What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedNational Security
Dennis Dugan · Film · 2003
If you loved National Security, start with NCIS (Don McGill, 2003) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to National Security across media.
What hooked you in National Security was the way it pairs volatile, mismatched personalities with high-stakes investigations into criminal conspiracies.
Books on the same thread
Intelligence in an Insecure World
Peter Gill, Mark Phythian · Book · 2006
Explores: Intelligence gathering, National security, Democratic control.
If the conspiracy elements in National Security intrigued you, this text provides a serious, analytical deep dive into the actual government intelligence structures that those plots often satirize.
Maximum Security
Robert Muchamore · Book · 2005
Explores: Undercover Operations, Juvenile Delinquency, Infiltration.
Like the unconventional partnership in National Security, this story centers on the complex bond between unlikely allies forced to navigate dangerous operations while operating outside standard law enforcement boundaries.
The Handbook of Security
Martin Gill · Book · 2006
Explores: Crime Prevention, Security Studies, Corporate Security.
You will appreciate this professional guide because it examines the operational realities of the security world depicted with comedic exaggeration in the film National Security.
Nash Falls
David Baldacci · Book
Explores: undercover operation, corporate corruption, reluctant hero.
This book mirrors the tension found in National Security by placing an ordinary individual into the center of a dangerous, high-stakes money laundering investigation alongside seasoned professionals.
Series on the same thread
NCIS
Don McGill · Series · 2003
Explores: Team Dynamics, Justice, Loyalty.
The investigative team dynamics seen in National Security translate into this series, where diverse specialists must overcome their differences to solve complex crimes and maintain regional safety.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Daniel J. Goor · Series · 2013
Explores: Ensemble Cast, Underdog, Character-Driven.
The workplace comedy and friction between mismatched police personalities that defined National Security are perfectly captured in this ensemble series about a precinct full of clashing investigators.
Arrested Development
Mitchell Hurwitz · Series · 2003
Explores: Dysfunctional Family, Wealth and Privilege, Family Business.
Just as the protagonists in National Security struggle to maintain order during a crisis, this series explores the hilarious chaos that ensues when a dysfunctional family faces total ruin.
The Odd Couple
Garry Marshall · Series · 1970
Explores: Odd Couple, Roommates, Divorce.
This classic sitcom defines the mismatched partner dynamic that serves as the foundation for the humor in National Security, showcasing how clashing lifestyles create constant comedic conflict.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Joe Rogan Experience
Joe Rogan · Podcast · 2026
Explores: intellectual curiosity, unfiltered dialogue, lifestyle exploration.
If you enjoyed the improvisational banter between the leads in National Security, you will appreciate this long-form conversation that emphasizes unfiltered, wide-ranging dialogue and intellectual curiosity.
Crime in Sports
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: athlete misconduct, legal absurdity, scandalous behavior.
This podcast mirrors the dark humor and investigative absurdity found in National Security by applying a comedic lens to the real-world legal failures of high-profile professional athletes.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the plot of National Security?
National Security follows Earl Montgomery, a rejected police academy applicant, and Hank Rafferty, a disgraced cop. After an encounter at a traffic stop, the two men are forced to work together as security guards to uncover and stop a smuggling operation.
Who directed the movie National Security?
National Security was directed by Dennis Dugan. The 2003 film focuses on the unlikely partnership between a former police academy reject and a disgraced officer as they attempt to dismantle a smuggling ring while working as security guards.
Is National Security a buddy cop film?
National Security features a dynamic between an ex-cop and a security guard who are forced to collaborate. While they start as adversaries following a chaotic traffic stop, they ultimately team up to bust a smuggling operation in this 2003 production.
What brings the main characters together in National Security?
In National Security, Earl Montgomery and Hank Rafferty are brought together after a routine traffic stop escalates out of control. The two men later find themselves working as security guards, where they eventually join forces to investigate a smuggling operation.