My father was a big fan of spy movies. As a child, I took great interest and keenly watched those movies with him, but never really understood them. Whenever someone asked me what I wanted to become, instead of saying Spiderman, I’d always tell them I wanted to be a spy.
Anyway, I realized that it wasn’t that easy to become a spy. So, I opted for journalism instead, but my interest in spy movies and shows never waned.
But before I start mentioning my top five picks, remember that spy media is full of minor details, and the story can change in the blink of an eye. So, you really have to be on your toes to understand the events, and for that, I have one recommendation.
Make sure your internet connection is up for the task when you watch these movies and shows. I’ve recently subscribed to reliable and affordable Spectrum Internet Plans after having the worst experience with my previous ISP. Plus, I have the added benefit of having access to new TV shows and movies, all in one place.
Now, let’s take a look at my picks for some of the best spy TV shows and movies you need to watch in 2025.
The Spy
Let’s start with a show based on a real story.
This show features Sasha Baron as Eli Cohen, an Israeli clerk working an ordinary job. He gets recruited by Mossad, an Israeli intelligence agency, to infiltrate the Syrian government.
The series shows how Eli perfectly switches his identity to become Kamel Amin Thabeth, a successful businessman. He invests his resources in the Ba’ath party of Syria and gradually climbs the ranks. Over time, his influence on the Syrian government increased so much that he was considered for the role of Deputy Minister of Defense in the Syrian government.
However, his cover gets blown by the Syrian President’s security aide. But by then, he had already inflicted a lot of damage on the Syrian government and surpassed all his objectives as an Israeli undercover agent.
Bridge of Spies
Although I’ve watched several movies featuring Tom Hanks, this one is really close to my heart. Similar to The Spy, this movie is also based on a real-life story.
James B. Donovan, played by Hanks, works as an attorney in the Cold War era. He decides to represent a captured Soviet spy and works hard to get him a free and fair trial. But in the meantime, the Soviets capture a U.S. pilot, Francis Gary Powers, and suddenly, James is tasked to negotiate with the other party and push for a release.
In the end, James successfully manages to strike a deal to exchange the prisoners. For his valiant efforts and effective negotiation skills, James is considered a hero by his countrymen.
Munich
In September 1972, the world woke up to shocking news – The Olympic Village was attacked, and 11 Israeli team members were killed in those attacks. Fast-forwarding to a few months later, Israel assembled a death squad of spies to avenge those 11 deaths.
The operation was called Wrath of God, and with a few bits and pieces of information, they had an uphill task to locate and kill the Palestinian terrorists.
The death squad managed to locate all the terrorists, but neutralizing them proved to be a huge challenge. They opted for different covert techniques that will blow your mind, once you see them on-screen.
All in all, Munich is a perfect depiction of how undercover agents work and how they always find a way to get things done.
Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy
This movie is based on a novel of the same name, and the story revolves around the peak Cold War days. It was suspected that the British Intelligence, MI6, was infiltrated and a mole within the agency was transferring top secrets to the Soviets.
George Smiley, a veteran spy, was tasked to find and expose the mole. However, George had a bleak history with MI6 as he was forced to retire along with his Chief because of a failed operation in Hungary.
However, George gladly came out of retirement to assist his intelligence agency. As soon as George embarks on his new assignment, he finds that the Soviets have already infiltrated, and it isn’t going to be an easy mission to expose the mole.
In short, Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy has it all, from drama to emotions and suspense, to thrilling action that one would want in a spy movie.
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
It’s impossible not to talk about any movie from this franchise, especially when the spy genre is being discussed. Even though there are eight Mission: Impossible movies, I believe Fallout tops them all.
Ethan Hunt and his friends are tasked to buy three stolen plutonium cores from Eastern European gangsters. But this time, Ethan and his team are assisted by a CIA assassin, August Walker, to keep a check on their activity.
However, things take a sharp turn when Hunt finds out that Walker is a mole and, primarily, a double agent with distinctive objectives. Also, if you’d been following the franchise, you know it was August Walker who was the real John Lark.
To conclude, these spy movies and shows are definitely worth a watch. They’re full of drama and suspense, and there isn’t a single dull moment throughout.
Also, if you aren’t into the spy genre, I’d recommend you start with The Spy. Although I’ve explained its story above, you’d get to know much more about how spies actually operate and complete their objectives.
