10 Movie & TV Spies Better At Their Jobs Than James Bond

James Bond, author Ian Fleming’s legendary creation, has been the quintessential spy character for over 70 years since his first appearance in the 1953 novel Casino Royale. The role has been embodied by some of the best actors of all time, from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, each bringing their own ideals and spin to the character that makes each iteration of 007 something different. Though Bond is often seen as a suave, unstoppable agent, he isn’t flawless, with weaknesses and faults that have helped his enemies gain the upper hand – if only for a little.

The spy genre as a whole doesn’t live and die with Bond, with countless secret agents who could best him in many fields. Spies like Ethan Hunt from the Mission: Impossible franchise, who has unparalleled athleticism, or even George Smiley from one of the best British spy series, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, who has an understated and subtle demeanor just like a real-life undercover spy. Though Bond is the most popular spy in the cinematic landscape, he is far from the most accomplished, with many lesser-known agents who could all teach him a thing or two in the world of espionage.

10 Archer – Archer

Voiced By H. Jon Benjamin

Archer is a fictional animated Secret Service agent who works for the government agency the International Secret Intelligence Service (ISIS) in his titular series Archer. Voiced by H. Jon Benjamin, Archer finds himself tackling a series of specialized, dangerous missions in order to save the country and the world while working with a collective of eclectic co-workers, including his mother and boss, Malory Archer. Archer is the self-proclaimed ‘World’s Greatest Spy’, and in going through his resume and lift of abilities, it might be hard to argue otherwise.

Archer, the series, is known for its satirical slant on spy shows, and that, in part, helps Archer become the agent he claims to be. He is shown to be a physical specimen with comprehensive skills in all areas of combat, from martial arts to weaponry. Though his biggest attribute might be his self-awareness – a fact he has alluded to many times – that he is the leading star in an animated show, thus allowing him to navigate hazardous situations with a thick layer of plot armor. Overall, his lack of concern for his mortality may be his biggest strength.

9 Jack Bauer – 24

Played By Keifer Sutherland

Jack Bauer is the lead protagonist of the Fox series 24, a show that sees retired U.S. Army Special Forces Captain work as head of a counter-terrorism unit that has to quickly solve threats to national security. The show takes place in real-time, giving Jack limited time in order to determine the perpetrators and prevent any major terrorist attacks around the United States. The pacing really shows his resourcefulness and intelligence as he is able to make decisions on the fly, react to new information, and wade into murky waters, doing whatever it takes to get the job done.

24
is one of the highest-rated action dramas on IMDb, with a rating of 8.4/10 based on over 200,000 reviews.

Though Bauer and Bond both have decorated service histories, Bond’s just falls short of the 24 stars with his Special Forces and Delta training, as well as his duties earning him a Purple Heart and Legion of Merit. His elite training and ability to work under pressure sets him apart from many other spies. While Bond is also someone who has shown to have more compassion and emotion, especially in earlier iterations, Bauer has no such morality issues, being more than willing to kill, torture, and destroy anybody or anything that prevents him from getting his mission completed.

8 Lorraine Broughton – Atomic Blonde

Played By Charlize Theron

David Leitch’s Atomic Blonde is an action thriller film with a screenplay by Kurt Johnstad, based on Antony Johnston and Sam Hart’s graphic novel The Coldest City. It features Charlize Theron as the unrelenting MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton, who is transferred to Germany to uncover a missing list of secret double agents after one is murdered. Though throughout the film, Broughton is shown to be fallible, taking many beatings and injuries, it’s the fact she keeps rising and overcoming the odds that makes her so fierce.

The film has been praised for utilizing an action star who isn’t invincible, and the fact she takes on gangs of assailants is a testament to her skill. The agent shows remarkable ability with guns and weapons, as well as expertise in hand-to-hand combat, but her real trademark is her ingenuity in using items nearby, anything from doors and kitchen utensils to her stiletto heel. In a simple fistfight with no rules or weapons, Broughton takes down most versions of Bond nine times out of ten, and her ability to blend in and manipulate situations is also a massive strength.

7 Michael Westen – Burn Notice

Played By Jeffrey Donovan

Burn Notice, created by Matt Nix, is an espionage series that stars Jeffrey Donovan as ex-CIA agent Michael Westen, who gets ‘burned’ or blacklisted by the agency with no explanation. After his release, he begins officially working as a private eye while still operating as a spy and attempting to uncover what happened that caused him to be left stranded by his handlers after his last mission. Westen is the undisputed master of ingenious improvised equipment and weaponry, creating gadgets and devices out of radio and cell phones, making him incredibly creative and resourceful.

Burn Notice
ran for seven series for a total of 111 episodes and a film adaption.

Bond has shown himself across the years to be an excellent spy, though he does often rely on a variety of gadgets, whereas an agent like Westen is able to navigate complex situations with little more than his own mind. Westen’s main strengths are martial arts ability, having 30 years of karate training, and his use of psychological manipulation and warfare during his missions. While Bond often has a prepared report, Westen goes about discovering everything about his enemies himself, finding vulnerabilities before the action even starts that gives him a winning advantage before a gun is even drawn.

6 Jack Ryan – Jack Ryan Franchise

Played By Harrison Ford And John Krasinski

Jack Ryan is the ultimate CIA analyst who has been portrayed by many world-class actors, including Harrison Ford and John Krasinski, with the franchise based on author Tom Clancy’s novel series. Ryan is typically placed in complex political and international conflicts where he has to use his military training, experience, and intelligence to plan out and execute the best outcome. Ryan has shown himself to be more than capable of handling any situation he is thrown into; with a Ph.D. in economics, it might not sound like the best base for being a spy, but everything he touches turns to gold.

Though perhaps not as confident in combat as the others, the espionage game isn’t an unlicensed boxing match but, often, a tactical and mental battle. Ryan’s primary strength is his mind and his ability to deflect, negotiate, and also strike effectively when the time is right. He is the inventor of ‘the canary trap’, a system that shows who the leak is in an organization, showcasing his innate abilities to outsmart and out think his competition. Though more of a normal, everyday character, his wealth of talent and experience see him as one of the best spies on the planet.

5 George Smiley – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Played By Alec Guinness And Gary Oldman

In the iconic adaptation of John le Carré’s 1974 novel Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, George Smiley is an unassuming intelligence officer portrayed most famously by Alec Guinness in the long-running series, then by Gary Oldman in the 2011 film. Smiley, in many ways, was intentionally created as the ultimate antithesis to Bond in every way, being first described as ‘short, overweight, balding, and bespectacled’, showing a much more normal, well-rounded version of a spy character. Though a man of normal stature and no innate physical abilities, he embodies the quintessential spy that Bond should have aimed to become.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
has a rating of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 230 reviews.

The very definition of espionage and becoming an elite spy is all about the act of camouflaging, fading into obscurity while ruthlessly executing your missions. Bond’s larger-than-life personality, charisma, and movie star good looks, by nature, make him stand out, whereas a frame and character like Smiley is a much more authentic and realistic look at a real-life spy. That’s not to say he has no abilities, on the contrary, he shows incredible intelligence, cunning, memory, and a unique methodical approach that always gets the job done, with a success rate higher than Bond’s while also remaining unassuming and undetected.

4 Natasha Romanoff – Marvel Cinematic Universe

Played By Scarlett Johnsson

First introduced in Iron Man 2 within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, is an ex-Russian agent portrayed by Scarlett Johansson who goes on to feature in The Avengers and Black Widow. Romanoff has one of the most twisted backstories of any agent, being recruited by the KBG and being put in ‘The Red Room’ for training, a program that sees participants go through physical and mental hell in order to excel. The fact she survived and even thrived in such an environment, becoming the elite of the elite, is staggering in and of itself.

The brutal training and mental fortitude needed to overcome such obstacles and circumstances at an early age already pulls her away from Bond, who also went through rigorous training but nowhere to the same intensity. Romanoff also went through the horrific ordeal of being sterilized in order to have her become a ruthless killing machine without distractions or other interests. With extensive hand-to-hand combat training, an unmatched ability in weaponry, and, by all metrics, a programmed mentality to accomplish missions, she is easily one of the top spies in the world.

3 Harry Hart – Kingsman: The Secret Service

Played By Colin Firth

Colin Firth’s Harry Hart (codename: Galahad) is one of the leading characters in Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014), an accomplished spy and mentor to the film’s star Eggsy (Taron Egerton). The film and its sequel offer a self-aware yet deep dive into the spy genre, with Hart being shown to be a spy with as much firepower as James Bond, with an even greater backing and support system. Hart is an army veteran and an agent of the Kingsmen – a private intelligence group founded by British elites – and he shows exceptional skills in every area that an agent needs to have.

Hart, despite his relatively older age, is in peak physical condition and displays expert hand-to-hand combat skills, combining Lorraine Broughton’s ingenuity with Bond’s trove of gadgets to basically become unstoppable. As well as his incredible skill in martial arts, he also carries several everyday items that a gentleman would have that turn him into a lethal killing machine, such as a bulletproof umbrella, an electrified ring, and Oxford shoes with a concealed neurotoxin-coated blade. All that said, he also has the backing of a group of similar spies and higher-ups, who all join together to create an incredible entity.

2 Nick Fury – Marvel Cinematic Universe

Played By Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury first appeared in Iron Man (2008); he is an American spy, ex-director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and the founder of the superhero collective Avengers. Though he often takes a back seat to some of the more popular superheroes, Fury’s real talents lie in directions and strategy, utilizing each character in their perfect role to produce the ideal results. He is tasked with thwarting global threats, with unique skills from his military training that see him excel in espionage, infiltration, and strategic operations.

Nick Fury has made 13 appearances in the MCU, his first being in
Iron Man
(2008) and his latest being in
The Marvels
(2023).

Though Bond is more about getting his hands dirty and interacting with every enemy and terrorist organization, mostly single-handed, Fury opts for a more cohesive approach, analyzing and planning from further afield. Who is the better spy? One who kills the bad guy and stops the plan at the death, or one who can plan so far ahead the worst of the threat never materializes in the first place? Fury’s unique abilities and foresight make him everything a spy should be: cool, calculated, and stunningly brilliant to create the ultimate agent.

1 Ethan Hunt – Mission: Impossible Series

Played By Tom Cruise

Ethan Hunt, played by the electric Tom Cruise in the Mission: Impossible franchise, is the founder of the IMF team, who undergoes the missions that everybody else deems unthinkable, often involving terrorism and threats to international governments. Hunt has basically gone through every conceivable espionage situation that can be thought of, exhibiting a level of skill, intelligence, and superhuman physical traits that simply have no rival. His incredible strength, speed, and reflexes make him closer to a superhero than a traditional spy.

Bond is an excellent, accomplished spy who has done many things, but there is no spy greater than Ethan Hunt. Whether it’s scaling the Burj Khalifa, hanging off a plane, or holding his breath to complete impossible underwater tasks, he simply does it all. He utilizes stealth and cunning, as well as technology and weapons, with exceptional skills, while also working in a team designed to support him at every step. If Hunt and James Bond ever stepped into a room together, there would be only one leaving through the door, and he’s going to be whistling the Mission: Impossible theme tune.