For five weeks now, the TV thriller series The Night Agent from creator Shawn Ryan has utterly dominated Netflix both in the US and worldwide. Based on the latest updated global Top 10 data from the streaming giant, for example, this adaptation of the novel from Matthew Quirk is the #2 show in the world (having racked up 56.6 million hours viewed over the 7-day period that ended on April 23).
The Night Agent, which is also the #4 series in the US as of this writing, came storming out of the gate when it debuted towards the end of March — to such an extent that it’s already picked up a Season 2 order from Netflix. And it’s also now one of the biggest Netflix series of all time — the fifth-biggest ever, based on the 626.9 million hours of viewing time it’s pulled in since its debut.
The Night Agent: One of the biggest Netflix series of 2023
In short, the show has become a textbook definition of what a Netflix hit looks like in 2023.
“It’s a pleasure to see a show better than it might have been, when so often the opposite is true,” a Variety reviewer opines. “The Night Agent sparks with curiosity and intrigue, a richly detailed show that propels viewers forward with a relentless pace.”
Critics and reviewers, by the way, are pretty evenly split in terms of their reaction to the show, which is something you don’t often see with Netflix releases. It’s got a 74% and 76% critics’ and audience score, respectively, on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as a 7.6/10 rating on IMDb.
While we wait for Season 2, meanwhile, if you’re among the scores of Netflix subscribers who’ve already raced through all 10 episodes of The Night Agent then here’s what I recommend watching next if you loved the series.
Similar shows to watch
In no particular order, all of these titles will definitely keep fans of thrillers entertained and on the edge of their seats:
- Bodyguard: Starring Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes, this drama in which Madden plays an Afghanistan war veteran-turned-police sergeant in charge of protecting the Home Secretary played by Hawes completely and utterly shredded my nerves. Extremely tense action, bursts of shocking violence, and a tightly written story make this one a must-watch for thriller fans.
- Treason: Starring Charlie Cox and Olga Kurylenko, here’s the official synopsis of this British thriller — “An MI6 deputy’s bright future takes a sharp turn after a reunion with a Russian spy forces him to question his entire life.”
- Fauda: At the core of this thriller series from Israel is an elite military team that engages in covert operations to keep the population safe — sometimes relying on extreme means to do so. The title, by the way, means “chaos” in Arabic. I can’t recommend this series highly enough for fans of thrillers.
- The Spy: In this limited series, Sacha Baron Cohen portrays real-life Mossad agent Eli Cohen, who goes undercover in Syria in the early 1960s.
- The Snow Girl: Here, a trainee journalist in Spain investigates the disappearance of a young girl alongside a police investigator probing the same mystery.
