Television series

Marvel's Agent Carter

Name: Marvel's Agent Carter
Genre: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
Released: 2015
Cast: Hayley Atwell, Enver Gjokaj, James D'Arcy, Chad Michael Murray, Shea Whigham

Spy action

Set in 1946, Agent Carter follows Peggy Carter as she navigates postwar displacement, bureaucratic indifference, and secret missions for Howard Stark. It's a spy thriller with heart, fizzing with period style and female agency. For anyone who loved her in Captain America or wants smart, character-driven action that doesn't take itself too seriously.

TVMaze rating

4.0

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A brilliant woman in 1950s New York finds her voice and agency through unconventional work, charming her way through obstacles with wit and determination. Like Peggy, she's defiant, stylish, and refuses to disappear into the background.

But The romantic subplot can feel scattered, and its tone tilts comedic where Agent Carter stays grounded. Some find the main character's privilege makes her struggles feel lightweight.

Alias2001

Jennifer Garner as a double agent living two lives: ordinary analyst by day, action hero by night. It's got the espionage complexity, the retro tech glamour, and a female lead who's equally comfortable in a ballroom or a firefight.

But Five seasons means pacing problems and creative fatigue by the end. The early seasons are exceptional; later ones chase spectacle instead of story.

Atomic Blonde2017

Charlize Theron as an MI6 agent in 1980s Berlin, trading secrets and punches with style and song. It has Agent Carter's combination of espionage intrigue, period detail, and a female lead who doesn't need rescue.

But The plot is deliberately thin and serves mostly as a frame for action sequences. If you want narrative depth over gorgeous brutality, look elsewhere.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Marvel's Agent Carter

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Newsroom2012

Both center brilliant women using wit and expertise to survive institutions designed to silence them, paired with men who must either rise to their level or get out of the way.

Set in a 24-hour news cycle, it captures the 1940s workplace culture that defines Agent Carter—ambitious women fighting for recognition while navigating male gatekeepers, except here the weapon is intelligence and rhetoric instead of espionage. Sorkin's dialogue crackles with the same defiant energy.

But Sorkin's sanctimony can be exhausting, and the show preaches about media ethics without irony. Some find it preachy and self-satisfied rather than thrilling.

The Americans2013

Two Soviet KGB officers posing as an American couple navigate the Cold War while raising suspicion. It offers espionage with moral weight, character depth that unfolds across seasons, and performances of devastating subtlety.

But It's slow-burn and heavy. No quips, little levity, and the first season takes time to hook you. Emotionally exhausting in ways that Agent Carter never attempts.

Killing Eve2018

A brilliant MI6 officer obsesses over catching a charming female assassin. Fast-paced, darkly funny, stylish, and centered on a woman whose intelligence and charisma drive everything. Each season feels distinct and inventive.

But Tonal shifts between thrilling and campy can jar. Later seasons lose focus, and some creative choices feel self-indulgent rather than essential.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier2014

The film that inspired Agent Carter's tone and themes. Spy thriller architecture meets Marvel action. Peggy's legacy shapes this story, and understanding it enriches her series.

But If you're coming fresh to Marvel, the political intrigue may feel scattered. It assumes some familiarity with the universe, and standalone it's less rewarding.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier poster

Bodyguard2018

A British political thriller that grips from the first frame. A traumatized war veteran assigned to protect a controversial politician finds himself caught between duty and conscience. Taut, intelligent, and morally complex.

But Only six episodes—some find it too brief to fully invest. The ending divides opinion, and the male lead's trauma can feel self-pitying.

Spooks2002

A British intelligence series that balances procedural spy work with serialized character arcs. Thoughtful, occasionally brilliant, grounded in realistic tradecraft and difficult ethical choices.

But The early seasons are stronger than later ones. It leans procedural and can feel repetitive over ten seasons. British spy bureaucracy isn't everyone's idea of thrilling.

Red Sparrow2018

Both explore women forced to use charm, sexuality, and intellect as tools within systems that don't trust them—but where Peggy resists and reclaims agency, Sparrow surrenders to complicity.

Jennifer Lawrence as a Russian ballerina-turned-spy navigating Cold War intrigue. Visually sumptuous, morally murky, and preoccupied with how women's bodies and intelligence are weaponized in espionage. Peggy's postwar vulnerability gets a darker, more cynical inversion here.

But Glacially paced for a spy thriller. The sexual violence is explicit and central, making it a difficult watch. Some found it boring despite the premise.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes1953

Both texts celebrate women who use every tool at their disposal—looks, wit, misdirection—not despite being dismissed, but *because* they know how the world sees them.

Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell as women who know exactly how to weaponize perception and charm to get what they want in a world that underestimates them. It's prewar glamour-as-strategy; Agent Carter is postwar pragmatism-as-survival. Both understand that intelligence wears many faces.

But It's a musical comedy, not an action thriller. The gender politics are complicated—it works as satire but reads differently now. If you want plot, this prioritizes style and number.