In amongst the endless sea of smash hit mystery thrillers, action-packed blockbusters, and insipid romantic comedies, Netflix subscribers have always proven themselves partial to the documentary. It might not revolve around the customer base’s favorite subject of serial killers or unsolved crimes, but Spy Ops has evidently got enough in the tank to find immediate success.
Per FlixPatrol, the riveting eight-episode look at a string of successful espionage operations dating back more than 50 years has infiltrated the streaming service’s worldwide Top 10, having debuted as one of the most popular new additions to the library in 38 countries all told.
Going in-depth and talking to the people who participated in under-the-radar missions for CIA, MI6, and Mossad to name just three, the fascinating docuseries digs into not just what motivated the people on the ground, but the tactical decision-making utilized to ensure whether or not the operations in question ended up sinking or swimming.
Amongst the many historical events covered are the overthrowing of Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega, a sitdown with the person who took a shot at Pope John Paul II, those involved with the 1972 attack on the Olympics that was eventually brought to the screen in Steven Spielberg’s minor masterpiece Munich, Americans who went undercover with the Taliban, and the Cold War-era recovery of a sunken Soviet nuclear submarine.
Anyone with even a passing interest in spycraft will find themselves instantly hooked by Spy Ops, which appears to be a large volume of those who shell out their monthly fees to Netflix based on how quickly it’s been moving up the ranks.
