While James Bond will forever be known as the most famous MI6 agent in entertainment history, there are countless TV shows these days that follow the action-packed and dangerous lives of a top-secret spy. Among them is Netflix’s already-renewed hit show The Night Agent, and Apple TV’s beloved Slow Horses, a show all about a dysfunctional team of MI5 agents getting a second chance to redeem themselves.
But while those two titles are certainly must-watches for action fans, a new under-the-radar series from ITV should also join the list. Released earlier this year on February 8, 2026, Betrayal is a riveting four-episode drama following the life of a mid-career MI5 officer in the middle of a major conspiracy.
What Is ‘Betrayal’ About?
Betrayal, created and written by David Eldridge, follows the story of John Hughes (Shaun Evans), an M15 spy who can’t stop himself from investigating a possible foreign threat to national security. The story kicks off when, after meeting a British-Iranian man with links to the Stockport gangland who claims he has intelligence about a plot on UK soil, John lands himself in hot water after his informant is executed, and John kills his assassin in self-defense. With so much blood on his hands and no leads to follow, John is duly reprimanded, becomes the target of an internal investigation, and is given a partner, Simone Grant (Nikki Amuka-Bird), to keep an eye out on him. Punishment aside, John continues his investigation in search of what happened.
In the meantime, John also struggles to keep his life outside of work afloat. That includes his rocky marriage with his wife Claire (Romola Garai) as she struggles to grapple with his absence with their kids, and the secrecy that’s integral to his line of work. As such, the series alternates between showing John’s dangerous spy adventures, and painting a portrait of his relationship in distress. As the season goes on, and the threats to the MI5 terror unit increases, John struggles to manage both facets of his life, especially when staying late and being tight-lipped about his spy work is non-negotiable.
Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality Quiz Which MCU Hero Are You? Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap
Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory?
🕷️Spider-Man
😈Daredevil
🤖Iron Man
💀Punisher
⚡Thor
🛡️Cap
01
What drives you to do what’s right? Choose the answer that feels most like you.
02
It’s 2 AM. Where are you? Your answer says more about you than you’d think.
03
How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice? Every hero has a method. What’s yours?
04
How do you feel about keeping a secret identity? The mask — or the lack of one — says everything.
05
You’ve lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that? Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it.
06
What’s your role when working with a team? Who you are under pressure is who you actually are.
07
Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge? The answer defines what kind of hero you really are.
08
When you’re not saving the world, what does life look like? The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story.
09
What keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.
10
The battle is lost. You’re outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do? This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully.
Your Hero Has Been Identified Your MCU Hero Is…
Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed.
Queens, New York
🕷️ Spider-Man
You carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing.
You do the right thing not because it’s easy, but because no one else will.
You understand that responsibility isn’t a burden you choose — it’s one that finds you.
Whether it’s a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up.
Peter Parker’s lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn’t a slogan to you. It’s the code you live by, even when it costs you everything.
Hell’s Kitchen, New York
😈 Daredevil
You fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free.
You use every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks.
You’ve looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy.
Matt Murdock’s duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own.
Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you.
Stark Industries, Malibu
🤖 Iron Man
Brilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem.
You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic.
You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility.
Tony Stark’s arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too.
You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you’re willing to give everything. Because in the end, you’re Iron Man.
New York City
💀 The Punisher
You’ve been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What’s left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief.
You don’t ask for forgiveness, and you don’t expect gratitude.
You see a corrupt, broken world and you’ve decided to do something about it, consequences be damned.
Frank Castle’s war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours.
Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute.
Asgard · Protector of the Nine Realms
⚡ Thor
Powerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry.
You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth.
You’re larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on.
Thor’s story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector.
You bring the storm when it’s needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much.
Brooklyn, New York · The Avengers
🛡️ Captain America
You believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will.
You don’t bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard.
Steve Rogers didn’t become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you.
Your strength isn’t in your fists; it’s in your refusal to compromise what’s right, no matter the cost.
In a world full of people taking the easy road, you’re the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time.
‘Betrayal’ Will Be a Welcome Surprise to ‘Slow Horses’ Fans
Shaun Evans and Zahra Ahmadi in Betrayal.Image via ITV
Although reaching the same TV magic of Slow Horses is a high order, Betrayal might be a welcome surprise to fans of the series. While the Apple TV hit follows an entire group of failed or disgraced MI5 agents dumped in a dead-end unit called Slough House, Betrayal shows another agent eager to prove himself and get to the bottom of the truth. Taking a more focused and less humorous approach, Betrayal hones into one character’s journey, as the emotional stakes and consequences tighten as the case goes on.
New 4-Part British Spy Series Emerges as a True 10/10 James Bond Replacement
The new series dropped over the weekend.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has been praised by critics, reaching an 86% approval so far. Among the highlights is Evans’ performance, who anchors the show in his authenticity and vulnerability. “Shaun Evans succeeds more in spite of the material he’s given than because of it, bringing a bewildered vulnerability to John’s struggle to be better,” one review reads. Most of all, it seems Betrayal has nailed being a spy thriller with a more personal, emotional twist into John’s personal life. After all, instead of action scenes at every corner, the series balances them with touching, personal moments about John’s life too. “This doesn’t have the expensive slickness of some streaming thrillers, but the homespun writing offers an array of twists,” wrote another review.
As fans of Slow Horses continue to wait for Season 6 of the show, which is set to premiere in the fall of 2026, viewers should certainly tune in to Betrayal. With just four episodes in the season, the series is a fast-paced, easy binge that still sets itself apart from other spy thrillers out there. It’s laser-focused, intense, and carries an emotional depth that’s rare for the genre.
