Skip to main content

Looking for shows like The Night Agent? Here are 8 binge-worthy alternatives

These fast-paced dramas resemble Netflix's big hit

Gabriel Basso in The Night Agent
Netflix

Netflix encourages fans to binge their content by releasing entire seasons of shows in a single season. It’s obvious that certain genres do much better than others in this format. A thriller show that ends each episode on a cliffhanger is going to be the premiere type of story to tell on Netflix, and not many thrillers have done better in recent years than The Night Agent. Starring Gabriel Basso as a badass, do-it-yourself FBI agent who takes matters into his own hands to solve government conspiracies, there’s always one more mystery to solve and one more bad guy to whip before moving on to the next season.

The Night Agent just finished its second season on Netflix and it’s one of the top shows in the world yet again. Fans are thirsty for more action but might be at a crossroads, searching for similar programming. Does this sound like you? We thought so. Here are the best shows like The Night Agent to watch next on Netflix, Hulu, and other popular streamers across the web.

Recommended Videos

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan (2018)

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan
tv-ma
4 Seasons
Genre
Action & Adventure, Drama, War & Politics
Stars
John Krasinski, Wendell Pierce, Abbie Cornish
Created by
Carlton Cuse, Graham Roland
Watch on Amazon

Jack Ryan is one of the most likable action heroes in fiction since the 1980s. Author Tom Clancy had the right idea to make his CIA protagonist an everyman who still seems approachable while beating down the bad guys. This made John Krasinski the perfect casting choice after his previous work in The Office. Krasinski plays Ryan with poise, but he still seems like someone you might see crossing the street on the way to work. The Wire’s Wendell Pierce is fantastic as Ryan’s sidekick. Jack Ryan became one of Prime Video’s signature series since it premiered in 2018.

Reacher (2022)

Reacher
tv-ma
3 Seasons
Genre
Action & Adventure, Crime, Drama
Stars
Alan Ritchson, Maria Sten
Created by
Nick Santora
Watch on Amazon

Jack Reacher is the opposite of Jack Ryan. Reacher isn’t relatable at all and can’t be played by an everyman. Enter hunky and muscular star Alan Ritchson. Prime Video knew they needed someone who embodied author Lee Child’s warrior to a tee, and Ritchson has been nothing short of perfect so far heading into season 3. Reacher is equal parts corny and cartoony while ramping the action and thriller elements up to 11. The series should be a prime candidate to go many seasons before running out of storylines, considering how many novels there are to draw upon.

The Diplomat (2023)

The Diplomat
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Drama, War & Politics
Stars
Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell, David Gyasi
Created by
Debora Cahn
Watch on Netflix

The Diplomat is another Netflix powerhouse in the vein of The Night Agent. Keri Russell has earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as a U.S. Ambassador who has a lot more on her plate than she anticipated when she took the job. This series has a lot more political drama than your typical thriller, so consider that element when checking it out.

Homeland (2011)

Homeland
tv-ma
8 Seasons
Genre
Drama, War & Politics, Crime
Stars
Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, Maury Sterling
Created by
Gideon Raff, Howard Gordon, Alex Gansa
Watch on Hulu

Claire Danes and Damian Lewis propel this drama about a CIA officer who works through her trauma while simultaneously looking for moles in the U.S. government during the height of the war on terror in the Middle East. This series requires a lot more knowledge about real-world events and the time period it takes place in to gain the most enjoyment. Homeland was a winner of the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series in 2012.

Slow Horses (2022)

Slow Horses
tv-ma
4 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Drama, Comedy
Stars
Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas
Watch on Apple TV+

Gary Oldman makes the transition to TV with ease in yet another one of Apple TV+’s underrated dramas that grows in popularity with each passing season. Slow Horses is a mystery series with a tinge of humor as Oldman plays the leader of a washed-up group of investigators who possess overlooked abilities that allow them to solve crimes that are way above their pay grade.

24 (2001)

24
tv-14
9 Seasons
Genre
Action & Adventure, Drama, Crime
Stars
Kiefer Sutherland, Kim Raver, Mary Lynn Rajskub
Created by
Robert Cochran, Joel Surnow
Watch on Hulu

What is it with men who take down government threats being named Jack? Beats me, but Jack Bauer of 24 is just as cool as anybody on this list. Kiefer Sutherland is exquisite as the man who will literally do whatever it takes to defeat terrorists across each season of this drama that represents 24 hours in a day. 24 won Outstanding Drama Series at the 2006 Emmy Awards.

The Shield (2002)

The Shield
tv-ma
7 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Drama, Action & Adventure
Stars
Michael Chiklis, Catherine Dent, Paula Garcés
Created by
Shawn Ryan
Watch on Hulu

Michael Chiklis gets lost in the pool of legendary TV leads during the Golden Age of Television, but anyone who has watched The Shield knows his worth. This FX police drama covers the corruption both within and adjacent to the Los Angeles Police Department. The officers in the division the show follows are morally shoddy and often feel just as evil as the criminals they’re trying to defeat. Chiklis won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2002. He was nominated again in that category in 2003.

Sons of Anarchy (2008)

Sons of Anarchy
tv-ma
7 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal, Tommy Flanagan
Created by
Kurt Sutter
Watch on Hulu

Sons of Anarchy wasn’t quite as good as other crime dramas of its era, but it definitely excels in what it sets out to do. Kurt Sutter’s drama follows a motorcycle gang that takes it as their responsibility to be vigilantes in their community, often solving crimes and killing people whether the police want their help or not. Katey Sagal should have gotten an Emmy nomination for her role as the motherly figure of the gang.

Movie images and data from:
Shawn Laib
Shawn Laib is a freelance writer with publications such as Den of Geek, Quote.com, Edge Media Network, diaTribe, SUPERJUMP…
The best shows on AMC Plus you can stream now
From Mad Men to The Terror, these are the best shows on AMC Plus.
Mad Men in an office

The proliferation of streaming services has made the task of deciding which ones to actually subscribe to harder than ever. There's Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Max, and a dozen others, and each one comes with its own price tag and its own library of content.

Although it's definitely more niche than many of the heavy hitters, AMC Plus is well worth your subscription. In addition to a great movie library, the streaming service also has a library of TV shows that includes several of the best ever made. Mad Men was an awards player for almost a decade, and it's just one of the shows on this list.

Read more
7 incredible shows like Black Mirror to stream next
Watch these science fiction series next
Paul Giamatti in Black Mirror

Black Mirror started its life as a niche science fiction anthology show on Netflix, but the British series expanded its reach and popularity as the episodes started to blend into contemporary world issues more and more. It's no secret that the world we live in keeps getting scarier, whether that be due to the upheaval in politics or the uncertainty of artificial intelligence and climate change altering our world forever. Good TV's ability to mirror real life makes it culturally relevant, and it leaves fans craving even more of it.

With fans waiting patiently to find out if Black Mirror season 8 will be greenlit at Netflix, there are several alternatives that you can check out after finishing season 7. Not all of these series are as daring about social issues or crafted in the same way as Black Mirror, but all of them have the same sci-fi principles that make the storytelling unique. These are the best shows like Black Mirror to stream next.

Read more
The best true crime shows that you can binge now
From documentaries to drama series, these are the very best true crime shows.
Daisy Edgar Jones in Under the Banner of Heaven

Over the past 20 years, true crime has become one of the defining genres of our time. There are dozens of podcasts, movies, and especially TV series devoted to the topic, so much so that it can be hard to figure out which ones are actually worth your time.

True crime has become so popular that the best shows in this genre have even garnered awards attention, although more shows have been nominated than have actually won major awards.

Read more