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Ever since its heyday in the 1980s, the action-thriller subgenre has, in the eyes of many, been a genre of bombast and bravura that is reserved specifically for the big screen — a sense of heart-racing spectacle that belongs in the movie theater and nowhere else. The passion and purity of the viewpoint are admirable, but it is far from true, especially as the inroads made in television over the past 25 years have imbued the medium with the financing, freedom, and scope to achieve outstanding action excess in a way that no other platform can.
Running as extended and ever-evolving stories, these 10 action thriller series define the ambition and awe of small-screen excitement, using their episodic narrative structure to deliver television triumphs that are ceaselessly spectacular. Ranging from masterpieces of espionage suspense to the glory of ultra-violent absurdity, and even sensational sci-fi spins, these action-thriller series are just as good (if not better) than anything you’ll catch at the movies.
'Banshee' (2013–2016)
There is a sense of absurdity to Banshee that is irresistible to action lovers. It stars Anthony Starr as a swindler recently released from prison out to collect his share of the stolen riches, making contact with his former lover, who, terrified of the Ukrainian crime lord she served, lives under the alias of Carrie Hopewell, a real estate agent in the town of Banshee and wife to the district attorney. Assuming the identity of Banshee’s murdered incoming sheriff, Lucas Hood, the swindler strives to reconnect with his former lover while struggling to return to his own life of crime — and struggling even more to uphold the law as the sheriff of Banshee.
Over the course of its four seasons, Banshee became well-known for the punishing brutality of its violence, often blurring the line between action fun and disturbing intensity, all while presenting a wickedly engrossing story of ridiculous yet addictive pulp anchored in the moral complexity of its main characters. Thriving with its marriage of carnage and propulsive storytelling, Banshee is an enthralling indulgence in excess and crime lunacy that offers relentless entertainment and depravity.
'Strike Back' (2010–2018)
Based on the 2007 novel of the same name by author and former Special Air Service soldier Chris Ryan, Strike Back presents an exhilarating combination of military and espionage intensity and an enrapturing action spectacle. While its actors and main characters changed somewhat sporadically, the bulk of the series’ eight-season run follows Sgt. Michael Stonebridge (Phillip Winchester) and disgraced ex-Delta Force operative Damian Scott (Sullivan Stapleton) as they carry out urgent missions for a secretive branch of MI6.
Through simple yet smart and effective plotting, Strike Back delivers fast-paced arcs of high-octane military action with every season it delivers, especially from Season 2 to Season 6, where Winchester and Stapleton serve as the major leads. While some of its spectacle does defy plausibility, the series received instruction from former SAS/SBS soldiers to ensure that the tactics and maneuvers of the protagonists are imbued with a sense of authenticity, a quality that elevates the action by incorporating tactical precision and meticulous efficiency into every operation depicted.
'Alias' (2001–2006)
Something of a forgotten gem of early 2000s television action, Alias is an infectiously thrilling story of high-concept spy deceit bolstered by creative input from J. J. Abrams and Jennifer Garner’s lead performance. She stars as Sydney Bristow, an agent who starts working as an informant for the CIA when she learns that the organization she is stationed with, SD-6, isn’t a secret “Black Ops” subsection of the agency, but is rather an international criminal syndicate tied to powerful enemies of the United States.
Excelling with how it uses the innate suspense of its story to heighten the impact and punch of its action sequences (and vice versa), Alias is a smart and stylish foray into spy drama, one defined by its exhilarating pacing and complex plot twists that keep viewers immersed. Also making an impression with its strong supporting cast, emotional family drama, and its eccentric and vibrant aesthetic, Alias is a treat of small-screen action thrills that should be held in higher regard than it currently is.
'Jack Ryan' (2018–2023)
In many ways, the Jack Ryan character is a decades-spanning reflection on how people access spy action thrills. Author Tom Clancy published his first book featuring the character in 1984, with the novel series consisting of 12 books. Through the 1990s, the character became known as an action movie hero, with films like The Hunt for Red Octoberand Patriot Games presenting Clancy’s story through blockbuster cinema. Through the 2000s and 2010s, younger generations were probably most familiar with the “Ryanverse” through the Rainbow Six gaming series. Now the masses best know him as being the titular hero played by John Krasinski in the Prime Video original series, Jack Ryan.
The series follows the fieldwork of the CIA analyst, with each of its four seasons presenting a new story of international tension and espionage. It flaunts a grounded realism that conjures an air of urgent intensity, keeping viewers hooked through every twist and violent revelation the series presents. Further strengthened by its cinematic quality, Krasinski’s performance, which opts for everyman relatability over infallible heroism, and its rapid-fire plotting, Jack Ryan is a defining title of modern action television.
'The Night Agent' (2023–Present)
With the success Prime Video had with Jack Ryan, it would never be long until other streaming services followed suit. Standing as Netflix’s best foray into spy thriller suspense, The Night Agent runs with a basis on Matthew Quirk’s novel of the same name, as it follows FBI agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso), who is thrust into a deadly web of conspiracy and deceit when he is tasked with investigating a mole embedded in the White House. Season 2 then sees Sutherland going rogue in New York City to scope out a CIA mole and prevent a deadly chemical attack.
The series’ intrigue and immersion in high-stakes conspiracies are complemented by its rapid-paced approach to its narrative, ensuring the intricacies and twists are delivered thick and fast and resulting in a masterclass of compulsive, action-packed escapism that is ceaselessly exciting. The binge-worthy brilliance of The Night Agent will continue with a third season set to be released on Netflix on the 19th of February.
'Fallout' (2024–Present)
A dazzling action thriller, Fallout succeeds the likes of The Last of UsandTwisted Metal as an engrossing TV series adapted from a video game that both honors the story of the source material while intelligently transforming it for a different platform. Based on the Bethesda Softworks game series of the same name, Fallout transpires in the year 2296, over 200 years after nuclear war decimated the world, and follows the overlapping stories of a Lucy (Ella Purnell), a vault dweller searching for her father; Maximus (Aaron Moten), an opportunistic squire for the Brotherhood of Steel; and The Ghoul (Walton Goggins), a radiation-effected gunslinger roaming the wasteland in search of bounties.
Capturing the air of graphic action violence, post-nuclear war horror, retro-futuristic intrigue, and twisted fun that made the video games so successful, Fallout’s first two seasons have excelled as a treat of television entertainment. With its arresting performances, the interconnected journeys of its three protagonists, stunning production value, and, of course, its gripping sense of action divinity and apocalyptic thrills, the series has become one of the defining titles of 2020s television, as well as a triumph of the production powers of streaming platforms.
'Reacher' (2022–Present)
Reacher hasn’t just burst onto the scene as one of the greatest action thriller TV shows ever — it has actively proven why some action stories belong on the small screen instead of in the cinema. Praised as a faithful adaptation of Lee Child’s novel series, the Prime Video show follows retired U.S. Army military police major, Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson), a drifter who uses his outstanding investigation, infiltration, and combat skills to fight evils such as political corruption, corporate control and greed, and even international arms dealing rings.
The series has entranced both lovers of Childs’ novels and newcomers alike, with Ritchson’s hulking physicality, anti-hero ruthlessness, and balance of brains and brute strength standing as an accurate depiction of how the character is described in the books. Bolstered by the lean and mean plotting, which presents efficient, violent, and frenzied action storytelling, Reacher has emerged as one of the defining series of the decade, one that appears certain to dominate streaming for years to come, with Prime Video renewing the series for a fourth season.
'SAS Rogue Heroes' (2022–Present)
A story of real-world heroism and historical drama presented as a chaotic and comedic medley of stylized action excess, SAS: Rogue Heroes is a gem of modern television, a daring marriage of war drama and playful spectacle that strikes a perfect tone of respect and entertainment. The series opens as British Army officer David Stirling (Connor Swindells), while recovering from a training accident, envisions a radical and rambunctious alternative to war strategy. Invigorated by his theory, he sets out to assemble a unit of the hardest, smartest, and most daring soldiers to form an undercover squad that will cause mayhem behind enemy lines.
With its supporting cast including Jack O’Connell, Alfie Allen, Sofia Boutella, and Dominic West, SAS: Rogue Heroes excels as an infectious and vibrant spin on war drama coming straight from the mind of Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. Loaded with its irresistible punk rock energy, character-driven drama, and its blending of history and action, the series depicts the chaotic origins of the SAS with an appropriately roguish demeanor.
'Andor' (2022–2025)
Another masterpiece of 2020s television, Andor’s success has been somewhat defiant. It flaunts sci-fi effervescence and fantasy allure at a time when most other spy series are striving for gritty, real-world authenticity, and it sees Star Wars — perhaps the most iconic blockbuster title in cinematic history — reach its grandest heights under Disney ownership on the small screen. It does all this by combining the franchise’s air of wonder with a dramatic undertone of morality in war as it follows Cassian Andor’s (Diego Luna) journey from being an elusive smuggler to a soldier of the Rebel Alliance.
Its emphasis on spies, criminals, and politicians, more so than Jedi knights and Sith lords, sees Andorexpand the Star Wars universe in fascinating directions, not only to include more characters, but to introduce rich thematic ideas of the human cost of rebellion and the necessary resistance to tyranny into the fold. Supporting this contemplative fervor with awe-inspiring visual effects and a tight story of political realization and self-discovery, Andor excels as the best action-thriller series (and sci-fi) audiences have seen for many years.
'24' (2001–2014)
Well over 10 years have passed now since Fox’s hit action-thriller series came to an end, but 24 remains television’s greatest ever foray into the genre with its unique premise and relentless, propulsive action. The majority of its seasons contain 24 episodes, with each one running as an hour in a day of carnage and chaos as counterterrorist specialist Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) fights a vast array of threats to national security, from political assassination attempts to nuclear bomb strikes.
The concept lends itself to taut, no-filler storytelling, seeing 24 thrive as an adrenaline-pumping, action-packed extravaganza of gripping television spectacle fueled by razor-sharp writing that ensures every second is propelling the narrative. Complementing this relentless intensity with the brilliant realization of its action set pieces and smart, innovative editing techniques, the Fox series is an enduring triumph of action television, one from a time when streaming platforms (and the money behind them) didn’t power the industry.
