New Netflix spy thriller hailed as 'one of the best things' viewers have seen
Unfamiliar is a six-part Netflix thriller
Unfamiliar has dropped out of nowhere onto Netflix – and, if you’re looking for a new spy thriller after The Night Manager season 2, this looks like it’ll fit the bill.
Netflix has been pulling out all the stops in 2026. It started with the biggest bang possible: the end of Stranger Things.
That was a high bar, but the streaming platform delivered hit after hit through January. His and Hers, Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials, Bridgerton, and that’s before we get to acquisitions like Quiz.
However, every now and again, a title grabs people’s attention that (almost) nobody saw coming. Unfamiliar is primed to be a weekend binge-watch across the country, so here’s what you should know.
What is Unfamiliar about?
Unfamiliar follows Simon and Meret, a married couple who are former German foreign intelligence agents. They run a safe house in Berlin.
The series begins with them celebrating their daughter’s 16th birthday. However, they’re interrupted by a man who claims to need their assistance.
“But Simon and Meret are suspicious, and they have a right to be: the man’s wounds are self-inflicted, he’s behaving erratically, and they can’t figure out who he is,” Netflix adds.
It gets worse: the man won’t identify himself, and Simon and Beret get a hunch he could be connected to a “disastrous mission” from their past.
“They find themselves hiding from assassins, Russian agents, the BND, ex-lovers and a whole bunch of people they have wronged – all while trying to keep their marriage together,” the synopsis reads.
How long is it?
Unfamiliar is six episodes long.
Each episode is anywhere between 49-58 minutes, so you’re looking at around a six-hour binge if you want to watch it in one night.
How much does Netflix cost in 2026?
- Standard with adverts: £5.99 per month
- Standard: £12.99 per month
- Premium: £18.99 per month
The main difference is obvious: the cheapest plan comes with adverts. However, there are other drawbacks – and benefits! – you should be aware of before you commit to a subscription.
Standard with adverts
- Ad-supported, all but a few movies and TV shows available, unlimited mobile games
- Watch on 2 supported devices at a time
- Watch in Full HD
- Download on 2 supported devices at a time
Standard
- Unlimited ad-free movies, TV shows, and mobile games
- Watch on 2 supported devices at a time
- Watch in full HD
- Download on 2 supported devices at a time
- Option to add 1 extra member who doesn't live with you for £5.99 per month
Premium
- Unlimited ad-free movies, TV shows, and mobile games
- Watch on 4 supported devices at a time
- Watch in ultra HD
- Download on 6 supported devices at a time
- Option to add up to 2 extra members who don't live with you for £5.99 per month
- Netflix spatial audio
Unfamiliar cast: Who’s in it?
Susanne Wolff and Felix Kramer star as Meret and Simon respectively.
Whether or not you recognise them will likely depend on how au fait you are with German movies and TV shows. She did appear in 2011’s The Three Musketeers and 2023’s Sisi & I, though.
Kramer appeared in Netflix’s Dark, Germany’s counter to Stranger Things. He has also starred in What Marrielle Knows, Black Box, and Dogs of Berlin.
Other stars in the Unfamiliar cast
- 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
Unfamiliar reviews: Is it worth watching?
Unfamiliar has been quickly hailed as a must-watch by fans, particularly if you’re a fan of espionage dramas.
It’s got everything you’d want from a spy six-parter: suspense, a story that isn’t too knotty, strong production value, and good performances.
“One of the best things I’ve seen in a long time and I’m only 18 minutes in,” one viewer wrote on Facebook.
“I’m already hooked,” another posted, while a third wrote: “While everyone is talking about Lucy Letby I’m here watching Unfamiliar! It’s a really good watch.”
It doesn’t have a Rotten Tomatoes score yet, but critics have praised it, too.
“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 in its review.
Read more: The best Netflix series you should watch in February
