Show Like Jack Ryan: 6 Thrillers and a Movie to Watch Next

The Night Agent is our first choice for a show like Jack Ryan if you want an inexperienced agent caught in a political conspiracy. Gabriel Basso plays FBI agent Peter Sutherland, whose emergency phone assignment draws him into danger. That starting point makes the series a useful choice for viewers who enjoy watching professional responsibility become an immediate personal challenge. Think of the choice as picking a new route for a familiar journey: the destination may feel recognizable, but the experience depends on who is at the wheel.

The other tv shows like Jack Ryan offer different reasons to keep watching. Reacher gives its central investigator more physical authority, while Homeland places greater weight on suspicion and personal consequences. Slow Horses brings darker humor to British intelligence work, 24 builds its first season around a clock, and Bodyguard concentrates political tension around a protection assignment. Those distinctions can help you choose the feature you want most from your next thriller.

This guide compares six television series and one film rather than covering the franchise itself. For the franchise, visit the Jack Ryan hub, and use the Jack Ryan parent guide when you want to return to its own stories. Begin with The Night Agent for the closest underdog match, then consider the other recommendations according to their pace, tone, and viewing commitment.

The Night Agent is the closest choice here for an inexperienced agent pulled into a political conspiracy. Gabriel Basso plays FBI agent Peter Sutherland, whose emergency phone assignment becomes dangerous when Rose Larkin calls. In our view, the appeal for a Jack Ryan viewer lies in watching an assignment become more demanding than its protagonist expected. Peter faces responsibilities that require action, which gives the danger a different feel from a story centered on an investigator who already projects physical authority.

The Night Agent debuted on Netflix on March 23, 2023, and is based on Matthew Quirk's novel of the same name. That adaptation offers a useful point of context for readers interested in thrillers with a literary source. For a viewing decision, though, Peter's position matters more than the existence of the novel: the recommendation depends on the pressure placed on him as his professional duties lead him into a political conspiracy.

Choose The Night Agent first if the transition from a seemingly contained job to immediate danger is what you want to revisit. Reacher may be more appealing if you prefer a protagonist who approaches an investigation with greater physical confidence. Homeland offers another direction if your main interest is the uncertainty and personal cost surrounding intelligence judgments. Peter's assignment makes The Night Agent the clearest starting point for this particular comparison.

Reacher suits viewers who want an investigation led by a protagonist with greater physical confidence. Alan Ritchson plays Jack Reacher, a former military investigator whose direct approach gives the comparison with Jack Ryan a different balance. Both recommendations can appeal to someone who likes following a capable central figure through danger, but Reacher puts more emphasis on how its investigator handles confrontation. That distinction is useful if physical action is the part of a thriller you most want to emphasize.

Amazon announced that the first season of Reacher, based on Lee Child's Killing Floor, would be released on February 4, 2022. Season two stars Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher and adapts Bad Luck and Trouble, the 11th book in Lee Child's series. The two adaptations give viewers a way to follow the same central character through stories drawn from different books. The first season is the natural place to begin if you want to try the series from its opening adaptation.

We think Reacher is the better choice when a forceful investigator interests you more than an inexperienced agent adjusting to danger. The Night Agent remains our first recommendation for the latter experience, while Reacher offers a clearer emphasis on physical capability. Use that difference to decide which series fits your mood before starting another investigation.

Homeland is the choice for viewers who want intelligence work shaped by suspicion and personal consequences. Claire Danes plays Carrie Mathison, giving the recommendation a different focus from the physical confidence associated with Reacher. The attraction is the uncertainty around interpreting danger and the pressure attached to an intelligence judgment. If those questions hold your attention between action sequences, Homeland offers a more psychological direction for your next thriller.

Homeland launched in 2011 and stars Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison. Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon developed the series for American television, and it is based on Gideon Raff's Israeli series Prisoners of War. That history places the show within a chain of adaptations, but its practical value for this comparison is the emphasis on Carrie. Her story gives viewers a reason to choose intelligence judgments and their personal consequences over a primarily physical investigation.

Perhaps Homeland will appeal most when the person making a judgment interests you as much as the immediate threat. The Night Agent is our closer match for an inexperienced agent drawn into a political conspiracy, while Homeland offers a different route into the pressures of intelligence work. Choose Homeland when you want to spend more time with suspicion and its consequences, rather than selecting a series solely for the promise of action.

24 is the choice for viewers who want counterterrorism organized around an explicit deadline. Kiefer Sutherland plays counterterrorism agent Jack Bauer, and the first season unfolds in real time over a period of 24 hours. The clock gives the season a clear structure, making the passage of time part of the viewing experience. For a Jack Ryan viewer drawn to an urgent investigation, that structure offers a direct reason to try a different kind of sustained pressure.

The first episode of 24 aired on November 6, 2001, with Kiefer Sutherland playing Jack Bauer. Knowing that the opening season follows a single period of 24 hours helps set expectations before you begin. The time available to the characters is central to the premise, so the appeal depends partly on whether you enjoy following a deadline as it approaches. The format gives this recommendation a distinction beyond the presence of a counterterrorism agent.

The viewing commitment is another useful consideration when choosing between these recommendations. Slow Horses has six episodes in its first season, while The Bourne Identity (2002), directed by Doug Liman, runs for 118 minutes. We would argue that 24 is the better fit when sustained urgency matters more to you than a shorter initial commitment. Choose the film for a single sitting, or start Slow Horses if a shorter opening season sounds more manageable.

Slow Horses offers British intelligence work with darker humor and office politics as part of its appeal. Gary Oldman plays Jackson Lamb, the leader of the MI5 agents assigned to Slough House. For a Jack Ryan viewer, the change lies partly in the working environment surrounding the espionage. The professional circumstances of the agents become a reason to choose this series, particularly if you want intelligence work presented with a different tone.

Apple announced the worldwide premiere of Slow Horses for April 1, 2022. Its first season has six episodes and adapts Mick Herron's first novel in the series, giving newcomers a defined opening commitment. The episode count is useful when comparing it with 24, whose first season unfolds over a period of 24 hours. Six episodes offer a smaller initial commitment while leaving room to follow the agents and their working relationships.

Slow Horses is a strong choice when darker humor sounds appealing alongside intelligence work. The Night Agent remains our closer recommendation for an inexperienced agent caught in a political conspiracy, so the best starting point depends on the tone you want. Start with Jackson Lamb and the Slough House agents if the workplace surrounding the spies sounds as interesting as their assignment. Choose Peter Sutherland instead if an underdog facing political danger is your priority.

Bodyguard is the choice for political tension concentrated around a protection assignment. Richard Madden plays Specialist Protection Officer David Budd, who is assigned to protect Home Secretary Julia Montague. That responsibility gives the comparison with Jack Ryan a distinct focus: the immediate task concerns the safety of a particular person. If professional duties becoming difficult under political pressure are what hold your attention, Budd's assignment offers a clear reason to try the series.

Bodyguard was released in the United States on October 24, 2018, with Richard Madden playing Specialist Protection Officer David Budd. The recommendation rests on the combination of protection work and political danger, giving viewers a different emphasis from an intelligence investigation. The assignment provides a defined point of attention, so your interest in the protection detail is a useful guide to whether the series belongs near the top of your list.

For viewers drawn to a narrower professional responsibility, Bodyguard may be the most appealing change of pace among these recommendations. Consider whether protecting one person sounds more compelling than following the uncertainty of an intelligence judgment. Homeland offers the latter emphasis through Carrie Mathison, while Bodyguard centers this comparison on David Budd and his assignment. Choose Bodyguard when the protection detail and its political setting are the features you most want to watch.

The Bourne Identity (2002), directed by Doug Liman, is our movie choice for viewers seeking CIA pursuit and physical action. It offers a film alternative to the six television recommendations, with a defined running time for anyone deciding what to watch tonight. If your search is for a movie like Jack Ryan, the shorter commitment can matter alongside the espionage connection. Choose the film when you want a complete viewing choice without beginning another television season.

The Bourne Identity opened in US theaters on June 14, 2002, and runs for 118 minutes. That running time gives you a useful point of comparison with the television options, including the six episode first season of Slow Horses. The film's physical action also makes it a sensible choice for someone interested in the more forceful appeal of Reacher. Its CIA pursuit keeps the recommendation connected to the intelligence territory that brings readers to Jack Ryan.

The amount of time you want to spend is a practical way to make the final selection. Start The Night Agent for our closest underdog conspiracy match, or choose Homeland when intelligence judgments and personal consequences matter more. Slow Horses offers a shorter opening season with darker humor, while 24 asks for a longer investment in sustained urgency. If a film suits your plans, set aside 118 minutes for The Bourne Identity.