Posted on 06/15/2019 11:40:40 AM PDT by Captain Peter Blood
Of late I have been watching what I consider to be some pretty good spy shows. So I am going to list them.
I have ROKU and most of these I found available on streaming channels.
Epix Channel:
Here is found two really good shows worth watching:
"Berlin Station" series set in modern Berlin of the CIA station there.
"Deep State": Modern day spy series set in the U.S., England, and the Middle East. The plot is pretty believable and concerns the Military Industrial Complex.
On Showtime I have been binge watching "Homeland". Great show and plot, I have just finished watching the first two seasons and have been riveted. It is my understanding the last couple of seasons got a little to PC and such.
On Amazon I found a real jewel called "The Game". It is a period spy series set in the 1970's England and concerns a hunt for a mole in MI5. The actors are great and story very well done.
There is another one I found on Amazon to buy called "Counterpart" that is on the Starz channel. It's about a hapless UN employee who discovers the agency he works for is hiding a gateway to a parallel dimension that's in Cold War with our own, and where his other self is a top spy. The war slowly heats up thanks to spies from both sides.
Just started season 3 last night and it was riveting. There are so many twists and turns in this thing, just when I think I have something figured out another twist in the plot.
Clare Danes and Mandy Patinkin are great in their roles, it’s a thinking person’s spy show.
To everyone, Thanks for all the good comment and suggestions. This may keep me occupied for awhile. Thanks.
-PJ
Not really. I was really taking about serious spy series out there.
Although not a spy TV series, the early Michael Caine films where he played Harry Palmer were great. “The Ipcress File’ and “Funeral in Berlin”.
-PJ
That counts as a spy series.
I used to love their characters. Then, I began to hate them. Enjoy while you can. You want to watch some of the latter season to see the changes.
The first couple of seasons were among the best of any scripted show I've watched.
I enjoyed the rhyming cadence of every show’s opening.
“I Spy, BROUGHT to you by...!”
Protagonists or not, right there, both of them, and the commie indoctrinated daughter too, with finality and extreme prejudice, and redemption for Stan, too, for being so late to figure things out...
But, it was what it was...
Also "Turn" was excellent... Major Hewlett was the coolest character of all in the end, followed by Whatshername, Heather Lind's character.
Honorable mention for bravery goes to Major Andre, even though he was a redcoat. And speaking of a tough job, how does any actor play George Washington and do him justice?
Haven't seen any of these other programs, might look for them on Prime.
Tinker Tailor was so dedicated to reenacting the book series that it was special although not a long TV series. I video taped it way back in the day and watch it every once in a while. Smiley’s people was also special. Those books/shows were when Le Carre was at the top of his game and not quite so anti-western governments as he is today.
Im surprised that no one has mentioned Killing Eve. It’s kinda kooky and kinky but gives some thrills and chills as well as some laughs.
I just watched the Pilot Episode of “The Enemy Within” and thought it was a real stinker. It’s such typical TV fare with everything moving about a thousand times faster than real life, totally implausible plot lines, and constant ominous music.
She looked skeletal. I dropped the show when they added the new guy. I don’t like change. Maybe I should go back and pick it up again. It’s basically the A-Team in Miami.
I watched it and it was okay, not great. Could have been much better. I understand it was canceled, at least they resolved season one before they did so.
I think all the really good spy shows are on streaming or cable.
I have just about finished season 3 and I have enjoyed it all. Saul is ruthless and smart, Carrie in my opinion is too emotional for a career CIA officer. Some things, no matter how distasteful, need to be done. The play with Brody going into Iran to kill that guy was fine, except in real life that is a suicide mission. There could be no extraction for him and that is what the story line should have been. That was his redemption for him and his family.
My favorite, by far, is a UK series named “Traitors.” It doesn’t have the non-stop tense and dramatic mood music that infests almost all American shows. It is a level show, but doesn’t cram in an impossible amount of action in a short segment - it’s a little bit more thought-provoking and sets up good mysteries about what’s really going on, who’s good, and who’s bad.
I mentioned it on this post and not one person responded. That’s too bad. I highly recommend it.
I will put “Traitors” on my list and check it out. See,s I have seen that title somewhere. I think it may be on Netflix. Thanks for the suggestion, I have gotten a few good really good shows to look at.
americans
counterpart
a few BBC productions tied for third.
I have finished watching the first five seasons and they were great. The finale to season 5 was unreal. I could not believe Saul set that ambush to get Allison like that. I was not expecting it.
Started looking at season 6 last night and I am disappointed at the turn the show has taken. Carrie now fighting for rights of Muslims in New York and then we have a Hillary type elected as President and Saul and Dar not sure what to make of it all. I will try and keep on but I am unhappy with the direction.
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