A Netflix spy thriller has been hailed as better than The Night Manager (Image: Netflix)
Fans of spy thrillers have fallen under the spell of a new six-part Netflix drama. Unfamiliar is a German production which launched on the streamer on February 5, 2026 and has proved a hit with viewers, who have compared it to the works of John le Carré and even said it is better than the BBC adaptation of one of his works, The Night Manager.
Susanne Wolff and Felix Kramer star as former BND agents Meret and Simon Schäfer, who now run a Berlin safe house. While celebrating their daughter’s 16th birthday at home, they get a call from a man who claims he’s been injured and needs their help. He has been sent to them by a high-ranking Russian military intelligence (GRU) officer suspected of espionage, and who recently arrived in Berlin. While the couple are used to requests like this and has handled its fair share of emergencies, this case appears suspicious. Firstly, the man’s wounds are self-inflicted, and he’s behaving erratically while they can’t figure out who he is.
READ MORE: ‘Masterpiece’ crime thriller with all-star cast is streaming on Netflix
READ MORE: ‘Masterpiece’ Netflix show with Doctor Who star is the perfect binge-watch
As they begin to put the pieces together, they realise the stranger may have links to a disastrous mission from their past.
Their carefully constructed life begins to crumble, their daughter realises her parents have many skeletons in their closets, and the couple struggles to save their family.
People who had watched couldn’t wait to leave glowing reviews of the show and took to IMDB to rave about it. « This is better than The Night Manager by a street… Right from the off to the end full of action (and not overdone), lots of twists and turns, the story is very clever with spies all over the shop, and what you don’t see is as important as what you do see, » one wrote.
« Absolute Must-Watch!…Wow-what a ride! This German crime/action/espionage thriller is hands-down one of the best hidden gems (or not-so-hidden anymore, since it’s storming the charts) I’ve binged in ages. If you’re into smart, suspenseful thrillers with great acting, killer plot twists, and characters you actually care about, drop everything and watch Unfamiliar right now. Easily a 10/10 amateur review from me-binge-worthy perfection, » another gushed.
**** Ensure our latest showbiz headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings. ****
Fans of Unfamilar have said it is better than The Night Manager, which stars Tom Hiddleston (Image: BBC)
A third chimed in: « Very good! Already looking forward to season 2! I couldn’t stop. I watched all the episodes straight through until 2:30 am. So much better than the usual Hollywood-glam-makeup-productions. »
A fourth penned: » Unfamiliar: A German spy thriller….There are many twists and turns in this hall of smoke and mirrors. More and more is revealed in flashbacks…An intriguing, violent thriller in the best le Carré tradition. »
A fifth raved: « Amazing! Actually kept me hooked. Not sure why I don’t watch more shows, but this one completely grabbed me…It’s only 6 episodes, so it doesn’t drag. If you like spy movies and want something that’s actually good quality, definitely watch this. Even for someone like me who rarely reviews stuff, this one’s worth your time.
Meanwhile, a sixth begged: « PLEASE let there be a second season! A smartly written, stupendously acted, suspenseful ride. One of those that surprises you from the very beginning and continues to have twists in the plot. We need more tv series like this one and « Ponies »! Y’all get cracking and bring us more of these! And PLEASE let there be a second season of UNFAMILIAR! »
Source link
