5 underrated Netflix Original Series you should start watching tonight

Netflix is wonderful; most of us will attest to this fact. However, one of this writer’s serious pet peeves is when, halfway through a series, it suddenly disappears off the platform. (Some of us still mourn the loss of The Good Wife). However, even at that, the streaming site has put time and serious money into their original programming. Some of their most underrated series are under the Netflix Original Series umbrella. These series are diverse and extra brownie points get given because they’ll also never leave the streaming platform

The End Of The F***ing World

This wonderful, weird surprise of a series was one of the best new shows of 2018. The crime-filled, darkly comic series starts in a way that’s rather terrifying — with self-described possible “psychopath” James (Alex Lawther) plotting to kill new girlfriend Alyssa (Jessica Barden).

It sounds weird but stick with it; it soon turns into a poignant, crime-filled love story, complete with a fantastic soundtrack. Based on a graphic novel.

Queer Eye

Would you believe I got to this year without watching this amazing series? It’s beloved by fans and has garnered a cult following, more than a decade after the original series went off the air, Netflix rebooted the “Queer Eye” franchise with a new Fab Five set in New York City.

The style experts forge relationships with men and women and it’s sweet and sincere; mixing in moments of social commentary interspersed with style advice. One episode and you’ll be hooked. 

Jessica Jones

This one never truly got the gravitas it deserved, and for all the failings of Marvel, this is one of their best-ever offerings. It tells the story of a former female superhero, played by Krysten Ritter, who quits the cape game when something awful happens and decides to try her hand at being a private detective for Avenger types.

It’s all badass females, mature sexuality and handsome male leads. It has broken the mould in terms of stereotyping females on the small screen; Ritter’s portrayal is complex and careful — and it only gets more powerful as the episodes go on.

Dear White People

It seems absurd that this smart, potent series doesn’t get the love it deserves. Based on the acclaimed film of the same name, it follows a group of students of colour at Winchester University — a predominantly white Ivy League college. The students must navigate a landscape of cultural bias, social injustice and misguided activism through a truly powerful lens.

With its often haunting storylines, this is among the best portrayals of what it means to be a person of colour today. Given the heartache and unrest over the tragic death of George Floyd in the US, never has there been a better time to shed light on the programmes which, now more than ever, deserve to be first on our radars.

One Day At A Time

This comedy-drama is inspired by Norman Lear’s 1975 series of the same name. This time around, the series follows the life of Penelope, a newly single Army veteran, and her Cuban-American family, as they navigate the ups and downs of life with uplifting and heartfelt family humour. It’s also a welcome change to a lot of the dark shows that are currently available to watch.

Main photograph: Netflix

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