Netflixis filled with a variety of TV shows with different levels of quality, butthere are some that are so perfect that there’s very little or nothing to complain about— yet they remain underrated. The largest streaming platform in the world, Netflix it offers both original shows and licensed material ranging from horror to comedies and everything in between.
While Netflix is famous for producing TV shows that have become global sensations likeStranger ThingsandSquid Game, other series likeSuitsandAnimal Kingdomhave seen a resurgence in popularity since being added to the streaming platform. However, there are some instances where a good, butunderrated TV show on Netflixflies under the radar.
TV shows about friendshiphave become popular over the years, but the Canadian series,M’entends-tu?offers a fresh take on the subgenre. Centering on Ada, Fabiola, and Carolanne,three friends from a low-income background, the series explores how they deal with the various challenges that life throws at them.
M’entends-tu?, which is also known as Can YouHear Me?, is the perfect example of a show with great characters. Each of the women’s personalities adds a compelling layer to the overall narrative, particularly Ada’s anger management issues, which are leveled out by Fabiola’s kindness, resulting in a hilarious show full of heart.
Lockwood & Co.
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Based on the novels by Jonathan Stroud, Lockwood & Co. is a supernatural detective action series that centers around a small agency of paranormal investigators that face off with dangerous spirits. The only teenage-operated agency, Lockwood & Co., hosts three gifted hunters who operate outside the bureaucracy that holds back their competitors. With minimal resources and nothing to lose, the three teenagers will find themselves in a deadly conspiracy that only they can stop.
Detective shows are a dime a dozen, so any new entry to the genre has to find a way to stand outand offer a fresh spin.Lockwood & Co.did that as it chronicledthe adventures of teenagers who are tasked with hunting ghosts. The Netflix original series is action-packed from start to finish and includes some spooky scenes.
Lockwood & Co.was based on Jonathan Stroud’s two novels,The Screaming StaircaseandThe Whispering Skull.
Unfortunately,Lockwood & Co.was canceled by Netflix after only airing for one season due to low ratings. AlthoughLockwood and Co.didn’t get a chance to flourish, it was a hit with critics and received favorable reviews. The show’s cancellation is a shame because its premise of ghost-hunting teenagers and hints of mystery is a concept that deserved to be explored further.
The Get Down
In the South Bronx neighborhood of New York City in the 1970s, the rise of disco and hip-hop music is chronicled through the eyes of a group of teenagers and music hopefuls as they move into young adulthood.
Set in New York City in the 1979s,The Get Downchroniclesthe rise of hip-hop and disco through the lens of teenagers who want to make it big in the music industry. The Netflix original series is divided into two parts, with part one taking place in 1977, and part two in 1978.
Despite the series not getting the attention it deserved,The Get Downended up becoming a hit with audiences and critics and won several awards, including Best Music Supervision for Television Comedy or Musical at the 2017 Guild of Music Supervisors Awards.
The Get Down’s biggest strength is that it places music at its center. It has an upbeat and memorable soundtrack that captures the era the show is set in. WhileThe Get Downhas great characters, it’s ultimately the music featured in the show that makes it stand out.
Doctor Slump
Doctor Slump is a South Korean romantic medical comedy-drama that initially aired in 2024. Two former high-school rivals, Nam Ha-neul and Yeo Jeong-woo, find themselves reunited after pursuing careers as doctors but were forced to leave their professions after unfortunate circumstances. Out of luck and out of jobs, the two live together in a small studio apartment and must learn to get along.
Romantic Korean dramasare some of the most popular shows on Netflix. However, some,like Doctor Slump,slip through the cracks. Starring Park Hyung-sik and Park Shin-hye,Doctor Slumpchronicles the love-hate relationship between Yeo Jeong-woo and Nam Ha-neul.The romantic series boasts the beloved enemies-to-lovers trope, a favorite of K-dramas.
Doctor Slumpholds a 100% critics' score onRotten Tomatoes.
However,DoctorSlumphas a refreshing story because it mixes romance with medical drama. What makes itspecial is that it touches on an issue that many medical professionals face — burnout. The K-drama is fun to watch but is also inspiring in several ways because of how Jeong-woo and Ha-neu navigate their new normal after their lives are turned upside down.
The OA
The OA is a mystery drama series that follows Prairie Johnson, who returns to her hometown after being missing for seven years with her sight mysteriously restored. As her baffling reappearance raises questions, she refrains from discussing her ordeal with authorities or family, sparking intrigue and speculation.
Getting a sci-fi TV show right is a monumental undertaking that often doesn’t end well.The OA, though it had a brilliant story, unfortunately had the same fate as several other sci-fi series because it was canceled after two seasons. Starring Brit Marling as Prairie Johnson,The OAcenters around her intriguing journey following her return from another dimension after she went missing.
The OAreceived generally positive reviews with its blending of a supernatural storyline, mystery, and sci-fibeing the show’s biggest selling points. Its unique premise meant that it delved into an uncharted territory that was fun to watch as more information was revealed. The cast ofThe OA, particularly Marling, nails her role and embodies her mysterious character extremely well.
3 Percent
3% is a Brazilian dystopian thriller series set in a future where a vast disparity exists between a privileged elite and the impoverished majority. Premiering in 2016, the series follows a group of candidates competing for the opportunity to join the 3% who escape squalor to live on an idyllic island.
3%takes place in a dystopian future where the world is divided into classes. Inland is made up of the impoverished class, while Offshore includes the privileged in society. Every year,young adults in their 20s get a chance to leave their poor living conditions and become part of the Offshore after completing a series of tasks called “The Process.”
Like most dystopian TV shows,3%offers smart commentary on how class divisions affect society.
Like most dystopian TV shows,3%offers smart commentary on how class divisions affect society. The Netflix original series raises several moral questions about how being poor determines the resources that one has access to and how it ultimately affects how a society functions and the resulting consequences of class divides.
Marianne
Marianne follows a novelist who discovers that the frightening tales she pens are manifesting in reality.
There is certainly no shortage ofhorror shows that are truly scary on Netflix, butMarianneis in a league of its own. Starring Victoire Du Boisas as Emma Larsimon, a horror writer whose book character comes to life,Marianneis the stuff of nightmares. The seriesstands out because it plays on the audience’s psyche instead of using cheap jump scares.
“As ambitious series go, there’s really nothing quite likeThe OA, and while your mileage will certainly vary, it’s hard not to appreciate the grand scale of what Marling and Batmanglij are attempting to do, even if it’s difficult at times to discern what, exactly, that’s supposed to be.” -Kevin Yeoman,Screen Rant’s The OA Part II Review
While it does include the blood and gore usually featured in shows of the genre,Marianneis memorable because of its chilling villain who remains with you long after the credits roll. With its combination of horror and mystery,Marianneis a type of show that’s so disturbing that you can only watch it once.
Sense8
Created by the Wachowski sisters, Sense8 features an ensemble cast playing eight different people from around the world, who discover that they are suddenly mentally linked with one another and begin experiencing each other’s lives and feelings. As the sensates begin to get to know each other, they must face a growing threat to all their lives by using their newfound empathic powers to their advantage.
Created by the Wachowskis and J. Michael Straczynski,Sense8focuses on eight characters: Capheus, Sun, Nomi, Kala, Riley, Wolfgang, Lito, and Will,a group of people who are emotionally and mentally linked to each other. Throughout its two seasons, the eight attempt to figure out the origin of their connection and begin to form a close relationship.
Sense8stands out in the sci-fi genre because of its concept of diverse characters from different walks of life who have to figure out something they don’t understand together. The series has stunning visualsand a compelling and highly addictive premise filled with cliffhangers that will have you going back for more.
Kingdom
Based on the webtoonThe Kingdom of the Gods,Kingdom is a 2019 South Korean historical drama-horror series created for Netflix. Lee Chang, the crown prince of a fictional interpretation of 16th-century Korea, is forced to stand in for his ailing father as a plague begins to ravage their homeland, all while fighting off would-be-usurpers to the throne.
The first K-drama to air on Netflix starring Ju Ji-hoon helped show that the streamer had what it took to bring a beloved genre to the masses in an authentic and entertaining way. However,Kingdom, despite being a masterpiece, is largely underrated. With its fresh take on the zombie genre,Kingdom’s storyline of a prince trying to save his country from undead creatures is enthralling.
Kingdomblends horror, action, and political drama in a nuanced and cohesive way. Amidst the zombie plague are people who are trying to usurp the throne that the Crown Prince has to thwart. Ju Ji-hoon and the rest of the cast’s performance in the series makes it one of the best shows on Netflix that should have been bigger than it is.
Greek mythology has been at the center of many TV shows and is popular with audiences.Netflix’s animated TV show,Blood of Zeus, takes a beloved storyline and adds depth to it by offering a fresh take on the gods that the ancient Greeks used to worship. The fantasy series follows Heron,one of Zeus’ sons, who has the monumental task of saving Earth and Olympus.
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Blood of Zeusis a beautifully animated series filled with nuanced characters who add richness to one of the best reimaginings of Greek mythology. Heron, in particular, is easy to root for, as despite his shortcomings, he has a kind and gentle heart. With its incredible voice acting and memorable action scenes,Blood of Zeusis undoubtedly one of the best shows on Netflix.
