the show. Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) is a ruthless politician who seeks revenge after he doesn’t get the position he was promised: Secretary of State. Frank and his wife vow to take down the president and his administration, uncovering corruption and greed along the way.
House of Cards is the longest series on this list with six seasons in total, so it should keep viewers busy for a while. Several stars appear, including Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Neve Campbell, and more. Happy binge-watching!
The Night Agent Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix. Stay tuned to Showbiz Cheat Sheet for updates on season 2.
