10 Underrated Netflix Shows You've Probably Never Heard Of

1. Dark Tourist (2018)

Ever been morbidly curious? Meet David Farrier, a New Zealand journalist who takes you on a trip around the world, but not to your typical tourist spots. Forget the Eiffel Tower; we're talking a voodoo festival in Benin where animal sacrifices are the norm. Or how about visiting Fukushima, the site of the 2011 nuclear disaster? David's not just reporting; he's participating, and you're right there with him.

2. The OA (2016-2019)

Prairie Johnson, who was blind, goes missing for seven years. She comes back and, surprise, she can see now. She's also got some wild tales about parallel dimensions. She gathers a group of five misfits and starts training them to jump dimensions with a series of strange dance moves. No, seriously. It's like Stranger Things on a philosophy kick, questioning the nature of life, death, and the in-between.

3. Last Chance U (2016-2020)

Sports fan or not, this show will hook you. It follows junior college football teams whose players are, in most cases, trying to overcome academic or disciplinary issues to make it to Division I schools. The pressure is sky-high. Games have to be won, grades have to be maintained, and personal lives are a roller coaster. Season one starts with the East Mississippi Community College Lions, and the tension is palpable from game one.

4. Love on the Spectrum (2019-2021)

Dating's hard, right? Now imagine doing it when you're on the autism spectrum. This Australian reality show takes us into the dating lives of young adults with autism. We follow them on dates, and let me tell you, it's all kinds of heartwarming and awkward. Michael wants a wife to become "a husband", while Chloe is bisexual and struggles to connect. No frills, no artificial drama—just the reality of looking for love when you're wired a little differently.

5. The Midnight Gospel (2020)

Created by Pendleton Ward of Adventure Time fame and comedian Duncan Trussell, this animated series follows Clancy, a guy who uses a simulator to visit dying worlds. But here's the kicker: instead of running from zombies or whatever, he sits down with the inhabitants to discuss life's big questions. Imagine talking about drugs' impact on society while the world crumbles in psychedelic colors around you.

6. Marianne (2019)

This French series brings the scares in a big way. Emma is a famous horror novelist whose books are, unbeknownst to her readers, inspired by her own nightmares about a witch named Marianne. When she decides to end the book series, Marianne gets mad—like, come-to-life-and-haunt-you mad. Emma has to return to her hometown to face the real evil. It's creepy, it's atmospheric, and, oh boy, will it make you jump.

7. The Toys That Made Us (2017-2019)

Ever wondered how your favorite childhood toys came to be? This docuseries takes a deep dive into the creation and impact of toys like Barbie, LEGO, and Transformers. Did you know that Barbie's creator was inspired by a German doll that was actually a gag gift for adult men? Or that He-Man was almost a tie-in for a Conan the Barbarian toy line? This show spills all the tea, mixing nostalgia with intriguing behind-the-scenes drama.

8. Godless (2017)

This one's a limited series, so you can binge it in a weekend. The setting is a mining town in New Mexico, populated almost entirely by women after a mining accident killed off most of the men. Enter Roy Goode, an outlaw on the run from his former gang. He finds refuge in the town, but his past is hot on his tail. With a face-off inevitable, the women take up arms to defend their home. It's gunslinging with a feminist twist.

9. Money Heist: The Phenomenon (2020)

You've heard of Money Heist, but what about the documentary that digs into its unexpected global fame? This isn't just a making-of doc—it explores why this Spanish show about a group of robbers attacking the Royal Mint of Spain resonated with audiences worldwide. Even though it was almost canceled after its initial local release, it took off like a rocket once it hit Netflix. In the doc, fans from India to France share their love for the show, making it a meta-experience for fans and newcomers alike.

10. Kingdom (2019-2020)

Zombies and period drama? Yes, please! Set in medieval Korea, the story kicks off with a prince who sets out to investigate a mysterious plague that resurrects the dead. The catch? The undead are only active at night. As the prince digs deeper, he uncovers a royal conspiracy that's worse than the zombies themselves. It's like Game of Thrones meets The Walking Dead, but with way cooler costumes.