The Zachary Levi Dramedy Hidden Gem Series You Can Find On Amazon
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Everyone loves a spy story. There's a reason that the "James Bond" film franchise has been as successful and long-standing as it has been. Shows like "Homeland" and "Killing Eve" give viewers a fictionalized view of the world's most secretive jobs. Most lead spy characters seem born to do the work, as though they have mastered the art of disguise and avoiding suspicion for as long as they could walk. With the spy genre so full of characters, stereotypes about this kind of person have emerged over the years. Often, they're level-headed, mysterious, and tend to live for their jobs. But there is one forgotten spy dramedy from the 2000s that takes everything you think you know about your run-of-the-mill spy hero and turns it on its head.
Zachary Levi stars in the '00s series, which doubles as a workplace comedy and a spy thriller. However, unlike the James Bonds we know and love, he plays your average Joe, who works as a computer expert while trying to make ends meet. Unlike other natural-born spies, Levi's character accidentally finds himself thrust into a new role working with two top intelligence agencies, and he's the only man for the job. If none of these details ring a bell, you're in luck — Amazon Prime has all five seasons of this television show waiting for you to binge them.
Chuck is the underrated spy dramedy worth revisiting
Think back to 2007. That was the year NBC debuted "Chuck," an underrated spy series that mixes workplace comedy, romantic drama, and action thriller genres in a totally unique way (via IMDb). "Chuck" stars Zachary Levi as an average, albeit a little lazy, guy working at a computer shop. One day, he unwittingly opens an e-mail that results in software straight from the CIA, filled with government secrets, to download directly into his brain. The intelligence agency decides to assign Chuck to a team of actual spies, and he embarks on top-secret missions.
"Chuck" is a totally unique spin on the traditional light-hearted sitcom or action-packed spy drama. It focuses on characterization, putting that in the forefront rather than honing in on violence-filled fight scenes. The action is mixed throughout the series but is used more to support the characters. For example, a scene might showcase Chuck's goofy, honest, and low-key personality by showing how uncomfortable he is with the situation (via YouTube). It also turns Chuck into an unconventional hero who uses his run-of-the-mill tech knowledge to take down some of the U.S.'s biggest adversaries.
All five seasons of "Chuck" are streaming on Amazon Prime, and are worth a revisit for a good dose of laughs and unconventional drama. If that's not enough to convince you, the series has a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes in the critic's score section and a 91% in audience reception, so it's definitely a beloved show.