What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedJohnny English
Peter Howitt · Film · 2003
If you loved Johnny English, start with Mr. Bean (Richard Curtis, 1990) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Johnny English across media.
If you loved the bumbling, unlikely heroics of Johnny English, you will appreciate these chaotic tales of espionage and incompetence.
Books on the same thread
James Bond
Ian Fleming · Book · 1953
Explores: International Intrigue, British Intelligence, Gadgets.
While Johnny English parodies the genre, these classic Ian Fleming novels provide the original suave inspiration and high-stakes international intrigue that define the very archetype he fails to embody.
The Night Manager
John Le Carré · Book · 1993
Explores: Undercover Operations, International Intrigue, Arms Dealing.
This gritty narrative shares the British intelligence backdrop of Johnny English but trades slapstick for intense moral ambiguity as an operative maneuvers through the dangerous world of international arms dealing.
The Secret Pilgrim
John Le Carré · Book · 1991
Explores: Espionage, Betrayal, Moral Ambiguity.
If you appreciated the institutional setting of Johnny English, this deep dive into the Circus offers a more serious look at the life of a loyal British intelligence operative.
Artemis Fowl
Eoin Colfer · Book · 2001
Explores: Criminal mastermind protagonist, High-tech magic, Hidden magical societies.
Like the underdog protagonist in Johnny English, this story features an unlikely mastermind navigating high-stakes situations, though it swaps secret agent tropes for a clever and calculated criminal heist.
Series on the same thread
Mr. Bean
Richard Curtis · Series · 1990
Shares 3 threads with Johnny English: Incompetence, British Humor, Slapstick Comedy.
Rowan Atkinson delivers the same masterclass in physical comedy here as he does in Johnny English, turning every mundane, everyday situation into a hilarious and chaotic disaster for the audience.
Archer
Adam Reed · Series · 2009
Shares 2 threads with Johnny English: Incompetence, Spy Comedy.
This animated series mirrors the workplace dysfunction and sheer incompetence found in Johnny English, focusing on a spy agency where the agents are often their own worst enemies.
Slow Horses
Series · 2022
Explores: Underdog Story, Bureaucratic Incompetence, Redemption.
This series captures the bureaucratic incompetence central to Johnny English, following a team of cast-off MI5 agents who must navigate espionage while dealing with their own glaring professional shortcomings.
Chuck
Josh Schwartz · Series · 2007
Shares 2 threads with Johnny English: Fish Out of Water, Spy Comedy.
Much like the fish-out-of-water premise of Johnny English, this show centers on an ordinary person thrust into extraordinary circumstances, forcing a reluctant hero to stumble through high-stakes spy missions.
Podcasts on the same thread
To Live And Die In New Orleans
Voyage Media · Podcast
Shares a thread with Johnny English: spy comedy.
This podcast explores the same accidental espionage themes seen in Johnny English, following an ordinary individual who finds themselves trapped in a dangerous game of betrayal and international secrets.
Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast
Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast · Podcast
Explores: Political Humor, Investigative Journalism, British Politics.
If you enjoyed the uniquely British brand of humor present in Johnny English, this podcast provides sharp political satire and commentary that captures that same witty, cynical national sensibility.
Common questions
Is Johnny English a professional secret agent?
No, Johnny English begins the film as a lowly pencil pusher working for MI7. He is only promoted to the role of a super spy after the assassination of Agent One and the destruction of the other agents at a funeral.
What is the primary mission assigned to Johnny English?
The mission for Johnny English is to recover the stolen Crown Jewels. The gems disappear on the opening night of an exhibition sponsored by a billionaire entrepreneur, which happens to be under the watch of the newly-designated agent.
How did Johnny English become an MI7 agent?
Johnny English became an agent due to a sudden vacancy within the organization. After Agent One is assassinated and all other active agents are killed in an explosion at the funeral, Johnny English is promoted to fill the void.
What happens to the Crown Jewels in Johnny English?
In the film Johnny English, the valuable Crown Jewels are stolen during an exhibition opening night. The event is sponsored by a billionaire entrepreneur, and the theft occurs while the jewels are supposedly under the protection of Johnny English.