The 15 most underrated Netflix TV shows

Mining for hidden gems on Netflix? We’ve got you covered.

Whether you’ve been scrolling for ten minutes or ten hours, finding the right Netflix show can be tricky. You’ll pass up something perfect for you because you don’t recognize the title, watch something you hate because it had a cool thumbnail, then panic and give up.

 So, we at Mashable put our heads together to find a whole bunch of shows you’re probably scrolling past but will definitely love. Because we’ve had this problem. Also, we care.

Listed in no particular order, here are 15 of the most underrated Netflix TV shows streaming now.

If you’re not already firmly aboard The OA train, it’s best we not spoil the mystery. 

What we can say: A young woman named Prairie Johnson (played by series’ creator Brit Marling) reappears after having been missing for seven years. When she disappeared, she was blind. Now, she can see. Oh, and she’s insisting she’s an angel. 

Perfect for fans of science fiction, great acting, and good TV.

How to watch: The OA is now streaming on Netflix. 

Santa Clarita Diet was too good for this world. Canceled after just three seasons, Victor Fresco’s pitch-perfect narrative of a suburban mom mutating into the undead hooked us from the start. Leads Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant’s sparky chemistry remained believable, grounding their world of parenting, real-estate, and murder in an emotional bedrock worth killing for.

How to watch: Santa Clarita Diet is now streaming on Netflix. 

Somewhere between a Wes Anderson movie and a PSA for staying in school, The End of the F***ing World masters the teen road trip. Starring Alex Lawther and Jessica Barden as star-crossed somethings James and Alyssa, this two-season romp blends humor, heart, and a classic rock soundtrack to punchy effect. 

As dark as it is touching, this show was one of a kind.

How to watch: The End of the F***ing World is now streaming on Netflix. 

Science fiction has the power to break storytelling boundaries whenever and however its creators see fit. Sense8 did that in all the ways that matter. 

This diverse, LGBTQ-inclusive story of “sensates” (people emotionally and psychologically linked to one another) reimagined the boundaries of human connection and made countless viewers feel seen. With just two seasons, fans could never get enough of Sense8, but at least Netflix made good on that finale — delivering a lasting legacy to streamingkind. 

How to watch: Sense8 is now streaming on Netflix. 

We’re just weeks away from the third season of On My Block — so if you’ve never heard of it, now’s the time to catch up. A realistic-yet-fun look at growing up in inner-city Los Angeles, the series follows friends Monse (Sierra Capri), Cesar (Diego Tinoco), Ruby (Jason Genao), and Jamal (Brett Gray) as they grapple with growing up and apart. 

How to watch: On My Block is now streaming on Netflix. 

Fans of Joe Swanberg and his “mumblecore” stylings rejoice in Easy. An anthology series examining intimacy in modern Chicago, this three-season masterpiece explored love, loss, and change with immeasurable kindness. 

For each mistake there was forgiveness. For every heartbreak, the hope of something new. 

Appearances by Marc Maron, Elizabeth Reaser, Jake Johnson, Aya Cash, Hannibal Buress, and more make Easy a must-watch series for any indie film fan. 

How to watch: Easy is now streaming on Netflix. 

Who doesn’t want to watch a cartoon red panda find herself against all odds? 

Pressured by an unforgiving job and disappointing dating prospects, Aggretsuko does her best to find the life she wants by secretly singing death metal karaoke at night. It’s delightful. 

Try five minutes. You’ll get it.

How to watch: Aggretsuko is now streaming on Netflix. 

Set against the tumultuous Northern Ireland conflict of the late ’90s, this coming-of-age tale is surprisingly hysterical. Centered on four Catholic school girls and one English bloke named James, Derry Girls is a sitcom in the truest sense of the genre, finding humor in a reality rife with conflict and fear. What’s more, the series paints a moving portrait of friendship untethered by time or place, making it a standout representation of camaraderie and growth. 

How to watch: Derry Girls is now streaming on Netflix. 

In January, Netflix announced a second season of Raising Dion. And if you don’t understand why that is super news, then you’ve got some viewing to do. 

A serialized take on Dennis Liu’s comic of the same name, Raising Dion follows mother and son Nicole (Alisha Wainwright) and Dion (Ja’Siah Young) as they cope with the death of Dion’s father, Mark (Michael B. Jordan). When it is revealed that Dion has otherworldly abilities, Nicole must do everything she can to protect her son from himself — and the world.

How to watch: Raising Dion is now streaming on Netflix. 

You didn’t have to have a dog-eared copy of Anne of Green Gables by your side to enjoy Netflix’s Anne with an E — but it felt really great if you did. 

An evolution on a literary world we love, this adaptation strayed boldly from its source material to explore each nook and cranny of L. M. Montgomery’s legendary impact. (The series ends with Season 3, though there is a petition for the show to get another season.)

How to watch: Anne with an E is now streaming on Netflix. 

It’s no secret Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events is great. But why its Neil Patrick Harris-led TV adaptation never got the following it deserved remains a mystery. 

Whether every page came to life the way you’d imagined or not, there’s no denying Netflix’s take on the tale of the Baudelaire orphans was riveting. From The Bad Beginning to The End, creators Mark Hudis and Barry Sonnenfeld brought every corner of this fantastical world to life with care and precision. The visuals? Spectacular. The cast? Perfect. The ankle? Tattooed. With an eye.

How to watch: A Series of Unfortunate Events is now streaming on Netflix. 

The Get Down was ahead of its time. A musical drama from co-creators Baz Luhrmann and Stephen Adly Guirgis, this single season spectacular released to underwhelmed audiences in 2016 who dismissed it as more style than substance. Today, it’s got “Emmy winner” written all over it. 

Soulful performances by Justice Smith, Shameik Moore, Herizen Guardiola, and an outstanding supporting cast transform this historic look at late ’70s hip-hop culture into a visceral experience. The scope of the characters’ imaginations is only outpaced by the ambition of the series’ creators. Worth a revisit if you passed it up the first time. Worth a rewatch if you didn’t.

How to watch: The Get Down is now streaming on Netflix. 

Ben York Jones and Michael Mohan’s send-up of ’90s high schoolers had just one season, but its memory lives on in our queues. Set in the aptly-named Boring High School, the interlocking dramas between the A/V and drama clubs was cringe-worthy, sweet, and entertaining. 

Fans of Euphoria look out for a stellar performance by Sydney Sweeney, alongside series’ leads Jahi Di’Allo Winston, Peyton Kennedy, Quinn Liebling, and Elijah Stevenson.

How to watch: Everything Sucks! is now streaming on Netflix. 

It’s hard to imagine a show as magnetic as Lisa Hanawalt’s getting only one season… and yet, here we are. 

With only 10 episodes to its name, Tuca & Bertie is among Netflix’s best offerings. Hilarious-yet-heart-wrenching, topical-yet-timeless, this story of thirty-something birdies finding themselves in adulthood is faultless. 

Voice performances by Ali Wong, Tiffany Haddish, and Steven Yeun shine through unique visuals and dialogue that expand animated comedy for the better.

How to watch: Tuca & Bertie is now streaming on Netflix. 

Created by Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig, Neo Yokio tackles social stratification through the lens of an absurd pink-haired dude named Kaz Kaan. Combining surreal styling with deadpan humor, this animated series looks at “the greatest city in the world.” 

If it’s for you, you’ll know.

How to watch: Neo Yokio is now streaming on Netflix. 

Honorable Mention: Dracula

Considering Dracula premiered in early January, it’s hard to say whether this show will stay underrated for long (hence that “Honorable Mention” label). Still, we need more eyeballs on this completely bonkers Bram Stoker adaptation — if only to decide how we feel about it. 

It’s gory, pseudo-intellectual, fun, frightening, and divisive. 

Proceed with caution (and pray for Claes Bang.)

How to watch: Dracula is now streaming on Netflix.