Sometimes, it does feel as if you’d watched everything Netflix has to offer, especially during this time when there’s little else to keep you entertained. Now that the circuit breaker has been extended, we’re pretty sure you’re looking through your saved list, feeling slightly anxious because you don’t know if you have enough shows to get you through May.
However, there are actually so many hidden gems in Netflix’s catalogue you just haven’t discovered!
If you aren’t sure where to start looking for your next show to binge, we’re going to recommend you some seriously underrated Netflix series you should check out based on your favourite shows!
1. If you like Brooklyn Nine-nine
While waiting for the latest season – season 7 – of Brooklyn Nine-nine to come to Netflix, you can check out The Good Place, a fantasy comedy show that is just as hilarious.
The show follows Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell), who arrives in the afterlife, called The Good Place, by mistake and has to hide her bad behaviour to earn her stay.
Created by Michael Schur – the co-creator of Brooklyn Nine-nine, The Good Place has similar goofy, feel-good comedy and lovable characters played by a talented cast that will have you belly-laugh from start to finish.
The Good Place
Created by: Michael Schur
Starring: Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil
Rated: NC16
2. If you like Stranger Things
Fans of sci-fi horror TV show Stranger Things can find in the superhero series The Umbrella Academy a similar dark, gritty tone with supernatural and mystery elements.
Based on a popular comic book series, The Umbrella Academy tells the story of the Hargreeves’ – a dysfunctional superhero family trying to prevent an apocalypse while dealing with their own family drama.
Only season 1 of the series has been released on Netflix so far, but season 2 is already in post-production as we speak so you can expect to see the Hargreeves siblings again very soon!
The Umbrella Academy
Created by: Steve Blackman
Starring: Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda
Rated: M18
3. If you like Sherlock
If you are a Sherlock fan and can’t get enough of British detective shows, you should definitely add Broadchurch to your to-watch list.
Starring Dr Who‘s David Tennant and The Crown‘s Olivia Colman, Broadchurch follows two police detectives in a fictional English town as they try to solve the murder of a young boy. The show’s compelling, layered plot will have you hooked till the very last moment, which is fine because each season only has eight 45-minute episodes, perfectly binge-able on a weekend!
Broadchurch
Created by: Chris Chibnall
Starring: David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker
Rated: M18
4. If you like Signal
Fans of Korean crime dramas such as the highly rated series Signal can’t miss out on Voice, an underrated gem on Netflix’s listing. Starring Lee Ha-na as Kang Kwon-joo, a policewoman with exceptional hearing who works at a call centre, Voice will take you from one mysterious case to another while unveiling the central mystery at the heart of each season.
The best thing is, unlike most Korean dramas, which don’t get renewed for multiple seasons, Voice actually has three. That means you won’t have to worry about finishing the series too fast and being left with nothing to see again.
That said, if you want to binge all three seasons over one weekend, we totally understand!
Voice
Created by: Choi Jin-hee
Starring: Lee Ha-na, Jang Hyuk
Rated: PG13
5. If you like Sex Education
Netflix hit show Sex Education was widely praised for its unique positive portrayal of teenage sexuality, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t other shows with similar themes.
One of such shows is Elite, or E L I T Ǝ, a Spanish thriller teen drama with diverse sexual themes and other progressive issues that will definitely remind you of Otis and his friends.
If you have watched Money Heist, you will also recognise some familiar faces in the ensemble cast such as María Pedraza who plays Alison Parker, or Jaime Lorente who plays Denver.
Elite
Created by: Carlos Monte, Darío Madrona
Starring: María Pedraza, Itzan Escamilla, Miguel Bernardeau
Rated: R21
6. If you like Money Heist
Netflix just dropped the latest season of Money Heist (La Casa de Papel in Spanish), but if you have already binged through all of it and are going through withdrawal already, you might want to check out Ozark, another brilliant crime series available on the platform.
The show revolves around the aftermath of a money laundering scheme gone wrong, which forces a married couple, played by Jason Bateman and Laura Linney, to relocate to the Ozark Mountains.
The series has received numerous Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations as well as praises from critics, so you know you’re in for a good time!
Ozark
Created by: Bill Dubuque, Mark Williams
Starring: Jason Bateman, Laura Linney
Rated: R21
7. If you like Peaky Blinders
Fans of Tommy Shelby and the rest of the Peaky Blinders gang may be disappointed to know that the release date of season 6, originally slated for 2021, has just been further delayed due to the COVID-19 situation.
If you can’t wait that long to get your fix of British crime shows, definitely check out Bodyguard, an award-winning crime thriller starring Game of Thrones’ Richard Madden.
Bodyguard follows Police Sergeant David Budd, a war veteran suffering from PTSD as he is appointed to protect Home Secretary Julia Montague despite not agreeing with her political views.
With only six episodes, Bodyguard is the perfect for a quick binge session when you are in the mood for some thrilling action, fantastic acting and a well-plotted storyline.
Bodyguard
Created by: Jed Mercurio
Starring: Richard Madden, Keeley Hawes
Rated: M18
8. If you like The Witcher
When it comes to the fantasy genre that includes hit show The Witcher, Netflix has no shortage of new releases. However, if for some reason you haven’t seen Merlin, do take this time to catch up on this cult classic that was all the rage when it was first released on BBC in 2008.
The five-season series is a retelling of the legends of King Arthur, where Merlin is a young wizard coming to Camelot and becoming Prince Arthur’s servant. As with all retellings of Arthurian legends, the series features all the best elements of the fantasy genre: magic, sorcery, dragon and dashing knights.
Merlin
Created by: Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Johnny Capps, Julian Murphy
Starring: Colin Morgan, Angel Coulby, Bradley James, Katie McGrath
Rated: R21
9. If you like The Crown
The Crown may be the first name that comes to mind when thinking of British historical dramas on Netflix, but Outlander is another excellent series in this genre you should check out once you’re done binging The Crown.
What’s interesting about Outlander is that it is far from just a straightforward historical drama. The plot follows Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe), a World War II nurse from England, as she finds herself transported back to Scotland in 1743 during the Jacobite Risings. The time-travelling element makes the show more of an epic mash-up of historical fiction, scifi and fantasy, with some dreamy romance sprinkled on top. You won’t regret checking it out!
Outlander
Created by: Ronald D. Moore
Starring: Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan
Rated: R21
10. If you like Rick and Morty
Those who love the dark philosophical humour of the adult animation series Rick and Morty will love Bojack Horseman, also an adult animation series with a similar brand of black comedy.
The series takes place mostly in Hollywood, revolving around Bojack, an anthropomorphic horse and a sitcom star from the 90s who is trying to write a tell-all memoir as a comeback.
The show isn’t exactly child-friendly with lots of nihilist jokes and satirical depiction of depression, trauma, addiction and self-destructive behavior. But if you’re already a fan of Rick and Morty, Bojack Horseman will be right up your alley!
Bojack Horseman
Created by: Raphael Bob-Waksberg
Voiced by: Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins, Aaron Paul
Rated: R21
11. If you like Netflix: Explained
If you have finished both seasons of Netflix: Explained and are looking for another documentary series to satisfy your curiosity about the world, 100 Humans should do just the trick.
Each episode of 100 Humans poses a different question about human behaviour and attempts to find the answer through conducting experiments with 100 people. Topics covered on the show range from human reproduction, happiness, to toilet etiquette.
Hosted by science correspondent Alie Ward as well as comedians Zainab Johnson and Sammy Obeid, 100 Humans is both educational and funny, and will be a nice break from all the dramatic fictional shows you have been binging.
100 Humans
Starring: Alie Ward, Zainab Johnson and Sammy Obeid
Rated: M18
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