7 thriller series to watch if you like 'Prime Target'
Prime Target is a thriller series released in January 2025, with eight episodes in its first season. The show stars Leo Woodall as the protagonist Edward Brooks, who studies mathematics in Cambridge. Released first on Apple TV+, the show also stars Quintessa Swindell, Sidse Knudsen and David Morissey among others. Prime Target revolves around Brooks, who is a researcher at Cambridge.
His work in analyzing prime numbers activates certain NSA agents, who also kill Brooks' colleagues. His research has the potential to develop a prime finder, which can break codes. The first season ended on March 5, 2025, and was aired exclusively on Apple TV.
Viewers who binged on Prime Target and are now looking for similar shows with either technical expertise, action, or thrill will find the following list interesting.
Disclaimer: This list is purely based on the author's opinion.
Dark Matter, Black Doves and 5 more thriller shows similar to Prime Target
1) Mr. and Mrs. Smith - Prime Video, Apple TV
Created by Francesca Sloane and Donald Glover, Mr. and Mrs. Smith is directly inspired by the 2005 action comedy film by Simon Kinberg. Released in February 2024, it stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in leading roles as John and Jane Smith.
The story revolves around two strangers who agree to join a secret organization as undercover spies legally married to each other.
Throughout the first season, the Smiths are tested based on their espionage skills through various missions, as their relationship also starts to develop in this time.
The series won 12 awards, including two Primetime Emmy Awards. Fans of the recently released Prime Target will love this series for its deep dive into the technicalities of being a spy.
2) Dark Matter - Prime Video, Apple TV+
Dark Matter is a science fiction thriller inspired by Blake Crouch's 2016 novel. The first season, which has nine episodes, was released in May 2024 and stars Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, and Alice Braga.
Edgerton plays Jason Dessen, a physicist from Chicago who is abducted from his timeline to an alternate dimension.
His abductor is a version of himself from a different dimension. The reality he lands in is similar to his own, except for notable factors like his career, relationships, and other life choices.
His quest to come back home is thwarted by the abductor. This thriller is a great choice to binge after Prime Target for its sci-fi nature.
3) Black Doves - Netflix, Apple TV
Black Doves is a spy thriller created and written by Joe Barton. The show stars Kiera Knightley as the protagonist, Helen Webb. Released in December 2024 exclusively for Netflix, the series focuses on a network of international spies called the Black Doves.
Helen, an undercover spy, is thrust into danger as her lover is killed in London.
The series follows her trying to protect herself and her children from harm with the help of an old friend. They inadvertently uncover a deep-rooted conspiracy connecting the London underworld with bigger geopolitical issues.
Fans of Prime Target will find this series similar because of its chases and a single protagonist.
4) Zero Day - Netflix
Zero Day is a political thriller created by Eric Newman and Noah Oppenheim. The six-episode Netflix exclusive stars Robert De Niro in the leading role, alongside an ensemble cast.
The show was released in February 2025, and focuses on George Mullen, a former President of America, played by De Niro. The story begins with an unprecedented cyberterrorist attack that results in thousands dying.
George, along with his team, is appointed by the successor of his Presidency to investigate the incident dubbed 'Zero Day'.
What follows next is unexpected revelations, conspiracies, and targeted misinformation that leaves him in the wake of a web of lies.
Viewers who recently enjoyed watching Prime Target will love this show for De Niro, the storyline, and the plot twists that ensue.
5) Vienna Blood - Prime Video, Apple TV, PBS
Released in November 2019, and written by Steve Thompson, Vienna Blood is inspired by the Liebermann novels written by Frank Tallis in the early 2000s. The show stars Matthew Beard and Juergen Maurer in leading roles.
Vienna Blood is set in the early 1900s, and portrays historical characters throughout its story. Max Liebermann, played by Beard, is a student of Sigmund Freud.
The story follows Max, a doctor who helps the police understand motives behind the murders through his expertise in human psychology. The fourth and latest season was released in August 2024.
Fans of Prime Target will find this series memorable for its detective drama-esque nature.
6) Citadel - Prime Video, Apple TV
Created by Josh Appelbaum and directed by Newton Sigel, Citadel is a spy thriller drama starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra in leading roles. Released exclusively on Prime Video, the show revolves around two Citadel agents who lose their memory during a job.
Mason Kane and Nadia Sinh, played by Madden and Chopra, are reunited when an old friend needs help.
The series was renewed in different languages like Italian and Hindi, where they followed a similar concept, but based on a different part of the globe.
Similar to Prime Target, Citadel also incorporates technology and science into its thriller story.
7) The Agency - Prime Video, Paramount+, Apple TV
The Agency is a spy thriller created and written by Jez Butterworth. The series is directly inspired by another French show called Le Bureau des Legendes by Eric Rochant. The series stars Michael Fassbender, Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Smith, and Richard Gere among others.
A notable producer on the show is George Clooney. The series was released in November 2024, with 10 episodes in the season.
Brandon Colby, played by Fassbender, is a CIA agent who is given orders to abandon his post and return to London Station.
Following this event, he is met with an old lover and a challenging game of international espionage. Fans of Prime Target will love this series for its intensity and its political angles.
Apart from these titles, some more shows similar to Prime Target are The Sympathizer, A Thousand Blows, Sherlock, and Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan.
