Top 5 Must-See TV Shows for Fans of Citadel

Amazon Prime Video’s “Citadel” has captivated spy fiction fans worldwide since its 2023 debut. With an array of unexpected plot twists and intense action sequences that even left Priyanka Chopra Jonas, the show’s star, injured, it has truly raised the bar for espionage storytelling. Chopra portrays Nadia Sinh, a top-tier secret agent navigating a complex world of covert operations. Alongside her is Mason Kane, played by Richard Madden, not just her partner in espionage but also her spouse. Together, the duo takes on shadowy enemies while managing their blazing chemistry. However, as the narrative unfolds, the truth about their identities might surprise even them.

Despite a rocky start, initially pegged as one of the most costly failures in television history due to lackluster Season 2 ratings, “Citadel” has experienced a surge in popularity. This newfound attention has breathed life into the series, giving rise to its own interconnected universe, including spin-offs like “Citadel: Diana” and “Citadel: Honey Bunny.” Unfortunately, the fate of these shows currently hangs in the balance, with no confirmation of new material forthcoming. In the meantime, Looper provides a list of similar genre-bending shows for fans eager to explore worlds akin to “Citadel.”

The list features five other compelling spy thrillers, curated not just for their espionage intrigue, but also for elements like featuring central characters in romantic entanglements, being part of a broader narrative universe, or starring familiar faces from “Citadel.” These selections ensure a thrilling experience, embodying the very essence that made “Citadel” a standout series.

Reboots of famous movies on television can often be hit or miss. Some fail to capture the original magic and end up feeling redundant, while others breathe new life into the concept with a fresh twist. The latter can certainly be said of Amazon Prime’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” series. It cleverly reimagines the film, keeping the foundational appeal intact while delivering a fresh narrative.

This series introduces two strangers, tasked by a secret organization to undertake espionage missions. These unsuspecting recruits adopt the personas John Smith (Donald Glover) and Jane Smith (Maya Erskine) and are thrust into a concocted marriage for their undercover assignments. They quickly must learn to function effectively as both a spy team and a convincingly married couple, transforming their contrived arrangement into something genuine through shared experiences.

For this one, we aren’t recommending “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” because it focuses on a duo, romantic or otherwise. Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) has most missions pretty well handled with little to no help, which is especially impressive given he used to work a desk job and was drawn into dangerous field work somewhat reluctantly. Soon, he’s off getting embroiled in major political warfare in the Czech Republic, Venezuela, and more.

So why, other than being a spy thriller, should “Jack Ryan” appeal to “Citadel” fans? Well, the show is loosely connected to an entire Jack Ryan timeline that spans novels, shows, and movies dating all the way back to the character’s 1984 print debut. Sometimes referred to as the Ryanverse, every project that falls under the umbrella doesn’t follow as strict of a lore bible as something like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but there’s still a sense while watching “Jack Ryan” that it’s part of something that stretches beyond the bounds of that particular show. Just like “Citadel” has done with its spin-offs. 

Considering it topped our list of the best spy shows of all time, “The Americans” is an easy recommendation for fans of pretty much any other spy show ever made. But it doubly earns its place among our suggestions for “Citadal” watchers because it centers around not only a married spy couple, but a pair struggling with something of an identity crisis.

It’s the 1980s, and the world is in the grip of the Cold War. There doesn’t seem to be anything unusual about mild-mannered American couple Philip and Elizabeth Jennings (Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell). They work at a travel agency while raising their two kids, and are doing all the things a typical American family does. Only, Philip is actually Mischa and Elizabeth is actually Nadezhda — the pair are KGB sleeper agents who have recently been activated and are carrying out various covert operations against the United States. And right under the nose of their FBI agent neighbor (Noah Emmerich), no less. 

Apple TV’s “Liaison” is a six-episode miniseries that hit the service in 2023. The spy fiction bona fides of its main stars speak for themselves, with Eva Green previously playing Bond girl Vesper Lynd in “Casino Royale” and Vincent Cassel taking roles in both “Jason Bourne” and “Secret Agents.” They bring that experience to “Liaison” in the roles of Alison Rowdy and Gabriel Delage, respectively, both involved in spy work to varying degrees. They are also former lovers.

Specifically, Gabriel is a mercenary and Alison works for Britain’s Ministry of Security. Despite seeming to be on two different sides of the law, as it were, the former romantic partners are forced to work together to stop a series of dangerous cyberattacks. Their dynamic is not only complicated by their differing ideals, but also their contemptuous past relationship, which has baggage attached to it that neither of them are fully prepared to deal with. This one flew under the radar a bit, but if you’re an Apple TV subscriber who liked “Citadel,” you should definitely check it out.

If your favorite part of “Citadel” is Priyanka Chopra Jonas — and we couldn’t say we blamed you if that’s the case — then “Quantico” should be your next watch. We probably only need to tell you that it’s another spy thriller starring Chopra in order to get you interested, but it’s a great show even apart from that.

Alex Parrish (Chopra) is an FBI agent who finds herself falsely of accused of a terror bombing in a New York City train station. While working to prove her innocence, she finds many of her professional and personal relationships strained in the fallout of the accusation. However, the show doesn’t only focus on that, as it also flashes back to Parrish’s time in the titular academy. We learn more about not only her but some of her future colleagues — including the ones that are actually responsible for what later happened at that train station.

While garnering critical acclaim, the reason “Quantico” was canceled after just three seasons ultimately came down to it being a show ahead of its time. Its narrative was a little too complex for primetime TV viewers in 2015, and streaming wasn’t really a thing yet. That is where the show would have thrived.