What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Spy
Gideon Raff · Series · 2019
If you loved The Spy, start with The Red Sea Diving Resort (Gideon Raff, 2019) — a film on the same thread. Below: 2 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Spy across media.
What hooked you in The Spy was the way the crushing weight of national security forces individuals into profound moral compromises.
Books on the same thread
Gideon's Spies
Gordon Thomas · Book · 2005
Explores: Israeli Intelligence, Mossad Operations, Counterterrorism.
If you were fascinated by the high-stakes reality behind The Spy, this account provides the essential historical context regarding the actual Mossad operations that defined the era.
Spy School
Stuart Gibbs · Book
Explores: imposter syndrome, competence porn, underdog hero.
While lighter in tone than The Spy, this story captures the same thrill of an ordinary person thrust into a dangerous world of deep cover and deception.
Films on the same thread
Spy
Paul Feig · Film · 2015
Shares a thread with The Spy: Identity.
This film flips the undercover narrative of The Spy on its head, focusing on the chaotic and often humorous reality of maintaining a false identity under pressure.
The Red Sea Diving Resort
Gideon Raff · Film · 2019
Shares a thread with The Spy: Political Thriller.
Also directed by Gideon Raff, this film echoes the specific tension of The Spy by centering on a perilous, true-life rescue mission requiring elaborate, long-term undercover deception.
The Angel
Ariel Vromen · Film · 2018
Shares 3 threads with The Spy: Espionage, National Security, Political Thriller.
Like the protagonist of The Spy, the lead here navigates the impossible psychological burden of acting as a double agent while balancing conflicting loyalties in the Middle East.
The Lives of Others
Film · 2006
Shares 2 threads with The Spy: Political Thriller, Historical Drama.
This masterpiece mirrors the internal struggle found in The Spy, examining how constant surveillance and deep-cover work inevitably lead to a personal moral awakening for the agent.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Rest Is Classified
Podcast
Shares a thread with The Spy: National security.
If the geopolitical intrigue in The Spy left you wanting more, this podcast offers expert analysis of the real-world intelligence operations that shaped the modern global landscape.
True Spies: Espionage | Investigation | Crime | Murder | Detective | Politics
Podcast
Shares a thread with The Spy: Undercover Operations.
These firsthand accounts provide the same gripping look at the human cost of espionage that made The Spy so compelling, featuring the real voices behind clandestine missions.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Spy based on a true story?
Yes, The Spy is a 2019 television series that depicts the real-life mission of Eli Cohen, an Israeli clerk who went deep undercover inside Syria as a secret agent for Mossad during the 1960s.
What is the premise of The Spy?
The Spy follows the life of Eli Cohen, a man who transitions from his role as a clerk to a deep-cover operative. He spends years in Syria gathering intelligence for the Mossad during a perilous mission in the 1960s.
Who created The Spy?
The Spy is a 2019 television production created by Gideon Raff. It focuses on the historical account of Eli Cohen and his years-long undercover operation within Syria on behalf of the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad.
Does The Spy take place in the 1960s?
Yes, The Spy is set in the 1960s. The narrative follows Eli Cohen, an Israeli clerk who begins a years-long mission as a secret agent for Mossad, infiltrating deep inside Syria to provide intelligence during that decade.