BGR’s December 18, 2024, roundup covered three different kinds of streaming spy drama: The Day of the Jackal, a cat-and-mouse pursuit rooted in Frederick Forsyth’s novel; Black Doves, an action-forward espionage story with a murder mystery; and The Agency, a covert officer’s story of work and personal loyalties. The word “new” describes the shows as presented in that 2024 article, not their release status in 2026.
At a glance
| Show | Central conflict | What it emphasizes | Adaptation background | Platform association in BGR’s 2024 article |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Day of the Jackal | A contract killer is pursued by an MI6 officer. | Cat-and-mouse suspense, staged hits and mystery. | Contemporary reimagining of Frederick Forsyth’s novel and an earlier film adaptation. | Peacock |
| Black Doves | Espionage entangles Helen Webb and Sam in murder and geopolitical intrigue. | Action, gun violence, mystery and the leads’ relationship. | No adaptation background established in the reviewed article. | Netflix |
| The Agency | A covert CIA officer is ordered to leave his undercover life and return to London Station. | Workplace dynamics, the costs of covert work and personal ties. | Remake of the French series Le Bureau des Légendes. | Paramount+ with Showtime |
The platform column records the associations in BGR’s December 2024 article; it is not a current viewing guide. Catalogs and territorial availability can change, so check each service’s official listing for your country before subscribing or planning a watch.
The Day of the Jackal: a killer pursued by an MI6 officer
Eddie Redmayne plays the Jackal, a contract killer and master of disguise; Lashana Lynch plays the MI6 officer hunting him. Their pursuit gives the series its central cat-and-mouse engine. BGR’s review highlights its staged hits, mystery structure and cast, while the contemporary setting distinguishes it from simply revisiting the source material.
The show reimagines Frederick Forsyth’s novel and an earlier film adaptation. Reading the novel is an optional way to explore the story’s literary roots, not a prerequisite for following the series.
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Black Doves: espionage with a murder mystery and action
Keira Knightley stars as Helen Webb and Ben Whishaw as Sam in a violent espionage drama. Its mix of murder mystery, geopolitical intrigue and action makes it the most action-forward option of the three as BGR characterizes them. The relationship between the two leads is part of the appeal alongside the danger and investigation.
Expect gun violence and murder as elements of the story. If you are choosing among these shows for a less action-heavy approach, this is the one least suited to that preference.
Rank #2
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The Agency: the strain of returning to ordinary work
Michael Fassbender plays Martian, a covert CIA officer ordered to leave his undercover life and return to London Station. The premise puts the demands of intelligence work alongside workplace dynamics and the difficulty of reconnecting with personal relationships. That focus makes it the strongest fit here for viewers more interested in professional and emotional tension than a killer-versus-pursuer setup.
BGR reported that Showtime described the series as its most-streamed new series in its history and relayed a figure of 5.1 million global cross-platform viewers in 2024. That figure is attributed to Showtime as reported by BGR on December 18, 2024; it was not independently verified here.
Rank #3
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Which one should you start with?
- Choose The Day of the Jackal for a pursuit-driven thriller with a literary source and a central contest between a killer and the officer tracking him.
- Choose Black Doves for espionage that combines gun-heavy action, a murder mystery and a relationship between its leads.
- Choose The Agency for a story about undercover work, office dynamics and the collision of a mission with personal loyalties.
Those are distinctions in premise and emphasis, not an objective ranking: BGR’s “excellent” judgment is a critic’s assessment, and which series works best depends on the kind of spy story you want.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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Rank #4
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