The political world can be a dark and murky thing to understand. Leaders and politicians only present us with one version of the truth when, in reality, many more are likely to exist. And it’s this secrecy and unknown element to politics that many of us are deeply fascinated by. Of course, we can’t know these real truths but we can explore imagined truths and realities in television.

Political thrillers are not only entertaining but because there may be a shred of truth to some of these storylines, they can be twisted and terrifying too. But it’s the high-stakes and pressurised environments that really makes or breaks these shows. And so, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite political thriller TV shows for the ultimate tense watch.

Spies and secrets: Here are the best political thriller TV shows to watch