One highlight from 2024 was the fantastic The Day of the Jackal. The Peacock spy thriller is a tense and intelligent cat-and-mouse game between master assassin “The Jackal” (Eddie Redmayne) and British intelligence officer Bianca (Lashana Lynch), who will sacrifice everything to capture him.
The episodes of The Day of the Jackal went by too fast thanks to the captivating performances from Redmayne and Lynch, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t similar stories to enjoy. While viewers wait patiently for a second season of The Day of the Jackal, they can sink their teeth into the following exciting stories about covert ops, hired killers, and the people who love them.
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‘Sleeper Cell’ (2005–2006)
An ambitious and intelligent FBI agent goes undercover to prevent a terrorist organization from achieving its goal in the Showtime series Sleeper Cell. Michael Ealy stars as Darwyn Al-Sayeed, a Muslim undercover FBI agent who poses as a terrorist within an extremist sleeper cell. On a mission to prevent a deadly attack in Los Angeles, Darwyn will have to avoid detection by the group’s members and their leader, Faris al-Farik (Oded Fehr).
Years before Showtime would find success with <em>Homeland</em>, Sleeper Cell gave premium subscribers a dramatic, high-stakes taste of counter-terrorism. The undercover aspect of the series gave viewers a step-by-step process into the planning of an extremist attack through the eyes of Darwyn, examining the personalities drawn to such an endeavor. Fans of Bianca and The Jackal’s long-distance battle of wits will enjoy a different spin on the concept as Darwyn and Farik practice deception within arm’s reach of each other.
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’24’ (2001–2010)
Although Keifer Sutherland starred in many high-profile movies, he found his most memorable role as Special Agent Jack Bauer in 24. The series would see Bauer frantically use all his resources to foil domestic attacks and unravel conspiracies over the course of a single day. To simulate the real-time struggle of Bauer, each episode of the season would represent one consecutive hour with a digital clock on the screen as a reminder.
Although 24 primarily follows Bauer preventing disasters rather than splitting screen time with the villain, there are still enough twists and turns to keep viewers hooked. Using similar methods, Bauer and Bianca would be able to compare notes about breaking the rules to achieve results, although they might skip over the collateral damage it caused. 24’s novel premise and fast-moving execution were a hit for the Fox network and considered one of the most unpredictable thriller shows of the 2000s.
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‘Alias’ (2001–2006)
InAlias, Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) is a highly skilled intelligence agent working for the CIA department SD-6, but when she finds out the agency is not associated with the CIA, she wonders what else about her life is a lie. Not knowing who to trust, including her own family, Sydney uses her training to take down the organization that manipulated her and countless others. Alliances will be tested and betrayal is guaranteed, but Sydney is prepared for any dangers.
Garner, in her star-making role, infused Sydney with a noble sense of morality and intelligence that made her a hero to rally behind. Over its five seasons on ABC,Alias took viewers on a ride through secret organizations, double agents, double double agents, and the friends they all made along the way. Even thoughAlias leans into a more theatrical or stylized spy adventure, strong writing and excellent performances kept fans coming back to see what threats Sydney would face next.
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‘Berlin Station’ (2016–2019)
