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The best hidden gems on Netflix right now

Yuriyan Retriever as Dump Matsumoto in Queen of Villains.
Netflix

When January 2025 arrives, Netflix is going to be all about wrestling as its long-term deal for WWE Raw begins. But some of that wrestling fever may have gotten an early start in September, with two underrated shows on Netflix: The Queen of Villains and Heels. These hidden gems have already fallen under the radar presumably because shows about wrestling attract niche audiences on their own. Yet, if you’re willing to peel back the layers of both series, then you’ll find two rewarding dramas in their own right.

Netflix is filled with shows that never get a chance to catch on, simply because there’s too much to watch for any single person. Our roundup of the best hidden gems on Netflix is meant to put a spotlight on those shows and hopefully help them find an audience. You can find all of our picks below.

Want to watch something with more buzz? Check out the the best shows to stream this week, best movies on Netflix and the best shows on Netflix right now. For a much-needed laugh, peruse the best stand-up comedy on Netflix right now.

The Queen of Villains (2024)

The Queen of Villains
7.7/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Stars
Yuriyan Retriever, Erika Karata, Ayame Goriki
Watch on Netflix

The name Dump Matsumoto isn’t going to mean much to American audiences unless they are really big on Japan’s wrestling scene from the ’80s. She was a cultural icon in her home country and one of the biggest heels, or villains, in All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling. The Queen of Villains pulls explores Dump’s storyfrom the start, when she was simply Kaoru Matsumoto (Yuriyan Retriever).

Wrestling was Kaoru’s chance to escape poverty, and she proved to be a natural brute in the ring. After taking Dump Matsumoto as her ring name, Kaoru climbs the ranks of the women’s division and has a long rivalry with Chigusa Nagayo (Victoria Grace) that plays out in and out of the ring.

Heels (2021)

Heels
75%
8.0/10
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Action & Adventure
Stars
Stephen Amell, Alexander Ludwig, Alison Luff
Created by
Michael Waldron
Watch on Netflix

Heels blends modern professional wrestling with what it used to be during the territory days. Before WWE became a national promotion, small wrestling federations like the show’s fictional Duffy Wrestling League held sway in different states. But in the present, DWL is barely staying afloat while its new owner, Jack Spade (Arrow’s Stephen Amell) tries to keep his late father’s business alive.

Jack is also the top in-ring star of the DWL as a dastardly heel (villain), while his younger brother, Ace Spade (Alexander Ludwig), is rapidly on the rise as the territory’s biggest face (hero). And Jack is so wary about ceding the spotlight to his brother that their sibling rivalry will spill out of the ring and force both men to make some tough choices.

Average Joe (2023)

Average Joe
73%
7.3/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Comedy, Crime
Stars
Deon Cole, Pasha D. Lychnikoff, Ashani Roberts
Created by
Robb Cullen
Watch on Netflix

The title character of Average Joe really is named Joe (Deon Cole), and his existence is like a dramatic sitcom right up until the Russian mafia inserts itself into his life. It turns out that Joe’s late father had close ties to the Russians, and they think that Joe is in possession of the millions that his dad stole from them.

Joe makes it out of his first encounter with the Russians, but there’s no escaping their reach without finding the money they claim he already has. As Joe’s friends and family get roped into this new phase of his life, the only thing he can hope for is a chance to get away with the people he cares about before the consequences of his father’s actions — and Joe’s — come back to haunt them.

Aquarius (2015)

Aquarius
36%
7.0/10
tv-14
2 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Crime
Stars
David Duchovny, Grey Damon, Gethin Anthony
Created by
John McNamara
Watch on Netflix

Just over a decade ago, NBC took a big swing with Aquarius, a period crime drama set in the 1960s that finally gave The X-Files’ David Duchovny someone other than aliens to chase. Duchovny plays LAPD Detective Sam Hodiak, who has been asked to investigate the disappearance of a teenager, Emma Karn (Emma Dumont).

Emma has come under the sway of Charles Manson (Gethin Anthony), and the series slowly expands Manson’s real-life history. There’s even an unofficial crossover between the show and Once Upon a Time In Hollywood since Madisen Beaty plays Manson family member Patty Krenwinkel in both. And both the show and the movie play a little fast and loose with actual history.

Kevin Can F**K Himself (2021)

Kevin Can F**K Himself
65%
7.1/10
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Annie Murphy, Eric Petersen, Mary Hollis Inboden
Created by
Valerie Armstrong
Watch on Netflix

Kevin Can F**k Himself is perhaps the only show in the history of AMC that can’t be said on the cable channel without adding a bleep. The series stars Annie Murphy as Allison Devine McRoberts, and the show resembles a traditional network comedy when depicting her miserable life with her husband, Kevin McRoberts (Eric Petersen). He’s every sitcom husband you’ve ever seen all rolled into one, and Annie hates him with a passion.

When Annie decides that murder is the only solution for her Kevin problem, the show takes a turn out of Breaking Bad as she tries to find a way to end his life that won’t be traced back to her. The problem for Annie is that she’s not a criminal genius, and most of her plans blow up in her face and leave Kevin seemingly better off than before. So Annie may have to take matters into her own hands …

Loudermilk (2017)

Loudermilk
76%
7.9/10
tv-ma
3 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Ron Livingston, Will Sasso, Anja Savcic
Created by
Peter Farrelly, Bobby Mort
Watch on Netflix

For a series that never had a very big audience in the first place, Loudermilk does have a passionate following. That may be due its masterful blend of comedy and drama, as well as the performance of Ron Livingston as Sam Loudermilk. Before the series begins, Sam was a music critic and an alcoholic. Now, he’s a mostly recovered alcoholic in the present who has a new purpose in life as a substance abuse support group counselor.

Sam’s problem is that he can’t turn off his acerbic wit, and he does have a tendency to alienate people around him. Two of the few people who can stand Sam are his sponsor, Ben Burns (Will Sasso), and Claire Wilkes (Anja Savcic), the young woman Sam is sponsoring. Their dynamic makes the show.

Master of the House (2024)

Master of the House
6.5/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Mystery
Stars
Narilya Gulmongkolpech, Teerapong Liaorakwong, Chartayodom Hiranyatithi
Watch on Netflix

Master of the House is like Succession mixed with a little bit of Knives Out. This show originates from Thailand, and revolves around the death of a wealthy diamond tycoon, Roongroj Thevasaitipaisarn (Teerapong Leowrakwong). With their father out of the way, his sons, Phupat (Chartayodom Hiranyasthiti) and Mavin (Thanavate Siriwattanagul), are at each other’s throats over his empire.

But as the series soon reveals, Roongroj had a wife, Kaimook (Narilya Gulmongkolpech), who was once the family maid. Neither of his sons or the rest of the family recognize Kaimook’s marriage as legitimate, but she’s going to fight for what’s hers even if it means becoming a servant again.

Archive 81 (2022)

Archive 81
73%
7.3/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Stars
Mamoudou Athie, Dina Shihabi, Evan Jonigkeit
Created by
Rebecca Sonnenshine
Watch on Netflix

Archive 81 is based on a horror podcast of the same name and stars Mamoudou Athie as Dan Turner, a man who is hired by Virgil Davenport (Martin Donovan) to restore videotapes of a project run by Melody Pendras (Dina Shihabi) years before. It could have been just a standard job, but weird things keep happening. Dan even discovers that his late father, Steve Turner (Charlie Hudson III), appears on Melody’s tapes.

Dan’s friend, Mark Higgins (Matt McGorry), convinces him to stay with the project to discover how his father is connected. But as Dan learns more about the cult connections to Melody’s work, he may not be able to escape with his newfound knowledge.

The End of the F***ing World (2017)

The End of the F***ing World
77%
8.0/10
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Crime
Stars
Alex Lawther, Jessica Barden, Naomi Ackie
Created by
Jonathan Entwistle
Watch on Netflix

Despite the title, The End of the F***ing World is not about an apocalypse. Instead, it’s a black comedy that follows James (Alex Lawther) and Alyssa (Jessica Barden), a pair of teenagers who go on the run together out of a desire to escape their lives.

Unbeknownst to Alyssa, James shows some psychopathic tendencies and he only runs away with her to get a better opportunity to murder her. And yet even James starts to feel something real for Alyssa as they get into a lot of trouble on the road. Once they go down this path, James and Alyssa may never be able to go home again.

Break Point (2023)

Break Point
70%
7.3/10
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Documentary
Created by
Martin Webb
Watch on Netflix
Netflix’s Break Point may be geared more toward tennis novices than people who have watched the sport for years. But it explains the rules and spends a lot of time with some of the current generation of stars, as well as a few controversial figures in the game. Tennis coverage doesn’t always let these players show off their personalities off the court. This series helps fill that void, even though its tennis footage doesn’t always capture the excitement of the game itself.

Maestro in Blue (2022)

Maestro in Blue
8.2/10
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Crime
Stars
Christopher Papakaliatis, Klelia Andriolatou, Orestis Chalkias
Created by
Christopher Papakaliatis
Watch on Amazon


If Maestro in Blue were simply a steamy romance series, that might have been enough for this Greek show to break out on Netflix. Series creator and star, Christoforos Papakaliatis, sets up the show to be like that when he steps into the leading role as Orestis, a musician who is hired to organize a music festival on a small island in Greece. Soon after his arrival, Orestis catches the eye of Klelia (Klelia Andriolatou), an aspiring musician who is 19 years old.

The age gap between Orestis and Klelia does come up a few times as they try to deny their growing attraction. Orestis also builds larger bonds with the small town. But once someone winds up getting murdered, Maestro in Blue becomes an entirely different show. And the unfolding mystery may be more compelling than the love story.

Wildfire (2005)

Wildfire
7.5/10
tv-14
4 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Family
Stars
Genevieve Padalecki, Micah Alberti, Ryan Sypek
Created by
Michael Piller
Watch on Netflix

Wildfire was an original series on ABC Family in 2005 before the channel was renamed Freeform. The story follows Kristine “Kris” Furillo-Davis (Genevieve Cortese), a teenager who is just getting out of juvenile detention when she gets a chance to rebuild her life by working at a ranch.

Kris’ passion for animals leads her to prevent a horse named Wildfire from being slaughtered. Their mutual bond also allows Kris to pursue a new destiny as a race jockey with Wildfire as her steed. But even Kris’ newfound celebrity may not be enough to keep the ranch open.

School Spirits (2023)

School Spirits
69%
7.6/10
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Mystery, Drama
Stars
Peyton List, Kristian Ventura, Milo Manheim
Created by
Nate Trinrud, Megan Trinrud
Watch on Netflix

There’s nothing like solving a murder, especially when it’s your own murder. That’s an afterlife that Maddie Nears (Peyton List) never asked for in School Spirits. But one day, Maddie simply woke up and discovered that she was dead and haunting her high school alongside other students who had met untimely ends years earlier.

As Maddie attempts to discover what happened to her, she runs up against the limits of what she can do as a ghost. This show is on loan from Paramount+, which is where School Spirits season 2 will eventually premiere.

Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer (2021)

Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer
70%
7.5/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Documentary, Crime, Mystery
Stars
Gil Carrillo, Frank Salerno, Pearl Carrillo
Watch on Netflix

For over a year, Richard Ramirez terrorized the Los Angeles area as the Night Stalker. And then the people of Los Angeles fought back. Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer is a four-part true crime series that rolls back the clock to the mid ’80s, as the public and the police realized that there was a serial killer in the City of Angels.

The show focuses on the detectives who pursued Ramirez’s true identity, the media frenzy, and what happened once Ramirez was exposed and hunted and pursued by ordinary citizens.

Goodbye Earth (2024)

Goodbye Earth
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Stars
Ahn Eun-jin, Yoo Ah-in, Jeon Seong-woo
Watch on Netflix

What would you do if you knew for certain that the world was going to end in 200 days? Hopefully, we’ll never have to answer that question. The same can’t be said of the people in Goodbye Earth, a Korean drama that deals with the impending destruction of the planet due to an asteroid hurtling toward the planet. And there’s no chance of anyone going up in space to blow it up, as they did in Michael Bay’s Armageddon.

Jin Se-kyung (Ahn Eun-jin) has come up with an answer for herself. For whatever time Se-kyung has left, she intends to dedicate it to protecting the schoolchildren in her care. But as society falls apart around her, this may be a promise that Se-kyung can’t keep.

Our Living World (2024)

Our Living World
7.9/10
tv-pg
1 Season
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Cate Blanchett
Watch on Netflix

Netflix has a number of wonderful nature programs in its lineup, but Our Living Planet takes a different tack than most. As narrated by Cate Blanchett, this four-part miniseries stresses the interconnectedness of the human and animal worlds in some surprising ways.

But the core message of the show is clear: We need the animals, and they need us to help protect the ecosystem while we still can. There aren’t any easy answers to be found here, but it’s far from just doom and gloom about the future of the world. Where there’s life, there’s hope.

The Good Cop (2018)

The Good Cop
53%
7.0/10
tv-pg
1 Season
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Josh Groban, Tony Danza, Monica Barbaro
Created by
Andy Breckman
Watch on Netflix

The Good Cop feels a lot like Netflix’s take on Castle, with a little bit of Monk thrown in. Tony Danza stars as Anthony “Tony” Caruso Sr., a former cop who did seven years behind bars for corruption. Tony’s son, Anthony “TJ” Caruso Jr. (Josh Groban), is so by the book that he’s the polar opposite of his ex-con father.

Because Tony Sr. wants to prove that he’s changed and reformed, he risks violating his parole to help his son solve murders. Some of TJ’s cases even revolve around his father in unexpected ways.

HAPPY! (2017)

HAPPY!
6%
8.1/10
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Comedy, Action & Adventure
Stars
Christopher Meloni, Ritchie Coster, Lili Mirojnick
Created by
Grant Morrison, Darick Robertson
Watch on Netflix

Law & Order: Organized Crime star Christopher Meloni headlined the Syfy original series Happy!, based on the comic of the same name by Grant Morrison and The Boys co-creator Darick Robertson. Meloni plays Nick Sax, an alcoholic ex-cop who has fallen so far that he now works as a hitman.

Sax’s life is changed when he meets Happy (Patton Oswalt), an imaginary friend of a young girl named Hailey Louise Hansen (Bryce Lorenzo). Hailey has been kidnapped, and she sent Happy to bring help. What Sax doesn’t initially realize is that Happy is not only real, but he can see Happy because Hailey is his daughter. And it will take a leap of faith for Sax to follow Happy back to the man holding Hailey captive.

Fisk (2021)

Fisk
7.9/10
3 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Kitty Flanagan, Julia Zemiro, Marty Sheargold
Created by
Vincent Sheehan, Kitty Flanagan
Watch on Netflix

You’ll have to excuse the title character of Fisk for being a bit of a misanthrope. In short order, Helen Tudor-Fisk (Kitty Flanagan) has had her husband run off with another woman and watched while her legal career has gone down the drain. Can you blame her for souring on people after that?

To avoid dealing with clients, Helen takes a job at Gruber & Gruber, an Australian law firm that specializes in probate cases. But much to Helen’s disappointment, working on behalf of recently deceased clients is even more taxing than she anticipated.

The Guardians of Justice (2022)

The Guardians of Justice
5.1/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Comedy
Stars
Page Falkinburg Jr., Sharni Vinson, Denise Richards
Created by
Adi Shankar
Watch on Netflix

You may find the characters in The Guardians of Justice to be very familiar, especially since this show is a dark parody of DC and Marvel’ superheroes. Marvelous Man (Will Yun Lee) has kept the world at peace for decades with his Superman-like powers. But when Marvelous Man commits suicide during his annual address, the world slips into chaos.

Knight Hawk (as played by former wrestler Diamond Dallas Page) believes that Marvelous Man was murdered, and he is helped in his investigation by The Speed (Shami Vinson). However, Knight Hawk won’t like the answers he finds, and The Speed may come to question whether the Guardians are actually heroes at all.

The Vince Staples Show (2024)

The Vince Staples Show
77%
7.8/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Comedy
Stars
Vince Staples, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Andrea Ellsworth
Created by
Ian Edelman, Vince Staples, Maurice Williams
Watch on Netflix

The tagline for The Vince Staples Show notes that its main character is “kind of famous and sort of rich” thanks to his career as a rapper, which may draw comparisons to FX’s Dave. But this particular series is closer in tone to Donald Glover’s Atlanta or even The Chris Isaak Show from two decades ago. You may not have heard of him, but Vince Staples is a real rapper who is playing himself in slightly exaggerated and comedic situations.

For the most part, Staples’ fame is just large enough to create some awkward interactions with his family, friends, and strangers. He’s also stuck somewhere between having a normal life and having people paying too much attention to him.

One Day (2024)

One Day
76%
8.2/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Stars
Ambika Mod, Leo Woodall, Essie Davis
Created by
Nicole Taylor
Watch on Netflix

You may recall that there was a film adaptation of David Nicholls’ One Day in 2011 with Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess in the leading roles. That movie is more of an abridged version of the novel, while the updated version of One Day extends to a whopping 14 episodes, which is a lot more than Netflix shows tend to get.

The series follows Dexter (Leo Woodall) and Emma (Ambika Mod), two strangers who meet and almost hook up on their last day in college. Although they don’t immediately become lovers, their bond with each other is powerful enough to keep them in each other’s orbits for the next two decades. From the highs to the lows, Dexter and Emma keep crossing paths as they try to determine what they want, and if they’re meant to be together.

The Tourist (2022)

The Tourist
81%
7.0/10
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Mystery, Drama
Stars
Jamie Dornan, Danielle Macdonald, Olwen Fouéré
Created by
Harry Williams, Jack Williams
Watch on Netflix

The title character of The Tourist is a man played by Jamie Dornan who has no idea who he is or why he’s in Australia. The audience only initially gets to see the incident that landed the man in the hospital, but without any context as to why someone tried to kill him.

Without many leads to go on, the man visits a café where he encounters Luci Miller (Shalom Brune-Franklin), a waitress who knows a lot more about the man than she lets on. But she may be one of the only allies that he has. Eventually, the man is going to get his answers, assuming that he doesn’t get himself killed in the process.

Detective Forst (2024)

Detective Forst
5.6/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery
Stars
Borys Szyc, Zuzanna Saporznikow, Kamilla Baar
Created by
Leszek Dawid
Watch on Netflix

Fans of detective dramas will recognize a lot in Detective Forst, especially the lead character Wiktor Forst (Borys Szyc). He’s just got no time for the rules as laid down by his boss, Chief Inspector Edmund Osica (Andrzej Bienias), and Forst takes being thrown off of his latest case as more of a suggestion than an order. As long as there’s a serial killer running around, Forst isn’t backing down.

What separates this show from the pack is the Polish setting and culture, as well as a mystery that isn’t immediately obvious. The killer is sending a message, but even Forst needs some help making sense out of the clues that were left behind.

Boy Swallows Universe (2024)

Boy Swallows Universe
68%
8.2/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Crime
Stars
Travis Fimmel, Simon Baker, Phoebe Tonkin
Watch on Netflix

Despite the name, the Australian drama Boy Swallows Universe is not about some eldritch horror that’s gobbling up galaxies. It’s about a boy, Eli Bell (Felix Cameron), whose world is coming apart at the seams. Eli’s mother, Frankie (Phoebe Tonkin), is hopelessly addicted to drugs and in jail, leaving Eli and his older brother, Gus (Lee Tiger Halley), who struggles with selective mutism, to live with their stepfather, Lyle Orlik (Travis Fimmel).

Lyle’s no saint himself, as he’s dealing drugs out of the misguided idea that it’s the only way he can provide for his family. Eli wants a way out for both Lyle and his mother, which leads him to a local crime boss, Bich (HaiHa Le), who brings Eli into her employ. But the deeper he goes in the criminal underworld, the harder it will be for Eli to get out.

Killer Soup (2024)

Killer Soup
6.3/10
1 Season
Genre
Comedy, Crime
Stars
Konkona Sen Sharma, Manoj Bajpayee, Nassar
Created by
Abhishek Chaubey, Anant Tripathy, Unaiza Merchant, Harshad Nalawade
Watch on Netflix

Swathi Shetty (Konkona Sen Sharma) has ambitions of owning her own restaurant in the Indian dark comedy, Killer Soup. And Swathi isn’t going to let little things like a lack of culinary talent or her recently deceased husband, Prabhu Shetty (Manoj Bajpayee), get in her way. As it happens, Swathi’s lover, Umesh (Bajpayee), looks so much like her late husband that she’s able to pass him off as the real thing.

However, the shortcuts and crimes that Swathi commits along the way always seem to come back to haunt her, and Umesh can only keep up the deception for so long. Eventually, this house of cards is going to fold.

The Deep State (2023)

The Deep State
6.5/10
1 Season
Genre
Crime
Stars
Khalid Almuthafar, Bashar Al-Shatti, Rawan Bin Hussain
Created by
Said El Marouk
Watch on Netflix

The Deep State is a true rarity, even on Netflix. This is a Kuwaiti political thriller that seems destined for an American remake down the line. Bashar Al-Shatti and Khalid Al Muthafar co-star as intelligence officers Bashar and Khaled, neither of whom is sure that they can trust each other. The one thing that Bashar and Khaled have in common is their shared belief that National Security Minister Adnan (Faisal Al-Ameri) is innocent of criminal culpability in a plane crash that claimed the life of a pilot.

Proving Adnan’s innocence turns out to be dangerous for both Bashar and Khaled. Once they leave the country to get answers, they may find coming home to be much more difficult.

The 100 (2014)

The 100
64%
7.6/10
tv-14
7 Seasons
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama, Action & Adventure
Stars
Eliza Taylor, Tasya Teles, Marie Avgeropoulos
Created by
Jason Rothenberg
Watch on Netflix

During its seven-season run on The CW, The 100 inspired a passionate fanbase, but the series hasn’t fully crossed over into the mainstream. The show has a digital afterlife on Netflix, and it’s worthy of another chance to bring people into the story. The series is set in the future after Earth has been rendered nearly uninhabitable. With the remnants of humanity now living in orbit on the Ark, the future of the human race is in peril.

One hundred teenagers, including Clarke Griffin (Eliza Taylor), Bellamy Blake (Bob Morley), and Octavia Blake (Marie Avgeropoulos) are expelled from the Ark and forced to determine if it’s possible to reclaim the Earth. The group soon discovers that there are other factions of survivors on their homeworld, and there may not be a safe haven for anyone when the Ark itself is threatened with destruction.

Friends from College (2017)

Friends from College
44%
6.9/10
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Keegan-Michael Key, Cobie Smulders, Annie Parisse
Created by
Nicholas Stoller, Francesca Delbanco
Watch on Netflix

There are few sitcoms that can boast a star-studded cast like the ensemble that Friends from College put together. Two decades after their time in Harvard, Ethan (Keegan-Michael Key) and Lisa Turner (Secret Invasion‘s Cobie Smulders) move to New York City and reconnect with their friends and classmates Samantha “Sam” Delmonico (Annie Parisse), Nick Ames (Nat Faxon), Max Adler (Fred Savage), and Marianne (Jae Suh Park).

However, those bonds of friendship are tested by time and emotional distance as they navigate their own lives and ambitions. Ethan and Lisa’s marriage may also be stressed by his recurring affair with Sam, which could have major consequences for all three.

Cunk on... (2018)

Cunk on...
82%
8.1/10
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Diane Morgan
Created by
Charlie Brooker
Watch on Netflix

If you remember Sacha Baron Cohen’s Ali G and Borat, then you may have a better idea of what to expect from Cunk on Earth. This is a mockumentary produced by The Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker that features Diane Morgan reprising her role as Philomena Cunk, a blithering idiot who interviews real experts on the show.

This series has a really dry sense of humor, and much of the comedy comes from Morgan’s ability to keep herself from breaking character in the face of some of her incredulous interview subjects. This is a parody of nearly every documentary you’ve ever seen, which makes it so much fun to watch.

Last Chance U: Basketball (2021)

Last Chance U: Basketball
90%
8.3/10
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Documentary
Stars
John Mosley, Kenneth Hunter, Rob Robinson
Watch on Netflix
Last Chance U: Basketball is a spinoff from the original documentary series that focuses on the men’s basketball team at East Los Angeles College. Under the leadership of Coach John Mosley, these athletes are getting their shot to play college basketball and potentially more at this small school. Not everyone can make it to the bigger universities or even find their way to the NBA. But the team’s collective and individual efforts are inspiring, and this is one of the rare shows that truly feels uplifting.

Blue Eye Samurai (2023)

Blue Eye Samurai
86%
9.0/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Action & Adventure, Animation, Drama
Stars
Maya Erskine, George Takei, Masi Oka
Created by
Michael Green, Amber Noizumi
Watch on Netflix

Blue Eye Samurai is an unusual anime that appears to be picking up traction with fans who aren’t typically into animation. That’s because this is a series that fully embraces drama, as Mizu (Maya Erskine), a young woman passing herself off as a man, cuts a bloody path of vengeance in 17th century Japan when half-Caucasian and half-Japanese people like Mizu were considered abominations.

Mizu is accompanied on her quest by Ringo (Masi Oka), a handless man who proves to be a loyal friend. Mizu also finds an unexpected ally in Taigen (Darren Barnet), a swordsman who comes to respect her despite wanting to duel her to the death to restore his honor for a defeat at Mizu’s hands. This is an intricately plotted and executed series, which is just as compelling and interesting as any live-action series.

The Pacific (2010)

The Pacific
86%
8.3/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Action & Adventure, War & Politics
Stars
James Badge Dale, Jon Seda, Joseph Mazzello
Created by
Bruce C. McKenna
Watch on Netflix

The Pacific is currently streaming on Netflix on a temporary basis, so don’t get too used to seeing it here. This was originally an HBO production produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg nearly a decade after their acclaimed World War II miniseries, Band of Brothers. The Pacific returns to the same timeframe while exploring the battles in the Pacific from the point of view of PFC Robert Leckie (James Badge Dale), Cpl. Eugene Sledge (Joseph Mazzello), GySgt. John Basilone (Jon Seda), and others.

This miniseries is based on the real accounts of the men who fought in the war, and it’s an unflinching look at combat during wartime and the high cost it demands from everyone involved.

Medici: The Magnificent (2018)

Medici: The Magnificent
7.9/10
3 Seasons
Genre
Drama
Watch on Netflix

Thanks to Netflix, international series like Medici: The Magnificent, which is a rare drama that is set during the events of the Italian renaissance. The Magnificent is a two-season continuation set two decades after the initial season of Medici.

Daniel Sharman stars as Lorenzo Medici, the heir to the family’s wealth and their powerful bank. Unfortunately, Lorenzo has to step up and prematurely assume control over both the family and the bank in order to prevent Florence from being invaded. But there are still plenty of enemies that Lorenzo has to deal with, both inside and outside of the city.

Good Girls (2018)

Good Girls
60%
7.7/10
tv-14
4 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Crime
Stars
Christina Hendricks, Retta, Mae Whitman
Created by
Jenna Bans
Watch on Netflix

Chances are good that you missed Good Girls during its four seasons on NBC, but the series has a second chance to find an audience on Netflix. The titular good girls are anything but, yet not without reason. Elizabeth “Beth” Boland (Christina Hendricks), her sister, Annie Marks (Mae Whitman), and their friend, Ruby Hill (Retta), are all facing serious financial issues when they band together to rob a grocery store.

Pulling off the heist wasn’t the problem. The real issue of the series is that Beth’s small gang has unintentionally come in the crosshairs of Rio (Manny Montana), a criminal who was previously using the grocery store as his money laundering front. Now, Rio wants the three women to work for him, and they don’t have the leverage to say no.

Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities (2022)

Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities
72%
7.0/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Mystery
Stars
Guillermo del Toro
Created by
Guillermo del Toro
Watch on Netflix

If you’re looking for some scary short stories this Halloween, then director Guillermo del Toro has a treat for you. Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities is a horror anthology series that features eight episodes of standalone stories, including one written by del Toro himself.

Although del Toro didn’t direct any of the episodes himself, he recruited horror directors Jennifer Kent, Ana Lily Amirpour, Panos Cosmatos, Catherine Hardwicke, Guillermo Navarro, David Prior, Vincenzo Natali, and Keith Thomas to each bring to life their own visions of terror.

Everything Now (2023)

Everything Now
6.7/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Sophie Wilde, Lauryn Ajufo, Harry Cadby
Created by
Ripley Parker
Watch on Netflix

Talk to Me‘s Sophie Wilde stars in Everything Now as Mia Polanco, a 16-year-old girl who has just been released from treatment for serious eating disorders. Mia not only feels like she’s under the microscope from her family and peers, but she also thinks that she missed far too much time from what should be the best years of her life.

In her eagerness to fix that, Mia recruits her friends Becca (Lauryn Ajufo), Will (Noah Thomas), and Cam (Harry Cadby), as well as acquaintances Alison (Niamh McCormack) and Carli (Jessie Mae Alonzo) ,to help her get through a bucket list of things that she missed. Mia wants to make up for lost time, even if she should probably slow down. But where’s the fun in that?

Top Boy (2019)

Top Boy
85%
8.4/10
tv-ma
3 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
Kane Robinson, Ashley Walters, Micheal Ward
Created by
Ronan Bennett
Watch on Netflix

The underrated British crime drama Top Boy has come to an end, and Netflix is the streaming home for both the original show and the three-season run of the revival series. But both incarnations of the show revolve around Dushane (Ashley Walters) and Sully (Kane Robinson), a pair of drug dealers in London whose friendship is sorely tested by their desires to rise in the criminal underworld.

While Dushane and Sully are initially on the same page, their goals diverge and they ultimately come into conflict with each other. Sometimes they’re even at each other’s throats, but they keep reluctantly joining forces. Yet in the end, there can only be one “Top Boy.’

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015)

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
80%
7.8/10
tv-14
4 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Rachel Bloom, Donna Lynne Champlin, Vincent Rodriguez III
Created by
Aline Brosh McKenna, Rachel Bloom
Watch on Netflix

Don’t be too put off by the title of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. While the name of the show is not an inaccurate description of Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom), she’s not the type to go full Fatal Attraction. Instead, Rebecca is more of an unfulfilled dreamer who is prone to musical fantasies and occasional hallucinations. This show is a musical comedy, after all.

After reuniting with her ex-boyfriend, Josh Chan (Vincent Rodriguez III), Rebecca has an existential breakdown, follows Josh cross-country, and attempts to reinvent her life on the West Coast. But Rebecca is not done with Josh, as she romantically pursues Josh’s best friend, Greg (Santino Fontana), as a way to stay close to him. Naturally, this does not sit well with Josh’s actual girlfriend, Valencia Perez (Gabrielle Ruiz).

Inventing Anna (2022)

Inventing Anna
57%
6.8/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Stars
Anna Chlumsky, Julia Garner, Arian Moayed
Created by
Shonda Rhimes
Watch on Netflix

Inventing Anna is loosely based on the true story of Anna “Delvey” Sorokin (Julia Garner), a Russian con artist who was successfully able to worm her way into New York’s high society by convincing them that she was a rich German heiress. Because her newfound friends and contacts believed that Anna was rich, they were willing to give her access to their money as well.

The miniseries also focuses on Vivian Kent (Anna Chlumsky), a reporter who is obsessed with chasing down Anna’s story as she awaits trial. While some of Anna’s victims are willing to talk, Vivian finds it difficult to get the full story.

Eat the Rich: The GameStop Saga (2022)

Eat the Rich: The GameStop Saga
75%
6.3/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Taylor Lorenz, Andrew Left, Abbe Minor
Watch on Netflix

Thanks to the film Dumb Money, the 2021 GameStop short squeeze is once again a popular topic. Netflix’s documentary, Eat the Rich: The GameStop Saga, is a three-part look back at the tumultuous turn of events when amateur investors outmaneuvered the professional stock traders by driving up GameStop’s stock so high that the short sellers couldn’t buy back the stock without losing millions.

This documentary doesn’t quite cover all of the bases, but it’s still an intriguing look back at a Wall Street revolt that didn’t quite end the way most of the investors wanted it to.

Echoes (2022)

Echoes
46%
5.9/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Mystery
Stars
Michelle Monaghan, Matt Bomer, Daniel Sunjata
Created by
Vanessa Gazy
Watch on Netflix
Starring Michelle Monaghan and Matt Bomer, Echoes hasn’t gotten the same attention or positive reviews as other recent Netflix releases, but it’s an intriguing watch, as Monaghan plays a dual role: identical twin sisters Leni and Gina. Ever since they were young, the sisters have been swapping lives and fooling everyone around them. As adults, they have done this every year on their birthdays, with their husbands seemingly none the wiser as one sister firmly plants herself into the role of the other. They have pulled the plan off flawlessly for years — until one of them mysteriously goes missing. Secrets are revealed, and fans are left wondering: What truly happened to Gina?
Echoes | Official Trailer | Netflix

The Midnight Club (2022)

The Midnight Club
64%
6.6/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Mystery
Stars
Iman Benson, Igby Rigney, Ruth Codd
Created by
Mike Flanagan, Leah Fong
Watch on Netflix
Being in hospice care is no picnic, but eight teenage patients find a way to entertain themselves and bring a bit of joy to what’s left of their lives. They meet every night to share ghost stories. Eerily, however, they make a pact with one another that the first of them to perish must promise to return and communicate with the others from beyond the grave. The group gets more than they bargained for as they uncover secrets about one another, their pasts, and the doctor who runs the hospital. With the first episode of The Midnight Club breaking Guinness World Records for the most scripted jump scares in a single episode, be prepared for some serious horror.
THE MIDNIGHT CLUB | Official Trailer | Netflix

The Watcher (2022)

The Watcher
54%
6.6/10
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Mystery
Stars
Bobby Cannavale, Naomi Watts, Jennifer Coolidge
Created by
Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan
Watch on Netflix

Reviews have been mixed for The Watcher, but it’s worth a watch if you’re into creepy, mystery thrillers, and/or you’re a fan of Ryan Murphy and his work. It’s based on a true story, although many liberties are taken with the depiction of actual events. Nora and Dean Brannock (Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale) put everything on the line to afford their dream home in Westfield, New Jersey. But the gorgeous, sprawling mansion might not be all it’s cracked up to be.

The couple and their kids notice strange behavior from the intrusive neighbors and begin receiving ominous letters from someone who calls themselves The Watcher. Should the Brannocks sell, lose money, and move back to the city or stand their ground and stay, despite the cost of their sanity and safety? With lots of twists and turns, The Watcher will keep you guessing right through to the end.

The Watcher | Official Trailer | Netflix

Unsolved Mysteries (2020)

Unsolved Mysteries
57%
7.3/10
tv-ma
3 Seasons
Genre
Documentary, Drama, Mystery
Stars
Various
Watch on Netflix

Unsolved Mysteries will satisfy your desire for both true crime and docuseries about the unknown and paranormal activity. Each episode is a compartmentalized story, which means you can scan the summary and pick and choose what you’re in the mood to watch. Whether it’s the story of a successful businessman who mysteriously vanishes, UFO sightings, or a cold case murder rife with theories, rest assured every episode will leave you with tons of questions, opinions, and a desire to get to the bottom of what truly happened.

Netflix’s version is a revival of the original series that first aired in the late 1980s, and it has been resurrected multiple times through the decades. Now in its third season, the new Unsolved Mysteries presents an eclectic mix of captivating stories to keep you wanting more.

Unsolved Mysteries Volume 3 | Official Trailer | Netflix

Love & Anarchy (2020)

Love & Anarchy
7.4/10
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Ida Engvoll, Bjorn Mosten, Johannes Bah Kuhnke, Bjorn Kjellman
Created by
Lisa Langseth
Watch on Netflix
Sofie lives a seemingly ordinary life as a wife, mother, and business consultant. But when she gets a new job helping an old publishing house restructure and meets young IT expert Max, they begin a dangerous game. It starts with nothing more than innocent flirtations but quickly becomes a situation where they feed off one another, going against established norms, taking risks, and trying to outdo one another in how much trouble they can create. The plot builds as Sofie and Max’s games start to become an obsession. The Swedish series is dubbed a romantic comedy, so expect plenty of laughs along the way.
Love & Anarchy: Season 2 | Official Trailer | Netflix

One Day at a Time (2017)

One Day at a Time
82%
8.1/10
tv-pg
4 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Justina Machado, Rita Moreno, Isabella Gomez
Created by
Whitney Blake, Allan Manings
Watch on Netflix
A reimagining of the classic ‘70s and ‘80s sitcom, One Day at a Time centers around a young Cuban mother and nurse and her two children who live together in a small apartment with her elderly mother while interacting frequently with their goofy, young landlord. While the basics stay true to the original, the underrated sitcom delves into serious topics like PTSD, alcohol abuse, gender identity, mental illness, and racism. There was fan outcry when Netflix canceled the series after three seasons, but it was eventually revived by Pop for a fourth and final one. The first three seasons are still available to watch on Netflix. With a talented and likable cast that includes the incomparable Rita Moreno, it’s a show that deserved to run for far longer than it did.
One Day At a Time - Season 2 | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix

El Marginal (2016)

El Marginal
8.1/10
tv-ma
5 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
Martina Gusman, Claudio Rissi, Nicolás Furtado
Created by
Sebastián Ortega, Adrián Caetano
Watch on Netflix
Receiving rave reviews, this Argentine series concluded with its fifth and final season. With edge-of-your-seat tension all the way through, Miguel is a former police officer who takes an assignment to be sent to jail under a fake name and contrived case. The reason? He wants to infiltrate a criminal gang and find out details about the daughter of a judge who was kidnapped. The seasons flip back and forth between the present day and previous years, making for an interesting and compelling watch that will keep you invested all the way through.
El marginal - Temporada 4 | Tráiler oficial | Netflix

Derry Girls (2018)

Derry Girls
83%
8.4/10
tv-ma
3 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Louisa Harland, Nicola Coughlan
Created by
Lisa McGee
Watch on Netflix
This British teen sitcom quietly launched on Channel 4 in 2018 and exploded to become the network’s most successful comedy since Father Ted. Set in the ‘90s, it follows a group of teenage girls dealing with typical coming-of-age struggles in Ireland while also navigating the end of the period known as The Troubles, a 30-year power struggle relating to political and nationalistic interests. Based on creator Lisa McGee’s own high school experiences, it’s raw and honest, featuring actual events that took place during that time, like the 1994 IRA ceasefire and Bill Clinton’s visit to Northern Ireland in 1995. Aside from the engaging storylines, dark humor, and charm, the show features a solid musical track that’s indicative of the period, with everyone from Ace of Bass to Cypress Hill, Salt-N-Pepa, and The Cranberries. There are 19 episodes and three seasons.
TRAILER | Derry Girls | Starts Thursday 4th January

The End of the F***ing World (2017)

The End of the F***ing World
77%
8.1/10
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Crime
Stars
Alex Lawther, Jessica Barden, Naomi Ackie
Created by
Jonathan Entwistle
Watch on Netflix
There are just two seasons of this hidden gem British dark comedy-drama that takes a unique look at the concept of a serial killer. Seventeen-year-old James believes that he is a psychopath and he’s bored of targeting animals, desiring to move on to humans. He decides he is going to murder his mouthy classmate Alyssa, but when they embark on a runaway trip together to abandon their troubled lives, James finds himself growing closer to the young woman and having second thoughts. Based on the Charles Forsman mini-comics of the same name, which were turned into a book in 2013, the show was well-received by critics and audiences alike, lauded for its perfect blend of “misanthropy and humor.”
The End of the F***ing World Season 1 Trailer | Rotten Tomatoes TV

Related topics: Netflix | Hulu | Amazon Prime | More streaming services

Movie images and data from:
Blair Marnell

Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek Monthly, SYFY Wire, Superhero Hype, Collider, DC Universe, and the official sites for Star Trek and Marvel. He also lends his pop culture expertise to Digital Trends on a variety of TV, movie, and streaming features.

Christine Persaud

Christine has decades of experience in trade and consumer journalism. While she started her career writing exclusively about tech, she now writes about everything from tech to entertainment, business, lifestyle, and more. An admitted TV junkie (feel free to reach out for recommendations on what to watch!), if she's not working or hanging out with friends and family, she's probably relaxing with a crisp glass of wine while binging her latest TV series obsession. Follow her on Twitter @christinetechCA.

 

 

 

 

The 50 best movies on Netflix right now (September 2024)
Alyssa Sutherland in "Evil Dead Rise."

Some interesting things are happening this week on Netflix if you're watching the movie charts. As predicted, The Garfield Movie has taken the top slot on the list of the most popular movies on Netflix, while The Super Mario Bros. Movie is on its last ride at No. 10. Rebel Ridge and Uglies have also maintained their spots in the top five, but there are two outliers among the top 10 list this week: Evil Dead Rise and American Gangster.

Evil Dead Rise is a low-budget update of the classic horror franchise that actually did pretty well in theaters. And it's not hard to see why American Gangster has climbed the ranks. Ridley Scott directed this 2007 crime story, which boasts a cast that includes Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin, and Cuba Gooding Jr., among others. It's pretty hard for most movies to match that kind of star power.

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The best anime on Amazon Prime Video right now
Junk Dog guarding against a jab in Megalobox.

Amazon Prime Video adds new content monthly, and anime fans have plenty of shows and movies to pick from. Fans are even more spoiled for choice since the streamer added Crunchyroll as an optional premium channel. This fleshes out Prime's anime catalog exponentially, giving users access to both platforms' content in a streamlined package.

While the price is the same as subscribing to both individually, it undoubtedly makes Prime's anime library more accessible. However, that deep library can overwhelm newer audiences. Thankfully, this monthly-updated guide strips things down to the essentials, focusing on the best anime highlights on Prime Video right now. This includes Prime's native library and the premium Crunchyroll channel.

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The best sci-fi movies on Hulu right now
A battle from Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

This month's new sci-fi movies on Hulu include Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Independence Day, both of which have been on the streamer many times before. For reasons that remain nebulous, they come and go. But what was the point of Disney buying all of Fox's entertainment assets if not to give movies like these a permanent streaming home? It boggles the mind.

Ready Player One, the other prominent science fiction movie added to Hulu in September, is on loan from Warner Bros. Pictures. So it's completely understandable why that film won't be around on Hulu forever. But its inclusion does give Hulu a deeper lineup of movies to fall back on beyond the 20th Century Studios titles. You can find that film and more in our roundup of the best sci-fi movies on Hulu.

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