Too much sex and gunfights, far too little paperwork … espionage shows aren’t exactly a masterclass in realism. Ex-agents reveal what they get right and wrong
Spies are everywhere – especially on TV. Thanks to streaming services such as Netflix and Apple TV+, these are boom times for fans of espionage thrillers. But it’s not only fans who are tuning in: viewers also include actual undercover agents whose roles range from collecting intelligence to recruiting spies for a living. And sometimes what they see onscreen leaves them cringing.
