Television series

The Persuaders

Name: The Persuaders
Genre: Drama, Action, Adventure
Released: 1971
Cast: Roger Moore, Tony Curtis, Laurence Naismith

Other titles called The Persuaders: the 2004 film.

Crime
Spy action
Dip in and out

Two wealthy playboys—an English lord and an American rogue—are forced by a judge to team up and solve crimes the police can't. It's a seventies adventure series that runs on charm, globe-trotting glamour, and the electric tension between its mismatched leads. Pure escapism, stylishly done.

TVMaze rating

3.8

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love buddy pairings where two very different men bicker their way through glossy European locations, and you enjoy the easy charm of 1970s adventure television like The Saint.

Skip it if you want a tightly plotted mystery or gritty realism; the cases are light, the villains are cartoonish, and the banter often does more work than the investigation.

What it asks of you: Each hour-long episode is a self-contained caper you can dip into without commitment, with a playful, sunny tone and no need to track a long story across its run.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The Saint1962

Roger Moore plays a con artist in a tuxedo solving impossible crimes across Europe. It's the spiritual ancestor of The Persuaders: same leading man, same irresistible premise, same emphasis on wit over violence.

But Made in the early sixties, so the pacing feels slower and the plots less breakneck than you might expect from a modern action show.

It Takes a Thief1968

Robert Wagner as a gentleman thief recruited by spies. Shares The Persuaders' formula of charm, globe-trotting, and roguish protagonists outsmarting their opponents with style rather than brute force.

But The show's tone wavers between comedy and drama in ways that can feel uneven across episodes.

The Avengers1961

British spy partnership with the same elegant wit and impossible adventures. Emma Peel and John Steed have the same rapport as Sinclair and Wilde—two equals sparring while solving the unsolvable.

But Earlier episodes can be maddeningly slow; you need to find the right season to see why people obsess over this show.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Persuaders

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Alias2001

Both are about beautiful, charming con artists who solve impossible problems through intelligence and charisma rather than force. The thrill is watching them out-think their opposition.

Sydney Bristow is a spy who cons, seduces, and outthinks her way through impossible missions across the globe in designer clothing. It takes The Persuaders' core appeal—style, intelligence, globe-trotting adventure—and updates it with modern complexity and stakes.

But Starts as adventure-thriller fun but increasingly drowns in serialized mythology and time-travel nonsense that derails what made it work.

Mission: Impossible1966

An elite team assembles to solve crimes no one else can. The format is template-perfect for The Persuaders' setup: the impossible assignment, the resourceful improvisers, the satisfaction of a clever solution.

But Peter Graves can feel stiff as a lead, and some episodes rely on plot mechanics that strain credibility even by seventies standards.

Alias Smith and Jones1971

Two charming outlaws given a chance at redemption if they solve crimes for the authorities. It's the Western cousin of The Persuaders—same deal, same dynamic, same chemistry between leads doing the work.

But Bounces wildly between comedy and melodrama, sometimes within the same episode, which can feel tonally chaotic.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.1964

Spy partners—one American, one Soviet—team up against impossible adversaries with style and banter. The international glamour and the partnership dynamic will feel immediately familiar.

But Cold War spy stories can feel period-locked in ways that The Persuaders manages to transcend.

Mannix1967

A smart, resourceful private investigator solves the crimes police abandon. Shares that seventies action-adventure DNA and the appeal of a charming lead who out-thinks rather than out-muscles his opposition.

But Solo lead means no buddy dynamic, and it's more straightforward detective work than The Persuaders' globe-trotting glamour.

Danger Man1960

Patrick McGoohan as a suave secret agent solving impossible cases. British, stylish, intelligent—it's the template that The Persuaders builds on, just with one lead instead of two.

But Much shorter episodes and a grittier tone mean it lacks The Persuaders' charm and escapist gloss.

The Monkees1966

Four charming troublemakers stumble into adventures with infectious chemistry and quick-cut editing that was revolutionary for its time. The rapport between leads and the sheer entertainment value crosses into the same territory.

But It's a music-comedy-adventure hybrid that's tonally all over the place, and the musical numbers will feel incongruous if you're in the mood for pure adventure.

Ocean's Eleven1960

Both celebrate intelligent, attractive people solving problems through style and cunning rather than violence. Both treat glamour and wit as serious tools.

Eleven charming rogues plan an intricate heist with style, glamour, and wit. It's The Persuaders distilled into a single elegant caper—the same DNA of charm, sophistication, and smart people outthinking their opposition.

But It's a one-off film rather than a series, so there's no ongoing chemistry to develop; once the heist is over, so are you.