Nicholas Elliott and Kim Philby were British spies and lifelong friends. But Philby wasn't loyal to the United Kingdom—he was a double agent for the Soviet Union, and his defection to Moscow in 1963 shocked intelligence services.

Broadway Books A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal

A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal
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A Spy Among Friends, based on Ben Macintyre's book of the same name, is the story of Philby's defection and the impact it had on Elliott. Starring Guy Pearce as Philby and Damian Lewis as Elliott, the six part miniseries dramatizes one of the most notorious spy stories in history.

"Everybody knows about Kim Philby. He’s the rock star: poisonous, devastatingly dangerous, brilliant, adored. He hoodwinked an entire generation. Elliott’s the best friend. Who knows about the best friend who was duped? He’s the sap, the second guy. The friendship is brilliantly interesting," Lewis explained.

The Cold War drama premiered in the United Kingdom in December 2022, and is hitting American TV screens this weekend. Anna Maxwell Martin, Stephen Kunken, and Adrian Edmondson also star in the show.

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Where to stream A Spy Among Friends:

The miniseries will stream on MGM+, a brand-new streaming platform. "I’m very happy to be bringing our Cold War tale of friendship and betrayal to MGM+. They’re the perfect partners for us and I can’t wait for people to see it," Lewis said in a statement.

a spy among friends
Adi Marineci

There will be six episodes, and they will drop weekly on MGM+ on Sundays. Note that the final three episodes will drop at a different time:

  • Episode 1, "Boom-Ooh-Yatatahtah": Sunday, March 12, 10 p.m. eastern
  • Episode 2, "The Admiral's Glass": Sunday, March 19, 10 p.m. eastern
  • Episode 3, "Allegory of the Catholic Faith": Sunday March 26, 10 p.m. eastern
  • Episode 4, "Vodka": Sunday, April 2, 9 p.m. eastern
  • Episode 5, "Snow": Sunday, April 9, 9 p.m. eastern
  • Episode 6, "No Man's Land": Sunday April 16, 9 p.m. eastern

You can sign up for a monthly plan, which is a $5.99/month, or an annual plan, which is currently $49.99 for the year. Try it out with a 7 day free trial:

Sign up for MGM+


preview for Damian Lewis & Anna Maxwell Martin | A Spy Among Friends
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Emily Burack
Senior News Editor

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.