4 spy shows to watch after Slow Horses

Long before Slow Horses debuted its sixth season on Apple TV, the series established itself as one of the best spy dramas on television. Based on Mick Herron's books, this hit British show follows a team of secret service rejects as they take on major cases while enduring boring office tasks and their obnoxious boss, Gary Oldman's Jackson Lamb. Slow Horses is far from a traditional spy thriller, but that's what made it so thrilling to watch.

Though the sixth season will end later this month, it is expected to return to Apple TV with a seventh and eighth season. Nevertheless, fans may understandably be looking for the next big spy series to stream while they wait. Though Slow Horses has proven to be a unique series, there are a few shows that will appeal to fans of espionage.

The Night Manager (2016-present)

The classic le Carré series is back on Prime Video

Based on John le Carré’s spy novel of the same name, The Night Manager follows former British soldier Jonathan Pine as he goes from running a luxury hotel to hunting down arms dealer Richard Roper. The Night Manager returned to streaming this year with its first season in ten years, with Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie reprising their roles alongside co-stars Olivia Colman, Alistair Petrie, Noah Jupe, and more.

Like Slow Horses, this Prime Video series follows a spy plucked from an unlikely place to take on global threats. However, The Night Manager is much more serious and stylish, harkening back to James Bond's iconic adventures, which should appeal to fans of more traditional spy stories.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2024-present)

An exceptional remake of a cult classic

This Emmy-nominated anthology series follows a duo of spies who go undercover as a married couple. The first season stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine as Mr. and Mrs. Smith, while the upcoming second season has cast Mark Eydelshteyn and Talia Ryder in the show's titular roles.

Though it is based on the 2005 film starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Mr. & Mrs. Smith is vastly different from its source material. Both Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Slow Horses subvert the spy genre with their darker, humorous portrayals of low-level agents, exploring the characters' bonds as they try to pull themselves out of their depressing lives.

Ponies (2026)

A series that deserves more interest

This Peacock series follows a pair of PONIs, or "persons of no interest," who become CIA agents to infiltrate the KGB and investigate the deaths of their husbands, who were also working undercover. Though critics generally praised the series, Peacock canceled it after one season earlier this year. It just goes to show that it's always the ones you least expect.

Similar to Slow Horses, Ponies puts a more humorous spin on the classic spy formula by following a team of unlikely heroes in the world of espionage. Though they try to complete daring missions for the good of their country, the protagonists are overlooked by their superiors, as well as their enemies, making for a compelling, comedic underdog story.

The Americans (2013-2018)

This unconventional series ranks as one of TV's best

While Slow Horses has followed the lives of British spies, The Americans did something far different. Starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys, the FX series follows KGB agents posing as an American couple living in the Virginia suburbs with their children during the Cold War.

Both shows take a hard look at the realities of espionage, blending personal, character-driven drama with high-stakes tension. Having been nominated for over 100 awards, including 18 Emmys, throughout its six-season run, The Americans has become one of the most beloved spy shows ever made.