What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedSpy
Paul Feig · Film · 2015
If you loved Spy, start with Spy (Simeon Goulden, 2011) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 3 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Spy across media.
If you loved the way Spy blends high-stakes international espionage with the awkward, human vulnerability of an unlikely hero, you will adore these picks.
Books on the same thread
Spy x Family, Vol. 1
Tatsuya Endo · Book · 2020
Shares a thread with Spy: Action comedy.
Like the protagonist of Spy, the characters in this series navigate the absurdity of undercover life, balancing intense missions with the chaotic, domestic challenges of maintaining a secret identity.
Spy School
Stuart Gibbs · Book
Explores: imposter syndrome, competence porn, underdog hero.
Much like the desk-bound analyst in Spy, the lead here is an underdog thrust into a world of covert operations where his lack of experience creates constant, hilarious tension.
Spy x Family, Vol. 5
Tatsuya Endo · Book · 2021
Shares a thread with Spy: action comedy.
This continuation of the series mirrors the fish-out-of-water comedy found in Spy, proving that even the most elite secret agents struggle to navigate the complexities of a fake family.
American Spy
Lauren Wilkinson · Book · 2018
Shares a thread with Spy: Identity.
While more grounded than Spy, this story captures the same professional frustration of a woman trapped in a stagnant career who suddenly finds herself in the middle of international espionage.
Series on the same thread
SPY x FAMILY
Series · 2022
Shares 3 threads with Spy: Fish Out of Water, Satire, Action Comedy.
This show leans into the same comedic satire as Spy, focusing on the bizarre reality of people hiding their true, dangerous selves while attempting to live a normal life.
Spy
Simeon Goulden · Series · 2011
Shares a thread with Spy: Fish Out of Water.
If you enjoyed the workplace comedy elements of Spy, you will appreciate this series about an underachiever balancing the pressures of secret government work with his messy personal life.
The Spy
Gideon Raff · Series · 2019
Shares a thread with Spy: Identity.
This drama explores the psychological toll of deep cover work, offering a more serious look at the identity crises that occur when an ordinary person becomes a professional spy.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Rest Is Classified
Podcast
Explores: Cold War, Intelligence agencies, Covert operations.
This podcast peels back the curtain on the real-world intelligence operations that inspired the high-stakes, action-packed world of Spy, providing fascinating context for the genre you love.
True Spies: Espionage | Investigation | Crime | Murder | Detective | Politics
Podcast
Explores: Spy Stories, Undercover Operations, Moral Dilemmas.
These firsthand accounts from actual intelligence officers provide a grounded perspective on the undercover operations that are dramatized with such humor and flair in the film Spy.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Spy a movie about a desk-bound analyst?
Yes, Spy follows a desk-bound CIA analyst who volunteers to go undercover. She infiltrates the world of a deadly arms dealer to prevent a diabolical global disaster.
What is the mission of the main character in Spy?
In Spy, the protagonist leaves her desk-bound position at the CIA to go undercover. Her primary mission is to infiltrate the organization of a deadly arms dealer and stop a diabolical global disaster.
Does Spy involve the CIA?
Yes, the plot of Spy centers on a desk-bound CIA analyst. She transitions from her office role to an undercover assignment to infiltrate an arms dealer and prevent a global disaster.
What is the primary conflict in Spy?
The primary conflict in Spy involves a desk-bound CIA analyst who goes undercover to stop a deadly arms dealer. She must infiltrate this dangerous world to prevent a diabolical global disaster from occurring.