10 best programs like The Day of the Jackal

The Day of the Jackal is a TV adaptation of Frederick Forsyth's iconic novel of the same name and has already proven to be one of the most popular shows of 2024. The series tells the fictional story of an assassin named Jackal, a hitman whose dangerous methods and mastery of disguise allowed him to evade the police for many years. It's a high-stakes game of cat and mouse that takes place across Europe, with the Jackal leaving a trail of destruction and chaos in his wake.

The Day of the Jackal has become a streaming sensation, but it's not the first project to tell this kind of sprawling, epic story. The series is clearly inspired by many other thrillers that came before itand luckily, these are perfect shows to watch in the tantalizing gap between The Day of the Jackalfirst and second seasons.

10

Reacher (2022 to present)

Starring Alan Ritchson and Willa Fitzgerald

Reach is another high-stakes thriller, this time based on Lee Child's internationally successful book series. The novels, like the series, follow a former military soldier named Jack Reacher whose professional experience involves him in an endless series of dangerous and explosive conspiracies that only someone with his experience could solve.

Each season of Reach is based on a different one by Lee Child Jack Reacher books, telling a complete narrative over eight episodes while building character relationships and sprawling arcs that connect the seasons in rich, thematic ways. Its narrative is not as extensive or high-stakes as The Day of the Jackalbut his method of storytelling is equally exciting and action-packed.

9

Black Doves (2024)

Starring Ben Whishaw and Keira Knightley

Black Doves is another huge streaming hit from 2024, telling the story of two former spies who come together when a mysterious group of assassins enters their lives and threatens their loved ones. It's an original story full of mysteries and conspiracies for the audience to solve, though its complex narrative never makes it easy.

Very similar The Day of the Jackalthe best part Black Doves It's the fierce lead performances that bring these unique characters to life in absorbing ways. Whishaw and Knightley have excellent on-screen chemistry on the showand it's the evolving dynamics between its characters that allows this show to thrive.

8

The Continental (2023)

Starring Mel Gibson and Colin Woodell

The Continental is a spin-off series based on the world of John Wickwhich itself is clearly inspired by the mysteries of Forsyth's original novel. The show is set many years before the films, following a younger version of Ian McShane's Winston during his formative years rising through the ranks of the Continental organization.

The Continental answers many secrets of John Wick films that were certainly rewarding for longtime fans, but also have a self-contained narrative of power and deceit that's equally engaging for newcomers. By design, The whole story is built on lies and betrayal that keep the audience at arm's length and never let the truth of the narrative prevail, which makes for a fascinating viewing experience where you're never quite sure who's telling the truth.

7

The Blacklist (2013-2023)

Starring James Spader and Megan Boone

The black list was one of the most formative crime shows of the 2010s. The series follows a notorious criminal named Raymond Reddington, who is brought in to help a group of skeptical law enforcement agents in capturing some low-level criminals, with the only condition that he can work with a future talent at the police station. Very similar The Day of the Jackal, This show really thrives on character development – particularly through the villain Reddington.

One benefit of having a long-running program like The black list it's his ability to create grounded, slow-paced narratives that plant their seeds early on and don't let them blossom until the end. The entire show is extremely satisfying, brought to life by one of James Spader's most underrated performances.

6

Citadel (2023 to present)

Starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas

Citadel It became famous for being one of the most ambitious and pioneering streaming shows of all time, with a huge budget that allowed the show to hop around the world and visit several different locations in this sweeping narrative. Thematically, it shares many similarities with The Day of the Jackal – is a story of spies, international espionage and global surveillance.

Citadel It may not have been a huge success, but the first season did a great job of laying the groundwork for what's to come in future episodes. It's a slow-paced thriller that evolves into a deadly cat-and-mouse chase around the world, exploring the current question of how far our governments are prepared to operate in the shadows to protect their secrets.

5

Slow Horses (2022 to present)

Starring Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden

Slow Horses is one of the best shows on Apple TV, but the series doesn't get nearly the praise it deserves. The story follows the unpleasant boss of a dysfunctional MI5 unit who are tasked with protecting their country's security while trying to see through the fog of ever-changing diplomacy that puts their work at risk.

As The Day of the JackalApple TV Slow Horses is the product of two things: the show's biting, witty scripts and the wildly entertaining performances that drive the story forward. In this case, it's Oscar winners Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden, whose on-screen dynamic makes Slow Horses such a fun watch as its characters try to navigate a world they aren't always prepared for.

4

Mindhunter (2017-2019)

Starring Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany

David Fincher Mindhunter is a show famous for its premature cancellationbut the show is still worth watching for the incredible quality of the two ordered seasons. The series revolves around a team of FBI agents who work alongside criminal psychologists to get into the minds of some of America's most notorious killers, using what they learn to build profiles and apply them to other criminals who have not yet been killed. captured.

What did you do Mindhunter such an intense viewing experience, plus the dynamic direction and strong performances, was the show's ability to forge intricate and complex mysteries that were impossible to solve even though all the clues are there. This really allowed the audience to be absorbed into the narrative – a quality it shares with The Day of the Jackal.

3

The Serpent (2021)

Starring Tahar Rahim and Jenna Coleman

Narratively, The serpent shares many qualities with The Day of the Jackal. Both shows revolve around a serial killer who uses disguises and false identities to avoid suspicion, both shows follow these killers as they travel the world to several different locations, and both shows explore how authorities used the killers' weaknesses to locate them. and pick up the clues they leave behind.

Additionally, The serpent is loosely based on a true story – which adds an extra dimension of intrigue and strangeness to everything that happens in the series. It combines fact and fiction in a consistently interesting way, avoiding the many pitfalls of true crime dramas and instead forging a well-written story that just uses this case as inspiration for something truly gripping.

2

Bodyguard (2018)

Starring Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes

Escort is a British TV series that addresses the complex and intricate narrative of The Day of the Jackal and applies it on a more intimate and personal level. The narrative follows a war veteran who is assigned as the personal bodyguard of a prolific politician.which becomes complicated when he develops a distrust of her personal beliefs and policies.

Although its story takes place on a national stage with prolific characters, The bodyguard is much more of a personal, character-driven story than The Day of the Jackal. It focuses primarily on the changing relationships between these unlikely colleagues, using the diplomatic uncertainty of their work merely as a backdrop to explore their own conflicting ideologies and beliefs.

1

Patria (2011-2020)

Starring Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin

Homeland is without a doubt the definitive political thriller of the 2010s, and this is proven both in its undeniable longevity and its continued popularity to this day. The show revolves around a CIA agent who works alongside the Department of Homeland Security to identify an American prisoner suspected of having joined forces with a dangerous terrorist organization that could pose a serious threat to the United States. The show ran for eight seasons between 2011 and 2020receiving widespread critical acclaim for its first few episodes before being canceled by Showtime in 2020.

Homeland was a huge critical success, surpassing shows like Game of Thrones and Mad Men at the Emmys during the height of his popularity. It was praised for its hard-hitting and topical exploration of American government foreign policy and the imminent threat of terrorism in the country, which reached its peak in the first season but remained a major theme. His narrative was on a much more global scale than The Day of the Jackalbut both programs benefited from their ability to effectively navigate the most secretive and private aspects of government and diplomatic relations.