The Marvel Cinematic Universe's new Disney+ show, Secret Invasion, brings Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury back to the franchise. In the show, the super spy must fight a covert war against the shapeshifting Skrulls. However, Secret Invasion's Nick Fury isn't the only great spy on TV.
Television shows that focus heavily on action, espionage, and warfare have been captivating audiences for decades. Through hit series like Jack Ryan and 24 and underrated titles like Burn Notice and Alias, fans have met some of the bravest, most loyal, and most capable spies to ever grace the small screen.
10 Chuck
Long before he was donning red spandex and fighting the DC supervillains as Shazam, Zachary Levi was a superhuman computer in Chuck. Levi portrayed the eponymous Chuck Bartowski, a regular tech expert who accidentally downloaded a secret CIA supercomputer directly into his brain. After doing so, Chuck became the Human Intersect.
Over the course of five seasons, Chuck grew into his own as a spy, mostly thanks to the martial arts techniques he was able to download into his brain as well. With the help of fellow superspies Sarah Walker and John Casey, Chuck took down countless enemies of the United States, including the villainous Fulcrum organization.
9 Jack Bauer (24)
Kiefer Sutherland defined the television superspy genre as Jack Bauer in 24. Working as one of the United States government's chief antiterrorist agents, Bauer engaged in multiple missions throughout his long and impressive career, all of which inexplicably lasted 24 hours.
Audiences have followed Jack Bauer's missions for more than a decade, as he fights to keep his country--and his own family--safe from menacing terrorists bent on destruction. Tirelessly living up to any challenge he may face, Bauer has become one of the most iconic television superspies of all time.
8 Peggy Carter (Agent Carter)
Agent Peggy Carter is far more than Captain America's love interest. Hayley Atwell's British secret agent starred in her own two-season spinoff series, Agent Carter, which followed her missions after the events of Captain America: The First Avenger.
Agent Carter is a born leader who eventually became a key part of the formation of SHIELD, the world's leading intelligence organization. As an expert markswoman, skilled undercover agent, and capable martial artist, Carter had no problem leading a team into a mission. Agent Carter further fleshed out Peggy's role in the MCU but was canceled after ending on a major cliffhanger.
7 Sydney Bristow (Alias)
The early 2000s saw Jennifer Garner star in Alias, an underrated TV drama that followed the adventures of CIA Agent Syndey Bristow. Over the course of five seasons, Alias crafted Garner's character into one of the most recognizable television superspies of all time.
Syndey Bristow is one of the first female characters to lead an espionage series, paving the way for many future shows to follow suit. Throughout Alias's run, Bristow consistently proved herself to be one of the most capable people in any given room. She's a smart, experienced, and determined double agent who knows how to use her extensive skill set in covert operations and martial arts to overcome any challenge.
6 Jack Reacher (Reacher)
Tom Cruise may have originated the role of Jack Reacher in the 2012 film franchise of the same name, but Alan Ritchson has given the character new life in the Amazon Prime original series, Reacher. Throughout Reacher's one season, Ritchson has further fleshed out the superspy introduced in Lee Child's hit book series.
With a second season of Reacher on the way, Ritchson is only just getting started. In his missions, he manages to stamp out corruption and maintain the safety of his loved ones and the country he once served. He's a smart spy who possesses keen fighting and observation skills that allow him to get what he wants.
5 Michael Westen (Burn Notice)
Jeffrey Donovan portrayed Michael Weston, a former special forces operative, over the course of seven seasons in Burn Notice. After being "burned" by his superiors, Westen and several other former superspies team up for their own missions in an effort to survive.
As a spy, Michael Westen is one of the best; he's knowledgable, tactical, courageous, and experienced. Burn Notice's voiceover narration from Westen proves just how much he learned about his craft over the years, which is certainly enough to survive off the grid. He may not be the flashiest spy in the television world, but he is certainly one of the most effective.
4 Nikita
Martial arts master Maggie Q found one of her first leading roles as the eponymous character in Nikita, a series about an agent working for the mysterious Division. Throughout the show's four seasons, Nikita and her friends operated behind the scenes and changed the entire world from the shadows.
Not only is Nikita Mears one of the most dangerous assassins in the spy thriller genre, but she also proves to be one of the most effective as the series goes on. She manages to break free from the manipulation of her superiors and is also able to lead others to freedom as well, changing the world of espionage in the process.
3 Phil Coulson (Agents of SHIELD)
Phil Coulson may have made his live-action debut in movies like Iron Man and The Avengers, but he truly made his impact on television, chiefly as the protagonist of Agents of SHIELD. Portrayed by Clark Gregg, Agent Coulson is one of television's most amicable--and most dangerous--spies of all time.
After helping Nick Fury create the MCU's Avengers, Coulson went on to lead his own elite strike force that navigated the stranger corners of the franchise. Overcoming powerful enemies like Hydra, Inhumans, and Life Model Decoys, Coulson quickly proved why he was one of the few men with Nick Fury's trust. After Fury faked his death, Coulson became the new director of SHIELD, allowing the character to flourish in his new leadership role.
2 Nick Fury (Secret Invasion)
Samuel L. Jackson is the quintessential superspy as Colonel Nicholas J. Fury. Nick Fury appears throughout the MCU in various installments, beginning with 2008's Iron Man and stretching all the way to the present day. In that time, Fury has made several television appearances, including in two episodes of Agents of SHIELD and as the main character in the Disney+ original series, Secret Invasion.
Nick Fury is cautious, slow to trust, and resourceful, all trademarks of the perfect spy. As the former director of SHIELD, Fury has a vast network of connections that extends beyond the confines of Earth itself. Even in a world populated by superheroes and supervillains with incredible powers, Fury still manages to be one of the most dangerous people on the planet.
1 Jack Ryan
Following in the footsteps of Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, and Chris Pine, John Krasinski portrays CIA operative Jack Ryan in the Amazon Prime series Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan. Marking the character's first television series, Jack Ryan manages to flesh out Tom Clancy's original character better than any iteration that came before.
As Jack Ryan approaches its fourth and final season, Krasinski's eponymous superspy remains one of the most recognizable characters in the ever-saturated genre. Unlike many other TV spies, Ryan is just as ready to solve a problem by talking as he is fighting--even if he finds himself doing the latter far more often. Audiences may be preparing to say goodbye to Krasinski's Jack Ryan, but there's no doubt that he's the most relatable, human, and compelling spy on screen.