It's already been a long — and let's be honest — stressful winter, and we still have a couple of months to go before the light of spring warms us all up. Unsurprisingly, many of us have already worked our way through those Netflix recommendations we petitioned our Facebook friends for and have been spending way too long scrolling through the streaming service in search of a series to lose ourselves in, if even just for a short while. There's nothing like a good binge watching session to help us get through winter's long, dark nights.
Of course, we all know how frustrating it can be to spend valuable chill time searching for a show worth watching on Netflix, but there really are some fantastic shows out there that not enough people are watching. There are just so many dang shows to sift through to find the good ones. But over here, we watch a whole lot of TV (and spend a lot of time reading about TV), and we absolutely love sharing our best recommendations with our readers.
So, anyone looking for a show to start streaming on Netflix today, need not look any further. Here we've curated a list of 18 fantastic, underrated shows on Netflix representing a wide range of genres. There are reality competitions, travel docuseries, intense dramas, frivolous sitcoms, and everything in between. Keep reading to find out what to watch next on everyone's favorite streaming service.
'Santa Clarita Diet'
It's a shame more people didn't watch this Netflix original starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant. It's a horror-comedy about a mom who unexpectedly finds herself turned into a flesh-eating zombie. Her ever-devoted husband will stop at nothing to keep her alive — even helping her find bad guys to eat and figure out ways to cover it all up, all while they raise their teenager daughter. Wacky, but so amusing!
'Ozark'
Anyone who needs to feel like maybe their life isn't actually that stressful should get into Ozark. Starring Jason Bateman and Laura Linney, it's about a suburban couple who get wrapped up in a drug ring that leads them to uproot their entire lives and move to the Missouri backwoods. Ultimately, they enjoy the money, and become utterly invested in their roles, putting everything and everyone they know in danger.
'iZombie'
iZombie is a must watch for fans of the zombie genre (though purist may take pause). It's a humorous series about a zombie outbreak caused by tainted energy drinks and a woman who works in the morgue who suddenly finds herself undead. One of her new abilities allows her to telepathically connect with the dead, helping her and the medical examiner she works for become crucial assets to the Seattle Police Department.
'One Day at a Time'
One Day at a Time is a classic sitcom with a twist. Starring Justina Machado and Rita Moreno, it's about a single Latina mom who must rely on her conservative mother to help her raise her teenage and tween children as she works to make a better life for her family. We particularly love that this show showcases multi-generational families.
'Restaurants on the Edge'
Netflix's Restaurants on the Edge is an absolutely fantastic show that marries food and travel seamlessly. The fun part is, it's also a Restaurant Makeover or Kitchen Nightmares sort of series in that it recruits an interior designer, a chef, and a hospitality expert to visit struggling restaurants in incredible destinations around the world, and breathe new life into them. It's absolutely addictive!
'Seven Seconds'
For TV watchers with the bandwidth for something a little heavier, Seven Seconds starring Regina King is a must-watch. It chronicles the tensions between a Black teenager and his family and New York City law enforcement after he is cricially injured by a white police officer. The events result in a high-profile trial and a city divided.
'Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat'
Hosted by author and consummate foodie Samin Nosrat, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is a docuseries about the elements of cooking Samin believes are the cornerstones of good food. Samin travels to destinations known for using each of these elements in their cuisines and learns from cooks and chefs who are masters of using them effectively. Samin is a breath of fresh air.
'Mindhunter'
Mindhunter is an incredibly intense and absolutely chilling series about the men who pioneered the FBI's serial killer profiling technique. The show follows the two agents played by Hamilton's Jonathan Groff and Lights Out actor Holt McCallany as they interview a series of high-profile killers with the intention of getting inside their heads so they can identify common characteristics that will help them stop future murders.
'Gentefied'
Netflix's Gentefied, which was produced by America Ferrera, is one of those shows that's almost impossible to step away from, even from the very first episode. It's essentially a sitcom, but it touches on some serious themes including racial profiling, gentrification, and LGBT issues. It's an authentic representation of the struggles between younger Latinx individuals and their first generation family members, and is particularly welcome in a time when Latinx individuals and families are still seriously underrepresented on television.
'Down to Earth With Zac Efron'
Heartthrob actor Zac Efron redefined his image with the 2020 Netflix series Down to Earth With Zac Efron, in which he and co-host Darin Olien take a deep dive into various cultures around the world. The duo travel to various destinations seeking to learn about holistic, sustainable, and healthy ways to live, predominantly from members of traditional cultures.
'On My Block'
On My Block is a charming sitcom about a group of kids from gritty South Central Los Angeles. The teens are just starting high school and navigating their new social landscape as they try to stay away from the area's ubiquitous gang culture and keep the danger that's always lurking around them at bay.
'Alias Grace'
Fans of The Handmaid's Tale should check out Alias Grace, inspired by author Margaret Atwood's novel of the same name. The show takes place in 19th-century Canada and tells the story of a psychiatrist who's been tasked with determining whether a woman should be charged with murder or if her crimes were the result of insanity.
'Dead to Me'
Dead to Me is a fantastic dramedy starring Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini. It's about a woman struggling with grief after her husband is killed in a hit-and-run. She meets a new friend at a support group and they quickly form a tight bond, but she doesn't know that her new bestie is actually responsible for her husband's death.
'Hollywood'
Hollywood made a bit of a splash when it premiered on Netflix in 2020, but interest seemed to taper off rather quickly despite its all-star cast. It's a risque, behind-the-scenes dramatization of the lives of aspiring actors trying to make it in Hollywood post-World War II. It's scandalous and sexy and utterly indulgent.
'Next in Fashion'
Netflix's Next in Fashion is like a younger, hipper, and much more chill Project Runway. Hosted by Queer Eye's Tan France and British TV personality Alexa Chung, the show is a competiton that pits up-and-coming fashion designers against each other in a series of challenges. The winner gets a half a million dollars and the chance to launch their own fashion line. That Netflix money, right?
'Good Girls'
We are obsessed with Good Girls starring Christina Hendriks, Retta, and Mae Whitman. It's about three moms navigating hard financial times who decide to rob a grocery store. But it's only after the crime is committed that they realize they actually stole money from someone a whole lot more dangerous and now must face problems bigger than they ever imagined.
'Dear White People'
Dear White People is a comedy that chronicles the lives of a group of Black students studying at an Ivy League school where they are faced with racism and discrimination daily. The series is based on the film of the same name and offers an honest, humorous, and enlightening look at the challenges people of color face as they climb the ladder of success.
'Russian Doll'
Russian Doll starring Natasha Lyonne is a modern Groundhog Day-inspired series about a woman living in New York who wakes up every day stuck in a time loop. Unsure why or how to stop it, she keeps dying and reliving the day of a party that was thrown in her honor the night she was hit by a car and killed.
