The world of espionage is shrouded in mystery—even to those in it—but so much of what we think we know about spy craft is rooted in pop culture. Even though the true nature of espionage is quite different, that doesn’t mean history’s real spies are any less heroic, or less fascinating.

In these nine episodes, go behind the shadows with a distinguished panel of historians—including a former intelligence case officer—in search of the secret meeting places, complex codes, stealth observations, and cutting-edge technologies spies have used throughout history. 

You’ll discover how spies gather different sources of intelligence information; how spies exploit the social expectations of their times (including gender) to avoid scrutiny and suspicion; how spies use 21st-century tech tools to gather and analyze granular information; and even how spies, unlike many of their fictional counterparts, learn to be “forgettable” while on the job.

You’ll also encounter men and women who, unlike James Bond, are very much real: Sir Francis Walsingham, Peggy Shippen, Antoine Rossignol, William Stefanson, Kim Philby, Aldridge Ames—their stories of daring (including close calls and even double-crosses) are enough to pack this series with plenty of adventure and intrigue.

This series will change the way you think about how intelligence agencies, from MI6 to the CIA, operate both in the shadows and sometimes even in plain sight. Think of it as history seen through the eyes of spies.