Unfamiliar has arrived on Netflix – and if you’re hunting for a new spy thriller in the vein of The Night Manager, it might be exactly what you’re after.
Netflix has gone big in 2026. It kicked the year off by ending Stranger Things, then followed up with a run of buzzy releases throughout January. His and Hers, Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials, Bridgerton, and high-profile acquisitions like Quiz all helped keep momentum high.
But every so often, a series lands quietly and still manages to cut through. Unfamiliar is one of those shows — a taut, six-part espionage drama that’s already shaping up to be a surprise binge-hit.
Here’s everything you need to know.
What is Unfamiliar about?
Unfamiliar follows Simon and Meret, a married couple who are former German foreign intelligence agents now living a quieter life in Berlin, where they run a safe house.
The series opens with a moment of calm: the couple celebrating their daughter’s 16th birthday. That peace is quickly shattered when an injured stranger asks for their help.
Simon and Meret immediately sense something is wrong. The man’s wounds appear to be self-inflicted, his behaviour is erratic, and – most concerning of all – he refuses to say who he is.
As they dig deeper, the couple begin to suspect the stranger may be connected to a disastrous mission from their past. What follows is a spiralling chain of events that drags them back into the world they thought they’d escaped.
Soon, they’re on the run from assassins, Russian agents, the BND, former lovers, and enemies they’ve made along the way – all while trying to keep their marriage, and their family, intact.
How many episodes are there?
Unfamiliar is made up of six episodes.
Each instalment runs between 49 and 58 minutes, making it a fairly manageable binge at just under six hours in total.
Unfamiliar cast: Who’s in it?
Susanne Wolff and Felix Kramer lead the series as Meret and Simon.
Wolff may be familiar to international viewers from films like The Three Musketeers and the acclaimed drama Sisi & I, while Kramer appeared in Netflix’s Dark, as well as Dogs of Berlin and Black Box.
Other cast members include:
- Samuel Finzi as Josef Koleev
- Andreas Pietschmann as Jonas Auken
- Henry Hübchen as Gregor Klein
- Maja Bons as Nina Schäfer
- Seyneb Saleh as Julika Ritter
- Genija Rykova as Vera Koleev
- Natalia Belitski as Katya Volkova
- Aaron Altaras as Mark Sinclair
- Laurence Rupp as Ben Krüger
- Sina Martens as Alice Belmont
- Anand Batbileg Chuluunbaatar as Yul Batbaatar
Is Unfamiliar worth watching?
Early reaction suggests yes — especially if espionage thrillers are your thing.
Viewers have praised the series for its tight pacing, accessible plot, strong performances, and slick production values. It’s not overly dense or convoluted, but it delivers enough twists to keep things moving.
“One of the best things I’ve seen in a long time and I’m only 18 minutes in,” one viewer wrote.
“I’m already hooked,” another added, while a third commented: “Everyone is talking about Lucy Letby, I’m here watching Unfamiliar. It’s a really good watch.”
Critics have also been positive. While the series doesn’t yet have a Rotten Tomatoes score, reviews have highlighted its character work and balance between action and emotional stakes.
“If you’re a fan of well-written characters and enjoy a solid spy thriller plot with lots of action and twists, then Unfamiliar is definitely for you,” Heaven of Horror wrote.
Read more: The best TV shows on Netflix you need to watch this month
Unfamiliar is streaming on Netflix now.
Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know if you’ll be watching this weekend?