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Netflix released Hostage last week and we couldn’t get enough of the action. The five-episode show was packed with political intrigue, as any good show based in the halls of power should be. It did, however, leave us wanting more, so we’ve compiled a list of our favourite political thrillers in case you’re in the same boat as us.

Designated Survivor

Starting with another show based on a crisis in government, we have Designated Survivor. The show follows Keifer Sutherland as the titular designated survivor Tom Kirkman, a lowly member of the US presidential cabinet kept away from a major address for the unlikely event that the entire line of succession to the presidency is wiped out. Lo and behold, terrorists take out the president, the rest of his cabinet and the legislature in a single attack that leaves Kirkman as next in line to take the highest office in the land.

The show finished its three-season run in 2019 and has a 7.4 rating on IMDB. A Korean adaptation, Designated Survivor: 60 Days, was also made with a 16-episode run and a higher IMDB rating.

The Crown

The British monarchy has always been a subject of intrigue and curiosity, especially under the late Queen Elizabeth II. Claire Foy, Olivia Coleman and Imelda Staunton deliver masterful performances as the monarch in this series that chronicles her life, from her days as a young princess to her later years on the throne. The Crown is really more family drama than politics, but when that family is the Windsors, their drama shapes both British and international politics. Many episodes deal with significant events in the monarch’s life — international crises, domestic unrest and the like — and the series convincingly shows the many ways Britain’s royals interact with the state machinery and the people they rule over.

Running for 60 episodes, some of which were a bit dry, the show maintains a high 8.6 rating on IMDB and is sure to be enjoyed by any history nerds interested in the period.

The Last Czars

If The Crown was a documentary posing as a drama, The Last Czars is a drama posing as a documentary. Diving into the dying days of the Russian Empire, the show is based around the reign of Queen Elizabeth’s great-uncle, Tsar Nicholas II. It explores his aloof but well-meaning nature as well as the complex relationship he had with his family and court. The impact of the First World War, his heir’s ill health and the revolution that swept away his throne after 300 years of Romanov family rule are shown in detail — and for any Boney M fans, yes, Rasputin is a part of the story too.

The show is an interesting weekend binge with only six episodes and a 7.3 rating on IMDB.

The Diplomat

A newer entry on the list, The Diplomat is one of those shows where the second season was even better than the first. Keri Russell has been nominated for a Golden Globe twice for her performance as Katherine Wyler, the US ambassador to the UK who finds herself in the middle of a diplomatic crisis as her husband — a storied former ambassador himself — tries to play puppet master, much to her frustration. The series goes deep into the complexities of a deep and longstanding diplomatic relationship between two global powers.

The show boasts an IMDB rating of 8 and has two seasons so far, with a third set to release on October 16.

Servant of the People

This one is a bit of a wildcard on the list as it’s a comedy, but hear us out. Servant of the People stars now Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky as a disgruntled high school teacher whose students upload one of his classroom rants on social media. Upon the video going viral, the students nominate him for the upcoming presidential elections, which he ends up winning. The show’s themes of a common man fighting corruption and red tape are sure to resonate with anyone who’s ever thought, “If only I were in charge, I’d fix everything in a day.”

The show had an outsized impact on real-life Ukrainian politics, with Zelensky and his crew forming a political party carrying the show’s name for the 2019 presidential elections. They won the presidency and secured a parliamentary majority after Zelensky announced snap elections in one of his first moves as president.

The show ran for three seasons, averaging an IMDB rating of 7.3. It’s available to stream with English subtitles alongside a spin-off film.

So, what’s your next watch? Did we miss something? Let us know in the comments below.