20 Shows Like Homeland You Need To See Next
Beginning in 2011, "Homeland" mixed modern politics and the horrors of war, depicted the high-stakes, action-packed world of espionage, and delivered a series that changed everyone's perception of former teen drama queen Claire Danes. Adapted from an Israeli war drama, creators Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon's hit Showtime series followed CIA field agent Carrie Mathison, a morally dubious but determined officer who also happens to suffer from bipolar disorder.
Assigned to a counterterrorism unit under her former mentor Saul Berenson ("Chicago Hope" star Mandy Patinkin), Mathison works with a shady character named Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis from "Band of Brothers"). Brody is a Delta Force soldier who had been held captive by Al-Qaeda for eight years, and Mathison believes he may have been broken and recruited by the terrorist organization. The winner of 6 Emmy Awards including Outstanding Drama Series, "Homeland" came to an end after nine incredible seasons, with a "jaw-dropping" finale in 2020 (via Digital Spy).
Now that it's all over, what comes next? There may be nothing quite like "Homeland," but there are a handful of shows out there, old and new, that may satisfy fans of agent Mathison, whether they're looking for a spell-binding spy drama, a political thriller, or just a tough woman tracking down terrorists and master criminals. Here's a list of 20 shows like "Homeland" that fans need to see next.
Prisoners of War (Israel)
The Israeli-produced drama "Hatufim" ("Prisoners of War") began airing in early March 2010. By the end of the month, it was announced that Fox had acquired the American rights to the series (via Hollywood Reporter). Adapted to become "Homeland" in the United States, the Middle Eastern original revolved around three Israeli soldiers who attempt to acclimate to society after 17 years in captivity in neighboring Syria. Struggling to readjust to normal life with the families they'd left behind, they are publicly hailed as national heroes, but privately must deal with a world that has moved on without them.
Over the course of the series' first season, the narrative cuts back and forth between the present day and their time in Syria and the horrors they faced there, slowly revealing what they went through for nearly 20 years as hostages. The second season reveals more about the trio's past before their captivity, and the stunning revelation that a compatriot they thought was dead may still be alive. While some have said "Prisoners Of War" was superior to its American remake, it lasted just a brief two seasons. It garnered rave reviews during its run, with The Guardian calling it a "psychological puzzle" that proves "more emotionally charged and wrenchingly powerful" than 'Homeland.'"
Designated Survivor
The ABC drama "Designated Survivor" will satisfy anyone looking for a story about global terrorists and the underdog heroes tasked with stopping them. The big twist with this Kiefer Sutherland-led series, however, is that it opens with a major victory for the terrorists: a plot to decimate the United States government succeeds in killing the U.S. President, the V.P., and the entirety of both houses of Congress, leaving only Thomas Kirkland, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, to assume the Presidency.
Unprepared for the enormous job of keeping the entire country from crumbling in the face of the worst attack on U.S. soil in the nation's history, Kirkland must fight off more than just terrorists, as even those within the government want him removed. His task is made harder in the second season when, facing long odds, he must fight for re-election. Dark and unsettling, but also packed with fast-paced action, the show does more than tell an exciting story; it tackles hot-button issues during a tumultuous time in American politics. Running for two seasons on ABC, a third and final run of episodes was aired on Netflix in 2019 after it was picked up by the streaming giant.
Spooks/MI-5
If you like a good spy thriller like "Homeland," check out the BBC action series "Spooks" that aired for 10 seasons beginning in 2002 and returned with a follow-up tele-film in 2015. Also titled "MI-5" in some regions, the series centers on the British spy agency of the same name, following its agents as they hunt down terrorists from around the world (including an American serial bomber in the premiere). More of a weekly procedural than "Homeland," its mix of counterterrorism action and personal drama makes it a tense thriller, with one agent living a double life as he must keep his role as an agent secret from his friends and family. Throw in plenty of big twists and major revelations, and you'll be on the edge of your seat through all 86 episodes.
Renowned for its stylish production and storytelling, the series was nominated for several BAFTA awards, winning Best Drama in 2003. A number of its all-star English cast have gone on to greater fame since appearing in the series, including Richard Armitage ("The Hobbit"), David Oyelowo ("Selma"), and Shazad Latif ("Star Trek: Discovery"). If you're looking for a gritty crime series with a team of tough government agents foiling terror plots week after week, this is it.
Graceland
A bit lighter than "Homeland," but just as compelling, "Graceland" was helmed by "White Collar" creator Jeff Eastin. The title location "Graceland" is the nickname for a Manhattan Beach house confiscated from a ruthless drug kingpin and now home to a team of undercover agents from multiple agencies, including the FBI and the DEA. Using the Elvis-themed house as their headquarters, six officers from three different government agencies run their undercover operations. One soon realizes that his real mission is to covertly observe one of his housemates, whom his superiors suspect of being a double agent.
This high-stakes series populated by a young, attractive (and mostly lesser-known) cast might be mistaken for a CW series at first glance. Still, it's an edgy cop drama that's darker than one might expect. While its ongoing story arcs give audiences plenty of action to keep them coming back for more, its weekly plots still retain a classic procedural quality that won't require binge watches. A clever combination of "Homeland" and "Point Break," the beach setting helps "Graceland" pack a punch with dramatic twists and good old-fashioned detective work that will appeal to those looking for some fun and guns in the sun.
The Assets
Based on a true story, "The Assets" stars Jodie Whittaker ("Broadchurch") as real-life CIA agent Sandy Grimes, telling the story of the years-long investigation into a suspected spy within her own agency. The culprit, Aldrich Ames, was convicted in 1994 of what was at the time the largest intelligence leak in U.S. history. A stunning spy thriller, the eight-part series is a powerful and absorbing suspense story. It begins in 1985, as Grimes and her team begin to suspect there's a double agent afoot when many of their operatives in Russia go missing or turn up dead. As the investigation slowly unfolds, it becomes clear that there's indeed a mole among them leaking top-secret intelligence to the Russians.
As the mission — led by trailblazing female agent Grimes — ramps up, Ames only gets bolder, leading to a series of late-night exchanges with KGB agents, harrowing escapes, and daring car chases, all while he tries to mislead his own colleagues and throw them off his trail. Of course, what made the series all the more powerful was that it all really happened. Though it did poorly in the ratings (via Entertainment Weekly), "The Assets" got new life when it was added to streaming services like Netflix, where its slower pacing and dark story could be better enjoyed all at once instead of in once-weekly airings.
24
The Kiefer Sutherland-starring drama "24" was executed produced by "Homeland" creators Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa. Debuting not long after the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history, "24" may not have been inspired by 9/11, but played off fears of foreign terrorism in its aftermath. It was never shy about discussing important political and social issues. In one of the era's earliest and best serialized dramas, Sutherland plays CIA agent Jack Bauer, whose work within the agency's fictional Counter Terrorist Unit saw him tracking down the most ruthless villains from around the world.
The show has an unusual narrative structure, as each "24" season covers a single 24-hour period, with each hour-long episode taking place in real time. The series uses its countdown clock to great effect, making for one of TV's best thrillers, with a nerve-wracking tone that left you on the edge of your seat. It ran for 10 incredible seasons (with a movie "24: Redemption" in the middle). The Guardian called it "a rip-roaring ride; a show that leapt from one high-octane moment to the next. No plot twist was too severe, no character was safe." The series returned with a spin-off series "24: Legacy" in 2015, and a direct follow-up in the form of a television movie in 2016.
FBI
Blend the best spy thriller elements of "Homeland" with the best procedural investigations of "Law & Order" and you'll have the hit network crime drama "FBI" from executive producer Dick Wolf. Less serialized than "Homeland," it still features the same kinds of intense criminal manhunts and dramatic counterintelligence operations as the Claire Danes thriller. Debuting in 2018, "FBI" showcases the hard-working men and women of the titular agency's New York field office. Led by Missy Peregrym as agent-in-charge Maggie Bell, the series boasts a strong ensemble cast that also includes Jeremy Sisto ("Six Feet Under") and Sela Ward ("CSI: NY"). Bell's team of intrepid agents work together to thwart the most devious terrorist plots, track down public corruption, and battle the worst elements in organized crime.
Broader in scope than "Homeland" but every bit as intense, the NBC series is currently in its 4th season and shows no signs of slowing down. It's been successful enough to spawn its own franchise, just like "Law & Order" before it. The series' first spin-off, "FBI: Most Wanted" (starring Julian McMahon), took a bow in 2020, while "FBI: International" began its first season in the fall of 2021.
The Enemy Within
Though audiences loved it far more than the critics (via Rotten Tomatoes), most agreed that the best thing about "The Enemy Within" was its stellar lead. "Dexter" star Jennifer Carpenter delivered a powerful performance to rival Claire Danes' central role in "Homeland."
Carpenter plays Erica Shepherd, a CIA agent who'd been sentenced to life in prison for betraying her team on a critical mission. Released after serving three years in solitary confinement, Shepherd is recruited to help Will Keaton, the FBI agent who brought her on a case to track down the Russian terrorist who killed his wife. Opposite Carpenter is Morris Chestnut ("Goliath") as Keaton, whose hunt for the elusive and mysterious Mikhail Vassily Tal bears little fruit until he turns to Shepherd for her analytical genius.
As it becomes evident that Tal has operatives within the U.S. government, the series becomes a cat-and-mouse game that should appeal to fans of "Homeland." Full of the usual twists and turns, there are also enough clues dropped throughout the story to allow viewers to play investigator themselves and solve the puzzle along with Shepherd and Keaton. Airing for a single season in 2019, it's the perfect watch for someone looking for a dramatic diversion from longer, epic shows.
Tehran
Apple TV+ ventured into the world of international productions when they released "Tehran," a spy thriller on their streaming service in 2020. The series follows Tamar Rabinyan, an Israeli woman and Mossad agent sent to the nation of her birth Iran on an undercover assignment to shut down a nuclear reactor in Tehran. Rabinyan's mission will take her into the heart of the rival nation to thwart their aspirations of becoming a global nuclear power and prevent a war between Israel and Iran.
Less a political thriller than you might suspect, "Tehran" puts the action squarely on Rabinyan's rogue super-spy, but it doesn't shy away from controversial real-world politics either. Of course, the thrills come from the emphasis on espionage action, recalling shades of early "Mission Impossible" films as the alluring Mossad agent hacks into computer systems and swaps identities in her quest to stop the government's diabolical nuclear ambitions. To do it, Rabinyan will have to outwit Faraz Kamali, a devious Revolutionary Guard investigator tasked with taking her down.
Jack Ryan
Author Tom Clancy's biggest fictional hero Jack Ryan has long appeared on film. Alec Baldwin played the famed CIA Analyst in 1990's "The Hunt For Red October," while Harrison Ford replaced him in "Patriot Games" and a sequel. Ben Affleck and Chris Pine each took a turn as Ryan, but it wasn't until "The Office" star John Krasinski slipped into the role for the Amazon Prime series "Jack Ryan" that Hollywood finally found what seems to be a long-lasting, winning formula. Krasinski faithfully gives Ryan the right mix of desk-riding everyman and action hero, and sees him taking the lead in manhunts for the world's worst terrorists.
Praised for its gripping drama, intense action, and riveting plotlines, "Jack Ryan" may just be the best adaptation of Clancy's work, with strong reviews from critics and viewers alike. IndieWire has called it a "slick TV blockbuster." With its third season recently concluded, and its fourth already announced, it's already proven itself a satisfying "Homeland" successor and one of TV's best action spy series.
Sleeper Cell
What could be considered Showtime's precursor to "Homeland," the 2004 drama series "Sleeper Cell" arrived in the wake of the success of "24" and brought viewers another story about a terrorist mastermind planning an attack on America. Instead of an over-the-top action hero, "Sleeper Cell" introduces audiences to Darwyn al-Sayeed, a down-to-earth FBI agent sent to infiltrate a Los Angeles-based Islamic terrorist cell plotting a devastating chemical attack on the city. To prevent a deadly biological weapon from killing an untold number of people, al-Sayeed travels from L.A. to Mexico to Canada and back. In his quest to stop another 9/11, he discovers that there's more to the terrorists' motives and ideology than a simple wish to kill.
Unlike the action-heavy shows of the genre, "Sleeper Cell" eschews the explosive excitement of "24" in favor of an introspective exploration of faith and ideology, and the line that exists between a dedicated religious follower and a dangerous extremist. Airing on a premium channel, it was a darker, more serious take on the counterterrorism premise than was common at the time, and explored more than a U.S.-centric perspective. With a cast led by Michael Ealy ("2 Fast 2 Furious") and Oded Fehr ("Resident Evil"), it ran for two seasons and 18 episodes.
The Americans
The spy drama "The Americans" shifted the terrorist enemies from present-day Middle Eastern extremists to Cold War-era Russians. In the series, Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip (Matthew Rhys) are an apparently happily married couple living an average life with their two young children in the suburbs of Virginia, not far from Washington, D.C., in the 1980s. Far from the idyllic American nuclear family, Elizabeth and Philip are actually undercover Soviet intelligence agents hiding in plain sight as they work to advance their nation's interests. Their friends, colleagues, and children do not know their secret. The two engage in deadly espionage for Soviet-era Russia in a surprising series that puts the attention on the enemy.
Recruited as young adults, the pair are deeply entrenched in their mission and their almost-genuine marriage. The agents' years-long mission is as much a family drama as a taut thriller. Further tensions arise when Elizabeth begins to question the allegiance of Philip and their children start asking uncomfortable questions. One of the best-reviewed dramas of the decade, "The Americans" ran for six stellar seasons before barreling to a stunning conclusion in 2018.
London Spy
In 2015, Ben Whishaw ("Fargo") and Edward Holcroft ("Kingsman: The Golden Circle") starred as young lovers Danny and Alex in the five-part BBC limited series "London Spy." After the outgoing Danny falls for the mysterious Alex in a whirlwind romance, Alex goes missing. Devastated, Danny sets out to find out what happened to his new love, only to discover that Alex was a covert operative in Britain's intelligence agency MI:6. What follows is an adventure unlike any other on this list as Danny — an ordinary young party-goer — finds evidence of a sinister plot and becomes embroiled in the world of espionage.
Despite its bittersweet conclusion, "London Spy" is a captivating romantic thriller that will reel you in with as much emotional character drama as super-spy excitement. Charlotte Rampling ("Dune"), Clarke Peters ("The Wire"), and Jim Broadbent ("Harry Potter") round out the incredible cast, giving what Variety, in their glowing review, called "sensational" performances.
The Bureau
If you're looking for something like "Homeland" that's inspired by true events, watch the French thriller "The Bureau." Based around agents of the country's security service, the Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure (the Directorate-General for External Security, or DGSE for short). Smartly written and realistically portrayed, the series chronicles the DGSE's missions as well as the internal politics of the organization and the many different agents who serve. As undercover operatives, the players all have clever codenames. The bureau's best agent is called Malotru ("lout") and the young, strong-willed Marina Loiseau codenamed "Phénomène" ("phenomenon").
As the series begins, Malotru has returned from a six-year mission in Syria, where he has fallen in love with a woman whom he must now keep safe from the double life he lives. Now tasked with training his new recruit Phénomène for a mission to Iran, he also struggles to readjust to his old life back in France while reconnecting with his daughter and butting heads with colleagues at the DGSE. With a complex and intricate story and a varied cast of characters, it went under the radar for several seasons before American reviewers at Vogue, GQ, and Paste Magazine were clued in to its brilliance, hailing it as must-see television.
The Unit
Take a look outside of the CIA and get into the trenches of the war on terror in "The Unit," the CBS action drama from David Mamet ("Glengarry Glen Ross"). Stars Dennis Haysbert ("24") and Robert Patrick ("Peacemaker") headline a cast of commandos and officers that comprise the infamous Delta Force, the real-life U.S. Army special forces team. Chronicling the unit's classified missions across the globe, the show travels to Afghanistan, Paraguay, Macedonia, Korea, and beyond.
Showing both the characters' most violent missions and their problems at home, the series pulls no punches in its realist portrayal of fighting on America's front lines. The highly trained team tackles the military's toughest and most classified missions, from a domestic hostage crisis to meeting with a rebel militia. Sometimes incorporating stories and themes inspired by controversial real events, it puts a surprising amount of emphasis on their personal lives as their loved ones deal with the dangerous lives they lead. The Guardian gave the series high marks, saying "the mixture of military action and domestic drama gives the show its unique twist."
Quantico
If you like the parallel timelines and flashbacks on "Homeland," you'll enjoy "Quantico," another terror-themed thriller that embraces the concept full throttle. In the series, Priyanka Chopra plays FBI agent Alex Parrish, a talented agent who finds herself in the nation's crosshairs when she's accused of a deadly bombing on New York's Grand Central Terminal. Now on the run for a crime she didn't commit and out to prove her innocence, flashbacks show us Parrish's early days in the FBI's training program. As more attacks attributed to the same terrorist continue, Parrish must also help track down the elusive bomber, and it may be someone close to home.
The second season shows Parrish's mission to root out and expose a secret organization with their own nefarious goals that she discovers growing within the FBI itself. The third and final season sees her returning to America after living undercover in Europe to locate a sinister arms dealer called The Widow. An action-packed spy thriller, "Quantico" was capped off in 2018 with a series finale that Deadline praised, saying it "left little on the table."
Berlin Station
An engrossing international adventure, "Berlin Station" was Epix's first attempt at scripted programming, and it was a good one. The 10-episode limited series sends Danny Miller (Richard Armitage) halfway around the world to track down a source who's been feeding highly classified intelligence about CIA operations to a well-known whistleblower named Thomas Shaw. Shaw has been publishing the secrets in the German press and endangering their missions, so it's up to Danny — operating out of the agency's titular Berlin Station in the German capital — to play a classic spy game to track down the shadowy leaker (who is likened to Edward Snowden and Julian Assange).
Tensions rise when they realize the source must be coming from within their own office. The series does an excellent job of keeping you guessing about who the mole in the CIA could be. It also has a lot to say about the moral compromises agents must make, and the dangers — and the need for — government whistleblowers. Alongside Armitage, Rhys Ifans ("Spider-Man: No Way Home"), Leland Orser ("X-Files"), Michelle Forbes ("Battlestar Galactica"), and Ashley Judd ("Kiss the Girls") appear in this star-studded assembly of on-screen talent.
Informer
A somber six-episode British cop drama that aired on the BBC in 2016, "Informer" stars Nabhaan Rizwan ("Station Eleven") as a British-born Pakistani man who's forced into the service of the government and enters the dangerous world of undercover informants. In this gritty police story, Paddy Considine plays London Detective Gabe Waters, a counterterrorism officer who by chance meets a young man named Raza Shah (Rizwan) – a Muslim who has been taught to hide his heritage — and coerces him to go undercover in a dangerous terrorist cell to inform on their activities to stop a dangerous plot. The pair's strained relationship is heavily explored, with both under unique pressures as they hunt down a foreign terrorist intent on destroying the seat of the U.K. government.
The New York Times gave the series a glowing review but warned viewers of its dark tone, saying, "despite its lighter than usual touch, 'Informer' is not a happy story — flash-forwards to an inquest following a mass shooting give that away from the start. It's an equal-opportunity dispenser of grief, with nearly everyone ending up a victim in one way or another."
Bodyguard
More of a political thriller than a spy series, "Bodyguard" is nevertheless full of action and suspense. It will still satisfy fans of "Homeland," as it winds around a story of a controversial high-level politician who has become the target of a terrorist plot. But instead of focusing on the intelligence officers in MI:6 or the counter-terrorism activities of a special ops group, "Bodyguard" puts the spotlight on the politician herself and the troubled relationship she has with the London Metro Police officer assigned to protect her.
Keeley Hawes ("Spooks") stars as Home Secretary Julia Montague, whose extreme political stances have made her many enemies, while Richard Madden ("Game of Thrones") is David Budd, the officer whose wartime service has left him paranoid and suffering from PTSD. The fact that he hates Montague's politics doesn't make his job any easier. As Montague's enemies within the government plot to take her down politically, others take a more sinister route. One of the best-reviewed series' on this list, the Rotten Tomatoes critical consensus put it succinctly, saying "'Bodyguard' maintains a palpable tension throughout its pulpy proceedings to create an absorbing and addicting psychological thriller."
Fauda
The Israeli action drama "Fauda," aired on Netflix internationally, centers on Doron Kavillio, a former soldier who is brought in to lead a new team within Israel's Defense Force unit called the Mista'arvim. Initially, Doron is recruited to help authorities identify an emerging threat led by a notorious man named Abu Ahmad, a Hamas terrorist leader that was thought to have been killed years before. After confirming that Ahmad is alive and planning a 9/11-style attack on the country, Doron puts aside his happy home life and returns to the fold to lead a group of commandos in hunting down the madman.
Created by two former special ops IDF soldiers, Avi Issacharoff and Lior Raz, the series leans heavily on their own real-life experiences as members of the nation's group of elite soldiers. Full of adrenaline-pumping action and nail-biting thrills, "Fauda" has also been praised for presenting both sides of the conflict in the Middle East. The Times of Israel praised it for giving viewers "the space to think and keep asking oneself various questions on the nature of the conflict." Debuting in 2015, the series has aired three seasons and was recently renewed for a fourth, which will air in 2022 (via TV Insider).