“The Night Manager” is one of the recently released shows on Disney Plus and Hotstar. The series follows Shaan Sengupta (Aditya Roy Kapoor), an ex-soldier on a path of vengeance who attempts to penetrate the inner circle of an international arms-dealing organisation. The show is adapted from John Le Carre’s book of the same name, which was also adapted to the TV screen back in 2016 with the British drama series of the same name. The Bollywood version is tweaked to make it appealing to the local audience while retaining all the charm of the original. The show has been praised for its suspenseful story, along with some great performances by the cast all around. If you’ve watched “The Night Manager” and are looking for shows similar to it, then try these 7 shows that we feel are similar to it.
A Perfect Spy (1987)
Yet another adaptation of a John Le Carre novel, “A Perfect Spy,” chronicles the life of Magnus Pym, a British spy, and double agent. Aired as a mini-series on BBC in 1987, the show apprises us about Magnus’s life, from his childhood relationship with his father, a con man, to his formative years in high school and university to the end of his career. “A Perfect Spy” is praised for its top-notch script, impressive production value, flawless cinematography, and some great performances (especially by Peter Egan and Ray McAnally).
The Americans (2013–2018)
This period spy drama follows two Russian spies (Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys) who, along with their children, pose as Americans while living in Virginia at the height of the cold war. The show also explores how the FBI in the US and the KGB in Russia handle the conflict and does a great job of telling the story from both points of view. “The Americans” is acclaimed by critics both for its intense script and stellar performances and has been the recipient of multiple Emmy awards for its writing and acting.
The Little Drummer Girl (2018)
Also adapted from a John Le Carre novel of the same name, “The Little Drummer Girl” follows Charlie (Florence Pugh), an English actress who gets recruited by Mossad to get inside the inner circle of a terrorist group after multiple assassinations and bombings threaten to start an international conflict. Directed by the masterful Park Chan-Wook, known for his great works over the years, such as “Oldboy” (2003), “The Handmaiden” (2016), and “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance” (2002), among many others, “The Little Drummer Girl” is a classic mix of intrigue and drama and features some of the best scripts for a mini-series. The show is a bit of a slow burner in that it takes a while to get running, but Park’s attention to detail and his passion for visual storytelling shine through here to more than make up for any lag in the script.
Mukhbir: The Story Of A Spy (2022)
“Mukhbir: The Story of a Spy” is adapted from retired intelligence officer Maloy Krishna Dhar’s novel, “Mission to Pakistan: An Intelligence Officer in Pakistan,” and is based on true events during the Indo-Pak war. The show follows a highly specialised Indian spy (Zain Khan Durrani) who enters Pakistan to gather crucial information on Pakistan’s upcoming attacks on India during the Indo-Pak war in 1965. The series is burdened by a couple of needless side plots but is praised for its intelligent script and good production values, along with some great performances by Prakash Raj and Zain Khan Durrani, among others.
Alias (2001-2006)
When Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) learns that the intelligence agency she works for is not the CIA and is, in fact, an anti-government agency, she decides to start working for the real CIA to bring it down from the inside. Created by J.J. Abrams, known for his works in the TV series “Lost (2004–2010)” along with movies such as “Star Trek” (2009), “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015), and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (2019), the series is known for its fast-paced script, thrilling action sequences, and a charismatic performance by Jennifer Garner, who proves to be one of the best female action heroes of our time.
Germany: 83 (2015)
“Deutschland 83” takes place in 1983, before the fall of the Berlin wall, and follows Martin Rauch (Jonas Navy), an East German resident who is sent to West Germany as an undercover spy after he’s recruited by the HVA (foreign intelligence agency of East Germany). For such a grim premise, the show was surprisingly lively, but the lightheartedness doesn’t derail the seriousness of the show as it strikes a good balance between both. “Deutschland 83” is a great time for fans of the spy genre, and its accurately depicted periodic aesthetics are impressive, to say the least.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979)
Also, an adaptation from the John Le Carr novel of the same name, “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” follows George Smiley (Alec Guinness), a retired deputy of the British intelligence service who is called upon to track down a Soviet agent undercover in MI6. The series is well-regarded for its intriguing plot, which does a great job of gradually building up tension, resulting in a thrilling finale. Guinness’s portrayal of the ageing spy is magnetic here. “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” may not be the flashiest of spy thrillers, nor does it have high-octane chases and action sequences, but the increasingly complex and captivating plot more than makes up for its lack of action.
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