Following the completion of its third season, the series remains on a strong trajectory toward future renewals, provided producers can successfully navigate the busy schedules of its star-studded ensemble cast. As audiences eagerly await official word on the next chapter of Joe McNamara’s high-stakes world, the landscape of prestige television offers a wealth of alternative viewing. For viewers looking to channel the adrenaline of Lioness, a curated selection of contemporary and classic thrillers provides equally compelling takes on modern crime, deep-cover operations, and complex spycraft.
Black Doves (2024– )
Blending sleek espionage with a distinctively sharp, pulpy tone, Netflix’s Black Doves stars Keira Knightley as Helen Webb. On the surface, Helen is the dutiful wife of the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defense. Behind closed doors, however, she operates as a secret spy embedded by the titular mercenary organization, the Black Doves.
The narrative kicks into high gear when Helen learns from her seasoned handler, played by Sarah Lancashire, that her secret lover has been brutally murdered. The assassination threatens to blow her cover wide open, forcing her to rely on her best friend—a charmingly lethal hitman played by Ben Whishaw—to help her navigate the fallout. Marked by a tongue-in-cheek self-awareness that lightens its darker edges, the series delivers a uniquely entertaining spin on the traditional spy genre, with a second season slated to premiere later in 2026 on Netflix.
The Day of the Jackal (2024– )
Bringing an entirely cinematic scope to the small screen, this modern adaptation of Frederick Forsyth’s classic novel benefits from powerhouse casting. Eddie Redmayne steps into the shoes of the Jackal, a cold, calculating, and ruthlessly efficient international assassin. Hot on his heels is Bianca Pullman, a tenacious MI6 operative played by Lashana Lynch, who channels her tactical screen presence from her tenure in the James Bond franchise.
While the cat-and-mouse dynamic echoes countless classic spy thrillers—including the celebrated 1973 and 1997 film adaptations—the high production values and stellar lead performances elevate the material. Each episode unfolds with the pacing and tension of a standalone mini-movie, securing the series an early renewal for a second season on Peacock.
Marshals (2026– )
While Lioness stands out as a rare Taylor Sheridan venture existing outside the sprawling Yellowstone universe, fans yearning for a return to the rugged American West can find solace in Marshals. Luke Grimes reprises his fan-favorite role as Kayce Dutton, transitioning from his former life as a Montana livestock agent to a full-fledged U.S. Marshal tasked with protecting the frontier from a new wave of criminals and rustlers.
Adopting a case-of-the-week framework, the series leans closer to a traditional police procedural than an international espionage drama, yet it retains the heavy action and grit that define Sheridan’s signature style. Viewers can catch the action streaming on Paramount+.
Homeland (2011–2020)
As one of the most lauded political and psychological spy dramas of the 21st century, Homeland remains a foundational watch for fans of intelligence procedurals. The series begins when Carrie Mathison, a brilliant CIA case officer battling bipolar disorder, becomes convinced that Nicholas Brody, a decorated U.S. Marine Corps sniper recently rescued from an al-Qaeda compound, has been turned by the enemy and is plotting a domestic terrorist attack.
Dismissed by her superiors due to her erratic history and mental health struggles, Carrie embarks on a dangerous, obsessive cat-and-mouse game with Brody against the backdrop of national security threats. Anchored by Emmy-winning lead performances from Claire Danes and Damian Lewis, the series explores the gray areas of the war on terror with unmatched intensity, streaming now on Hulu and Netflix.
Quantico (2015–2018)
Priyanka Chopra commands the screen as Alex Parrish in this fast-paced network thriller that blends academy training with high-stakes conspiracy. The narrative opens as Alex graduates from the elite FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, only to find herself framed as the prime suspect in a catastrophic terrorist bombing at New York City’s Grand Central Terminal.
The series cleverly splits its runtime between flash-forwards of Alex on the run as she desperately tries to prove her innocence and flashbacks to her rigorous training alongside fellow recruits. As the series progresses through subsequent seasons, Alex’s trajectory expands to include undercover CIA recruitment and international arms-trafficking rings, with all seasons available to stream on Hulu.
The Little Drummer Girl (2018)
Acclaimed South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook brings a visually stunning, deeply atmospheric touch to the espionage genre in this adaptation of John le Carré’s celebrated novel. Set against the backdrop of the late 1970s, the miniseries stars Florence Pugh as Charlie, a young, politically radical British actress who is recruited by a ruthless Mossad spymaster, Martin Kurtz (played by Michael Shannon), to infiltrate a dangerous cell of Palestinian terrorists.
Along the way, she is manipulated by an enigmatic Israeli intelligence officer portrayed by Alexander Skarsgård. True to le Carré’s source material, the series avoids simplistic heroes and villains, instead examining how ordinary individuals are manipulated as pawns by state politicians and intelligence apparatuses. The series is available for purchase on Prime Video.
The Night Manager (2016– )
Drawing once again from the masterclass library of John le Carré, The Night Manager translates a classic 1993 spy novel into a slick, contemporary thriller headlined by Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, and Olivia Colman. Hiddleston stars as Jonathan Pine, a former British soldier working the night shift at a luxury hotel in Cairo and later in Switzerland, whose quiet routine is upended when he crosses paths with Richard Roper, a charismatic billionaire who secretly functions as a ruthless international arms dealer.
Persuaded by Foreign Office official Angela Burr, a reluctant Pine agrees to infiltrate Roper’s inner circle. The first season chronicles Pine’s accidental plunge into the dark world of high-level illicit arms trading, while subsequent chapters follow his evolution into a seasoned operative. The series streams on Prime Video.
The Night Agent (2023– )
A propulsive action-drama rooted in government corruption and conspiracy, The Night Agent stars Gabriel Basso as Peter Sutherland, a low-level FBI agent stationed in the windowless basement of the White House. Peter’s primary duty is manning an emergency telephone line that is strictly designated for undercover operatives—a phone that, much to his professional frustration, never rings.
Until one night, it does. The call comes from Rose Larkin, a tech entrepreneur whose aunt and uncle have just been assassinated by unknown assailants, setting off a chain reaction that plunges Peter deep inside the highest echelons of government corruption and a deadly web of espionage. The thriller streams exclusively on Netflix.
SEAL Team (2017–2024)
David Boreanaz leads this gritty military drama as Master Chief Special Warfare Operator Jason Hayes, the hardened leader of an elite Tier 1 unit of Navy SEALs. While the series delivers the high-frequency tactical operations, dangerous deployments, and combat sequences expected of the genre, it sets itself apart by heavily emphasizing the psychological and domestic toll of continuous combat service.
Beginning in the immediate aftermath of a teammate’s unexpected death, the show explores how perpetual deployment fractures marriages, stresses families, and leaves lasting scars on the soldiers tasked with protecting national interests abroad. The complete series is available to stream on Paramount+ and Netflix.
Dark Hearts (2023– )
Offering a remarkably raw and grounded look at modern special operations, this French series drops viewers directly into the chaos of the 2016 Mosul Offensive. The narrative follows an elite French special forces unit operating clandestinely in Iraq, despite France having no official military presence in the conflict zone.
Their mission is as perilous as it is politically fraught: exfiltrate the young child of a prominent Islamic State leader in exchange for critical intelligence. The mission quickly spirals into a logistical and moral quagmire, forcing the operators to make impossible choices in a high-tension environment reminiscent of The Hurt Locker. The series streams on The Roku Channel.
