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Following its recently concluded fourth season, Netflix's political thriller The Diplomat has been renewed for a fifth season, and even better, it's the rare streaming show that seems to keep to a fairly regular schedule, meaning there's likely to be more of the Keri Russell-led espionage drama coming by late next year. If you're looking for something with the same political thriller vibes to watch in the meantime, here are 10 other series to stream now.
Homeland (2011 – 2020)
Diplomat creator Debora Cahn got her start on The West Wing, but honed her political-espionage craft on this show, for which she served as writer and, later, executive producer. The series begins with CIA case officer Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) coming to suspect that decorated Marine Corps scout sniper Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis), recently rescued from an al-Qaeda compound, has been turned and is planning a terrorist attack on the United States. As she has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, her superiors don't give Mathison's suspicions much credence, kicking off a cat-and-mouse/is-he-or-isn't he? game between the two. As the show progresses, Carrie moves up the ranks until she's working directly for the president. Both leads won Emmys for their performances, and the series took the Outstanding Drama prize in its first year. Stream Homeland on Hulu and Netflix.
Slow Horses (2022 – )
Focusing largely on the seedier side of international espionage, Slow Horses, based on the novels by Mick Herron, shares with The Diplomat a dry sense of humor about the consequences of institutional and human failures. With nods to the great spy dramas of John le Carré, Slow Horses updates the setting without losing either the thrills or the style of a time-honored genre. The “Slow Horses” of the title are a group of has-been MI5 agents—they’ve all made messes of significant jobs, but are still seen as having some use, if only in dull administrative tasks. Naturally, the members of the group (led by Gary Oldman's endlessly flatulent Jackson Lamb) find themselves in deeper waters than anyone thought them capable of navigating. Kristin Scott Thomas is the spymaster, navigating political pressures, misogyny, and her own unrepentant ambition in trying to do her job. Stream Slow Horses on Apple TV.
The Night Agent (2023 – )
An action drama that plays a bit like a spy thriller, The Night Agent stars Gabriel Basso as Peter Sutherland, an FBI agent who works overnights in the basement of the White House watching a phone that never, ever rings (dream job, honestly), until the night it does. Peter gets a call from Rose Larkin, a cybersecurity expert whose aunt and uncle were just killed; unbeknownst to her, they were also government operatives, and rescuing Rose sees Peter delving deep inside a web of conspiracy and corruption that plays out over three seasons, with a fourth and final on the way. While a bit more action-heavy than The Diplomat, it still plays in that realm of government secrets and conspiracies. Stream The Night Agent on Netflix.
The West Wing (1999 – 2006)
There was a moment, around the turn of the millennium, when The West Wing seemed like a heightened but not entirely implausible picture of politics in action; its ripped-from-the-headlines style gave it an edge that allowed us to imagine smart, thoughtful people getting jobs in government, trying to do the more-or-less right thing despite systemic and personal flaws (it's also where The Diplomat's creator Debora Cahn started her TV writing career). The show's world can be a little frustrating when contrasted against our more explicitly appalling actual one, but it's a thoroughly pleasing fantasy nonetheless, with President Matin Sheen leading a White House staff through various diplomatic, military, and political crises. Stream The West Wing on Netflix and HBO Max.
Borgen (2010 – 2022)
Sidse Babett Knudsen stars as Birgitte Nyborg in this popular import. She's a minor Danish politician who watches other politicians fall to scandal and incompetence as she rapidly and unexpectedly ascends to the job of prime minister. The espionage and action are entirely incidental (but not nonexistent) here, as the show deals instead with the moral and political compromises that are seemingly intrinsic to statecraft. There's been talk of an American remake for years now, but you should just watch the original. Stream Borgen on Netflix.
Scandal (2012 – 2018)
Shonda Rhimes was already a powerhouse producer and screenwriter with several successful seasons of Grey's Anatomy under her belt when Scandal debuted, but its blend of political thrills and sexy, soapy drama truly solidified her brand—and her spot atop the modern TV landscape. Kerry Washington stars as Olivia Pope, head of the D.C.-based crisis management firm Olivia Pope & Associates (OPA), who is the person to call when you've got a PR disaster to fix. If you want to get a sense of the stakes involved, consider that Tony Goldwyn costars as Fitzgerald Grant III, who is both the president of the United States. and also Olivia's lover. Stream Scandal on Hulu and Netflix.
Madam Secretary (2014 – 2019)
Téa Leoni plays Elizabeth McCord, a former CIA analyst who gave up that hectic life to become a political science professor. That's all going great until the Secretary of State dies under mysterious circumstances and she's called up by her old CIA boss, who's now the president, to take over the job. With her outsider's perspective and resistance to political considerations, she's surprisingly good at the gig, navigating foreign and domestic crises while also trying to figure out who the hell killed her predecessor, and whether they're coming for her, too. Stream Madam Secretary on The Roku Channel.
Designated Survivor: 60 Days (2019)
You could absolutely watch the original American take on this show, which stars Kiefer Sutherland—they have essentially the same premise—but this South Korean remake earns a few extra points by only running for a compact 16 episodes, making it far leaner and meaner. Education Minister Park Mu-jin (Ji Jin-hee) is fired from his job one day before an attack occurs amid an announcement of peace talks with the North, wiping out the entire presidential line of succession. His dismissal having not yet been finalized, the largely unambitious Minister Park is forced into the job, even as questions linger over the attack that put him in the role. Stream Designated Survivor: 60 Days on Netflix.
The Americans (2013 – 2018)
It's a different time and setting, but all the Keri Russell spy action you could want as a Diplomat fan. Set during the Cold War 1980s and created by former CIA officer Joe Weisberg, The Americans follows Soviet KGB intelligence agents Elizabeth (Russell) and Philip Jennings (the ever-reliable Matthew Rhys), living undercover lives posing as an American couple in the DC metro area—and raising their American-born children. The critically acclaimed show makes much of its period setting and a central conflict that places two spies in the heart of suburban America, even as they're tasked with undermining the Reagan-era government under which their children are growing up. Stream The Americans on Hulu.
The Whirlwind (2024)
A power struggle for leadership of an entire country is at the heart of this juicy political thriller. Prime Minister Park Dong-ho comes to believe that the president has been corrupted by powerful, wealthy individuals and companies (something that could only happen in South Korea, obviously). Deputy Prime Minister Jeong Su-jin sees the problem, too, but she's not so sure about his solution: He wants to have the president assassinated. But how much better is he than the man he would be replacing? And how pure are her motives in potentially putting herself in line for the top job? Stream The Whirlwind on Netflix.
