When it first came onto the scene as a streaming service, Netflix was heavily reliant on movies and TV shows from other studios. Now, a decade later, Netflix is a full-fledged studio in and of itself, even as it still licenses some things from other places. Because there’s so much on Netflix, though, it can be hard to figure out what’s actually worth watching.
That’s where we come in. We’ve selected three fairly underrated shows available on the streaming service that are actually among the best shows on Netflix. Check them out and thank us later.
Warrior (2019-2023)
One of the best and most undersung action series in recent memory, Warrior follows the gang wars that took place in San Francisco’s Chinatown in the second half of the 19th century. The show’s main character is a martial arts prodigy who becomes an enforcer for one of the Chinese crime families fighting for dominance in the city.
In addition to being expertly plotted, Warrior is unlike almost any other show on TV. While there are certainly plenty of shows about gangs, few of them are as well directed as this series, and few shows prioritize the Asian-American experience in the way that this one does.
You can watch Warrior on Netflix.
Love on the Spectrum (2019-)
Reality TV, and especially reality dating shows, are a genre that has worn itself pretty thin, but that’s part of what makes Love on the Spectrum feel so special. The show follows young adults on the autism spectrum who are looking for love, and it details the various pitfalls and foibles they find along the way.
The best thing about Love on the Spectrum, though, is all the ways the show feels like a normal dating show with just a bit more earnestness. There’s far less cynicism here about wondering whether the various contestants are just looking for fame, and far more focus on their actual emotional lives, and the various joys and heartbreaks they meet along the way.
You can watch Love on the Spectrum on Netflix.
1899 (2022)
It only lasted a single season, but 1899 was one of the most interesting and creative sci-fi series that Netflix has ever made. The show is set in 1899, and follows a group of immigrants sailing from London to New York City who find themselves caught up in a grand mystery after they spot another vessel adrift near theirs in the open ocean.
The show’s twists and turns from there are best left unspoiled, but it’s safe to say that 1899 understands how to unfold its central mystery at exactly the right pace, making sure to keep you intrigued without offering too much information.
You can watch 1899 on Netflix.
