Top 250 Tv Shows Like The Real Spies Among Friends

This quick-witted spy drama follows a dysfunctional team of MI5 agents—and their obnoxious boss, the notorious Jackson Lamb—as they navigate the espionage world’s smoke and mirrors to defend England from sinister forces.

20/20 is an American television newsmagazine that has been broadcast on ABC since June 6, 1978. Created by ABC News executive Roone Arledge, the show was designed similarly to CBS's 60 Minutes but focuses more on human interest stories than international and political subjects. The program's name derives from the "20/20" measurement of visual acuity. The hour-long program has been a staple on Friday evenings for much of the time since it moved to that timeslot from Thursdays in September 1987, though special editions of the program occasionally air on other nights.

Æon Flux is set in a bizarre, dystopian future world. The title character is a tall, leather-clad secret agent from the nation of Monica, skilled in assassination and acrobatics. Her mission is to infiltrate the strongholds of the neighboring country of Bregna, which is led by her sometimes-nemesis and sometimes-lover Trevor Goodchild. Monica represents a dynamic anarchist society, while Bregna embodies a police state.

Sydney Bristow, an agent who has been tricked to believe she is working for the U.S. government, is actually working for a criminal organization named the Alliance of Twelve. Upon learning this, Sydney becomes a double agent for the real CIA.

The Avengers is a British television series created in the 1960s. It initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed. Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants. His most famous assistants were intelligent, stylish and assertive women: Cathy Gale, Emma Peel and Tara King. Later episodes increasingly incorporated elements of science fiction and fantasy, parody and British eccentricity.

E! True Hollywood Story is an American documentary series on E! that deals with famous Hollywood celebrities, movies, TV shows and also well-known public figures. Among the topics covered on the program include salacious re-tellings of Hollywood secrets, show-biz scandals, celebrity murders and mysteries, porn-star biographies, and "where-are-they-now?" investigations of former child stars. It frequently features in-depth interviews, actual courtroom footage, and dramatic reenactments. When aired on the E! network, episodes will be updated to reflect the current life or status of the subject.

Caitlyn Jenner's first public appearance since her transition included making an impassioned, heartfelt speech at the ESPY Awards about the need for understanding transgender issues and "accepting people for who they are." For her part, Caitlyn -- formerly known as Bruce Jenner -- eagerly welcomes the responsibility to educate people. Follow Caitlyn Jenner's life as a transgender woman, telling her intimate story as she seeks out her "new normal," while offering a better understanding of many of life's challenges. Most of all, Caitlyn looks forward to living for the first time as the person she feels she was born to be. The docu-series also explores what her transition means for the people closest to her, including her children and stepchildren, and how those relationships are affected.

Robert Durst, scion of one of New York’s billionaire real estate families, has been accused of three murders but never convicted. Brilliant, reclusive, and the subject of relentless media scrutiny, he’s never spoken publicly—until now. During interviews with Andrew Jarecki, he reveals secrets of the case that baffled authorities for 30 years. In 2010, Jarecki made the narrative film All Good Things based on the infamous story of Robert Durst. After Durst saw the film, he contacted Jarecki wanting to tell his story. What began as a feature documentary ultimately became a six-part series as more and more of his incredible story was revealed.

A security consultant hunts for a ruthless assassin. Equally obsessed with each other, they go head to head in an epic game of cat-and-mouse.

A post apocalyptic saga spanning multiple timelines telling the stories of survivors of a devastating flu as they attempt to rebuild and reimagine the world anew while holding on to the best of what's been lost.

The Company tells the thrilling story of Cold War CIA agents imprisoned in double lives, fighting an amoral, elusive, formidable enemy – and each other – in an internecine battle within the Company itself.

Timewatch is a long-running British television series showing documentaries on historical subjects, spanning all human history. It was first broadcast on 29 September 1982 and is produced by the BBC, the Timewatch brandname is used as a banner title in the UK, but many of the individual documentaries can be found on US cable channels without the branding.

Battlefield Detectives is a forensic documentary television series that aired on the History Channel from 2003 to 2006. The series explores famous battles focusing on the battlefield itself, and tell its story based on recent scientific research. It uses modern science to examine how the battles were won or lost. According to History Television, "This series approaches the perennially interesting topic of famous battles in a fresh and exhilarating way. Focusing on the battlefield itself, each programme takes an important battle telling its story and posing a puzzling central question about the battle that recent scientific research is helping to illuminate - a contemporary journey of discovery and a compelling story from the past."

Major factual drama telling the story of history's greatest maritime evacuation, after the World War II Battle of Dunkirk in May and June 1940.

Mock the Week is a British topical celebrity panel game hosted by Dara Ó Briain. The game is influenced by improvised topical stand-up comedy, with several rounds requiring players to deliver answers on unexpected subjects on the spur of the moment.

Reilly, Ace of Spies is a 1983 television miniseries dramatizing the life of Sidney Reilly, a Russian Jew who became one of the greatest spies ever to work for the British. Among his exploits, in the early 20th century, were the infiltration of the German General Staff in 1917 and a near-overthrow of the Bolsheviks in 1918. His reputation with women was as legendary as his genius for espionage.

WWII in HD is a 10-part American documentary television miniseries that originally aired from November 15 to November 19, 2009 on the History Channel. The program focuses on the firsthand experiences of twelve American service members during World War II, including an Army nurse, a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, a second generation Japanese American and prisoner of war, and an Austrian Jewish immigrant. The twelve members recorded their time in both theaters and some had later interviews; found footage from the battlefield was paired with the stories of the twelve service members. The episodes premiered on five consecutive days, with two episodes per day. The series is narrated by Gary Sinise and was produced by Lou Reda Productions in Easton, Pennsylvania, United States.

George Smiley, the aging master spy of the Cold War and once heir apparent to Control, is brought back out of retirement to flush out a top level mole within the Circus. Smiley must travel back through his life and murky workings of the Circus to unravel the net spun by his nemesis Karla 'The Sandman' of the KGB and reveal the identity of the mole before he disappears.

Ed Asner tells the story of RKO Pictures from the 1920s to the 1960s.

Sir David Attenborough goes back in time to the roots of the tree of life, in search of the very first animals, telling their story with stunning photography, state of the art visual effects and the captivating charm of the world’s favorite naturalist.

A weekly arts-based documentary series covering a diverse variety of subjects, everything from Roman orgies and the Elgin Marbles through The Yardbirds and Ike Turner to Aleister Crowley and Mother Teresa.

Adapted from M.M. Kaye's best-selling novel, this dramatic HBO miniseries follows two star-crossed lovers -- the young British officer Ash (Ben Cross) and the betrothed princess Anjuli (Amy Irving) -- as they face daunting odds in their quest to be together. Set in India during the time of the British Raj, this haunting (and BAFTA-nominated) love story features spectacular scenery and an epic saga of battle, treachery and intrigue.

The story of New York farmer, Abe Woodhull, who bands together with a group of childhood friends to form The Culper Ring, an unlikely group of spies who turn the tide in America’s fight for independence.

Music and sketches are used to teach children lessons on subjects like nature and technology. Based on an Australian series.

John Berger's Ways of Seeing changed the way people think about painting and art criticism. This watershed work shows, through word and image, how what we see is always influenced by a whole host of assumptions concerning the nature of beauty, truth, civilization, form, taste, class and gender. Exploring the layers of meaning within oil paintings, photographs and graphic art, Berger argues that when we see, we are not just looking - we are reading the language of images.

Two-part docudrama recreating the famous investigation using reenactments and state-of-the-art CGI.

Chris Packham takes us to the scene of some of the weirdest natural phenomena on the planet, telling the real story of the events behind the headlines. Nature can be cute, scary and stunning, but as Chris Packham discovers in these two packed programs, it can also provide the most awesome, amazing and astonishing sights you’ll ever see – including a car cocooned by caterpillars in Holland; exploding toads in Germany; fish falling from the sky and a storm that turned Sydney crimson. Watching original footage and consulting eyewitnesses and scientists, Chris unravels the facts behind some of the most bizarre and mysterious natural wonders to ever appear on the planet – and explains what on earth was going on.

Secret Eaters is a British documentary television series about overeating. It is shown on Channel 4 and presented by Anna Richardson. With their permission, people with eating habit problems are videoed in their home over a week. The subjects do not suspect that private investigators are also following and videoing them elsewhere. At the end of the week, the true amount of what the subjects have eaten is revealed. The subjects are given some days to change their habits, and are brought back, showing considerable weight loss. This drama is intercut with a separate short story where the presenter and food experts test some factor causing overeating.

Sporting legends speak honestly and candidly about their careers, giving a fascinating insight into the mindset required to reach the very top of their game.

From ancient times to the Second World War, Europe has been soaked in blood and intrigue. In this fascinating new series, Bloody Tales goes beyond the British Isles to seek out the Europe's most grisly history to discover the mysterious true stories behind some of history’s most infamous tales. From East to West, from the UK to Istanbul, join historian Dr Suzannah Lipscomb and presenter Joe Crowley to investigate subjects that include Rome’s famously cruel emperor Caligula and the notoriously violent Vikings.

Documentary series telling the story of some of Britain's most high-profile murder cases.

You, Me & Them tells the story of Lauren and Ed who are madly in love, despite their 26-year age gap. The only problem is that Lauren's family and everyone around them seems to have an opinion on the subject. Ed's ex-wife Lydia rents the house next door to the couple, Lauren's family are constantly meddling and Ed's friends think she's a trophy girlfriend. Characters include Lauren's disapproving parents Emma and Clive; plus her sister Debs, who lives nearby with husband Keith and their two children Ellie and Charlie. Lauren and Ed share their home with Ed's loveably hapless brother Alan whilst Ed's chancer grandson Tim never seems to be too far from his grandfather and his grandfather's wallet. You can choose your partner but you can't choose your family.

Set at the outbreak of WWII – mischievous playboy Ian Fleming is untroubled by the specter of impending war – chasing women, collecting rare books and living off his family fortune. Forever in the shadow of his brother Peter, and an eternal disappointment to his formidable mother Eve, Fleming dreams of becoming the ‘ultimate’ man – a hero, a lover, a brute and the one who always gets the girl. He is finally given some direction in his life when he’s recruited by the Director of Naval Intelligence to help in the effort against the Nazis. Suddenly, Fleming finds his chance to shine and prove his worth.

Presented by Dr Clare Jackson of Cambridge University, this new three-part series argues that the Stuarts, more than any other, were Britain's defining royal family.

Documentary telling the stories of the men and women who travelled across Egypt to uncover the earliest Christian texts.

In this two part special, best-selling author Ben Macintyre explores Kim Philby, the most famous double agent in history.

A docudrama telling the story of the events that unfolded when a Scottish army led by Robert Bruce tried to drive the English out of Ireland 700 years ago.

In hour-long, in-depth explorations, CNN hosts examine extraordinary individuals, unexpected events and controversial subjects through interviews, stories, images and videos.

Two-part documentary telling the story of the battle for control of the North Sea during the First World War.

Historian Andrew Roberts journeys through the history and geography of Europe to bring the story of Napoleon vividly to life as he retraces the footsteps of the legendary leader himself.

This extension of the long-running true-crime series 'Snapped' shifts the focus to couples whose passion drives them to commit terrible criminal acts. Using re-creations and gripping firsthand accounts, each episode takes a deep dive into a case, telling the story of the couple's romance, how the relationship evolved from love to manipulation, and what ultimately drove the couple to commit the crime.

Entrepreneur Sarah Moore saves things from being dumped and transforms them into valuable pieces, making money for people who had no idea there was cash to be made from their trash.

Groundbreaking series with unprecedented access to a police murder investigation, telling the true story, as a drama, from the perspective of the police and the victim and suspect's families.

The stories of History's Ultimate Spies are woven around many notorious plots and infamous characters, and they'll feature in a series that delves into the psyche of the men and women who set up the networks - or destroyed them.

Explore the true stories of America's covert operations told firsthand by the agents who lived it, while getting unprecedented access to the riveting and secret world of espionage.

To be trapped behind enemy lines is every soldier’s worst nightmare: a situation they all train for, few experience, and even fewer survive. No Man Left Behind dramatizes the stories of real-life war-heroes whose contribution to the war effort becomes a pure battle for survival against all odds.

Rivaling fictional blockbusters like "Girl on a Train" and "Gone Girl," Investigation Discovery's "Married With Secrets" looks at when happily ever after goes horribly wrong. The series dramatizes the twisted psychological warfare of marriages, telling stories of seemingly perfect unions that turn nightmarish after husbands and wives embark on secret lives that take them down devastating paths. From secret sadomasochistic sex games to hit men for hire, there's no vow too sacred to break and no place too twisted to go for these spouses. And once skeletons come out of the closet, no one is safe.

An immersive 360-degree narrative telling the epic story of the Vietnam War as it has never before been told on film. Featuring testimony from nearly 80 witnesses, including many Americans who fought in the war and others who opposed it, as well as Vietnamese combatants and civilians from both the winning and losing sides.

In this definitive six-part UKTV Original, Gold explores every aspect of Britain's most loved sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. With exclusive access to the key cast members, including Sir David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst, the series gives rare insights into the show and what went on both on and off camera. The Story Of Only Fools And Horses reunites cast members, rebuilds some of the sets and features rare and previously unseen material.

Concorde is a two-part documentary telling the story of the supersonic passenger jet.

Young CIA analyst Joe Turner has his idealism tested when he learns that the CIA has been using an algorithm he developed to spy on American citizens, leading the organization to a terrorist plot that threatens the lives of millions. Inspired by Sydney Pollack’s 1975 political thriller Three Days of the Condor.

A mind-bending, thrilling journey exploring the fragility and wonder of planet Earth, one of the most peculiar, unique places in the entire universe, brought to life by the only people to have left it behind – the world’s most well known and leading astronauts.

From the moment the real space race began, it was enshrouded with secrecy and disinformation. Now reports of extraterrestrial beings on Earth, suppressed advanced technologies and expansive government cover-ups are making their way into mass consciousness. But we have all been denied the whole story by those who would benefit from our continuing ignorance. What has been hidden will become evident as the pieces of this intricate puzzle are finally put together. Gaia brings together the best minds in their fields to shed new light on an extremely controversial subject which can no longer remain hidden or denied. It is up to you to evaluate the evidence and decide where you stand on the question of humanity's presence in Deep Space.

Super-sized transport jobs require even bigger trucks to perform them. Lifting the lid on the heavy recovery business, featuring industrial strength trucks capable of towing and lifting the biggest and heaviest machines on the nation's roads.

A chronicle of the true top secret U.S. Air Force-sponsored investigations into UFO-related phenomena in the 1950s and ’60s, known as “Project Blue Book”.

Series telling the story of how the craft and manufacturing skills have shaped the country's towns and cities and built modern Great Britain.

When soldier Shaun Emery's conviction for a murder in Afghanistan is overturned due to flawed video evidence, he returns to life as a free man with his young daughter. But when damning CCTV footage from a night out in London comes to light, Shaun's life takes a shocking turn and he must soon fight for his freedom once again.

A four-part undercover investigation by Al Jazeera into Israel’s covert influence campaign in the United States. To get unprecedented access to the Israel lobby’s inner workings, undercover reporter “Tony” posed as a pro-Israel volunteer in Washington. The resulting film exposes the efforts of Israel and its lobbyists to spy on, smear and intimidate US citizens who support Palestinian human rights, especially BDS – the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. It shows that Israel’s semi-covert black-ops government agency, the Ministry of Strategic Affairs, is operating this effort in collusion with an extensive network of US-based organizations.

Three part series hosted by Jonathan Ross, telling the story of Eric and Ernie's attempts to break America. Over the course of five years in the 1960s, Morecambe and Wise made multiple trips to New York to appear on the USA's biggest variety show, The Ed Sullivan Show. The untold story of their attempt to make it in the States is documented for the first time, including footage that has never been shown on British television before.

Millions of years ago, incredible forces ripped apart the Earth’s crust creating seven extraordinary continents. This documentary series reveals how each distinct continent has shaped the unique animal life found there.

History series telling the glorious and gory story of the city's rise to power.

Explore Richard Nixon’s life and times; tracking his rise, fall, incredible comeback and political destruction during some of America’s most tumultuous decades. From his early political maneuvers in California, to the game-changing Kennedy-Nixon debates through his disgraceful Watergate exit, featuring never-before-seen footage this fully archive based series offers fresh insight into a riveting story of politics, power and scandal.

Documentary series telling the real story behind some of the most dramatic and extraordinary calls made to emergency operators. Featuring exclusive interviews and first-hand accounts.

Docudrama factual series that reveals the remarkable true stories behind some of the most gripping and important international spy operations of the last forty years.

Explore the past, present and future of Walt Disney Imagineering with noted filmmaker Leslie Iwerks. Ms. Iwerks comes from a family with deep Disney history — her grandfather was an early Disney animator and her father is a former Imagineer — and her previous work includes profiles of Pixar Animation Studios and visual effects house Industrial Light & Magic.

Exploring some of the world's most isolated and iconic tropical islands.

Two families exchange holidays to see if money really does buy happiness, with the family that is used to luxury going on holiday in decidedly more humble locations, while the other family gets a taste of the high life.

Professor Jasper Tempest, a genius Cambridge University criminologist with OCD and an overbearing mother, advises the police. British version of the Belgian crime drama of the same name.

A definitive account of Putin's power and how it changed the modern world.

The UK driving test underwent far-reaching changes in December 2018. With unique access to the test and examiners this programme follows some of the candidates taking their test.

A celebration of the animals you thought you knew. Primates is the definitive portrait of a hugely charismatic family of animals, to which we all belong.

In March 2018 Salisbury became the site of an unprecedented national emergency. This three-part dramatisation focuses on the extraordinary heroism shown by the local community.

Broadcaster and journalist Samira Ahmed goes on a remarkable journey to places rarely seen, as she travels through Iran, telling the story of a complex and fascinating people, culture and history.

Inspired by the music and subjects featured in the series “Godfather of Harlem,” this documentary series brings alive the dramatic true story of Harlem and its music during the 1960s, and connects that history to our present moment.

Telling the story of a group of rival engineers who created the most transformative invention of the 20th century, this docuseries explores over a century of innovation from Honda, Toyota, Mercedes, Ford, Porsche, Rolls Royce and more.

Set against 40 years of music history, this six-part documentary series takes a deep dive into the paradox of America’s criminalization of the genre and its fascination with the street culture that created it and still exists within it. Instead of telling the story of hip hop from the top down, this documentary tells the story from the streets up, as it reveals the untold story of how America’s streets helped shape hip hop culture from an expression of survival and defiance into music’s most dominant genre.

True-crime documentary series telling the story of police investigations, focused on the moment detectives realise they have cracked the case. It may be a DNA match, the moment an alibi is disproven or a dramatic interview room confession.

Smart tech is used to identify and apprehend criminals.

Bill Nighy narrates a visually stunning trip along a spectacular river.

"What is Myths?" we hear you cry! Well, in a nutshell, Myths is a series of six short episodes based on the Ancient Greek Myths. Each episode focuses on a different myth and has been interpreted into a modern-day tale, telling the story of a group of teenagers living in the fictional English village of Delphi. There's love, loss, evil, adventure, mystery, death… and some serious fitties.

Observational documentary going behind the scenes to follow the work of staff at London's Kew Gardens - 320 acres of the most diverse, exciting and important plant life in the world nestled in the suburbs of London.

Current and former New Scotland Yard detectives open their case files to tell the inside story of how they caught some of London's most notorious killers. Presented by Peter Bleksley.

British true crime documentary series telling the real life stories of those who paid the ultimate price for offending an obsessive lover.

An espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his resulting exile in the United States.

Former Royal Marine Arthur Williams walks across Britain to learn about World War II, including details of women who became spies, teenagers who went down the mines, and inventors who created new weapons used in the conflict.

This new Australian factual series captures the special relationship between the extraordinary animals and their passionate keepers, at one of the planet's largest and oldest zoos, spread across three stunning locations in Victoria.

Follow the defection of notorious British intelligence officer and KGB double agent, Kim Philby, through the lens of his complex relationship with MI6 colleague and close friend, Nicholas Elliott.

In the post-pandemic world of 2024 during an upcoming British general election involving the UK’s first Black Conservative prime minister, a leading team of analysts at the heart of the UK’s NSA-style spy agency GCHQ attempt to ward off a cyber-attack on the country’s electoral system.

This four-part investigative documentary series holds the magnifying glass to one of the most bizarre crimes in recent history: the theft of 7,000 living bugs from the Philadelphia Insectarium. Delve into this whodunnit through exclusive interviews with insect collectors, bug smugglers, and the law enforcement agencies charged with looking into this case.

A new original Sky Sports documentary telling the definitive story of the astonishing championship fight between Hamilton and Verstappen, featuring exclusive interviews with those at the centre of the epic battles, drama and huge controversy that shaped 2021.

Documentary on the life of Brian Epstein, the man who brought The Beatles to fame. First in a two-part documentary examining the turbulent life and career of Beatles manager Brian Epstein. Gay when homosexuality was illegal, a gambler, shopkeeper and failed actor, he was also pop king with a Midas touch who, in the 60s, was as well known as the band he managed.

Journeying to the far reaches of our planet, this eight part series follows some of the world's most amazing species, telling extraordinary stories that are dramatic, thrilling, funny and sometimes heart-breaking, but always full of hope.

An intimate look at the unique bond between animals and humans, spotlighting these relationships in its purest forms and telling the remarkable, moving, and surprising stories of men, women, and children bonding deeply with animals that we might think of as wild.

A four-part documentary telling the story of LGBTQIA+ horror and the relationship between queer audiences and horror, and the queer horror community as a whole.

A comedy series that celebrates gags, wisecracks, one-liners and the simple art of telling a great joke. Hosted by Dulcé Sloan, the show features several riotous rounds in each episode that involve telling as many quick gags as possible on given categories, mashing different subjects together to create delicious puns, coming up with hilarious setups to different punchlines, or even using the texts on an audience member's phone as a springboard for jokes.

This two-part documentary series explores 1939, the greatest year in Hollywood history, telling the behind-the-scenes stories of films like Gone With The Wind, Wuthering Heights, Stagecoach and The Wizard of Oz.

After Michael Heseltine announced his retirement from the House of Commons and to tie in with the publication of his memoirs 'Life in the Jungle' in September 2000, LWT made a two part documentary telling his story.

Explores horrific murder cases through the various twists and turns and unpacks in detail how the forensic work helped catch a killer. Telling these true crime stories are those closest to the case – from the forensic officers and experts, police officers, journalists, and family and friends.

A documentary series telling inspirational stories from the world of sport.

Community members tell the histories, experiences, outlooks, and aspirations of 11 different First Nations, illuminating the cultures, the stories, and the resilience of Indigenous peoples whose homelands now host Canada.