Netflix's 6-Part Spy Series Breaks Out as a Global Streaming Sensation

1 week ago 10

Published Feb 18, 2026, 6:35 PM EST

Makuochi Echebiri is a News Writer for Collider. He has been interested in creative writing from as far back as high school, and he would consume pretty much anything that’s film or TV. However, his truest love lies in the presence of historical epics and thrillers.

Lured by the brilliance of Middle Earth from an early age both in print and on screen, his palate has since expanded to other realms including Westeros, Kattegat among others. He also possesses a great appetite for the stories that emanate from the vastness of space. Even though he is no Avenger.

Obsessed with storytelling and having works of his own that have yet to make it to print, he is content to use that ability to communicate to as many as are reachable. In his spare time, he looks out for avenues where he can aid people aside from his plans to reign over this earthly realm. Yes…you heard that first here.

Netflix is arguably the biggest streaming service in the world and with good reason. The platform is home to several gripping dramas like Bridgerton and The Lincoln Lawyer, and even topical docuseries like Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich. Also well within the streamer's wheelhouse are gripping spy thrillers with their catalog already decked out with fan favorites like Black Doves and The Night Agent, to name a few. Netflix has since added to their revered catalog with a six-part spy drama.

Unfamiliar is a German spy series that premiered on February 5, 2026, on Netflix. The series is a twisty, gripping spectacle that can leave viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end. This is exactly what has transpired: the series has emerged as one of the largest contemporary successes on Netflix, shooting to the top spot among TV shows on the streamer worldwide. Unfamiliar is created by Paul Coates and holds a binge-worthy appeal.

The German spy thriller was actually the biggest TV series of the week, according to a new report, as it brought in over 10.4 million views. It is a feat worthy of claiming the top spot on the non-English TV list on Netflix. This fits perfectly with its viewership numbers since its premiere, numbers which have been consistently rising. However, while the series has attracted viewers, it has not been without its critics. The aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes currently reports an audience score of 67%, which may increase or decrease as more input comes in. Unfamiliar is without a critics' score on the website at the moment, and that might have some bearing on whether the series has all the minerals to make for gripping television long term.

What Is 'Unfamiliar' About?

Susanne Wolff and Felix Kramer in Unfamiliar

Unfamiliar follows a married couple, Meret (Susanne Wolff) and Simon Schäfer (Felix Kramer), who, despite their unassuming appearances, are former German foreign intelligence (BND) agents who put their lives as spies behind them to run a safe house in Berlin called "The Nest." This safe house is designed as a temporary refuge for assets and defectors, and sits hidden in plain sight, allowing the Schäfers to maintain the illusion of a normal family life. That illusion begins to fade after a quiet night at home celebrating their daughter Nina’s (Maja Bons) 16th birthday. Their carefully constructed cover is threatened when a suspicious, unidentified man arrives, asking for help.

His wounds, behaviors, and all attendant clues point to him being tied to someone or something bigger. In the series' slow-burn approach, it reveals how the unidentified man's arrival pulls them back into the crosshairs of their most powerful adversary to date: Josef Koleev (Samuel Finzi), a high-ranking Russian military intelligence (GRU) officer who knew them in the past. Every aspect of their lives soon undergoes a stress test. The series also stars Andreas Pietschmann, Henry Hübchen, Seyneb Saleh, Genija Rykova, Natalia Belitski, and Aaron Altaras.

Unfamiliar is available to stream on Netflix. Stay tuned to Collider for updates.