Streaming has brought us an endless influx of new TV shows across every genre, but for every headline-grabbing hit like Stranger Things, there are dozens of underrated TV shows that just fly under the radar. These shows often get overshadowed by the marketing of big-budget productions. Or they simply get buried under the massive libraries of streaming platforms churning out new shows every day.
Whatever the reason, these shows undoubtedly deserve more love and attention. So, today, we’re bringing you six underrated TV shows that may not have made the headlines, but they’re definitely worth a watch. We’ve included a bit of everything in this list — from crime dramas to feel-good sitcoms to mind-bending sci-fi.
1. Slow Horses
Slow Horses is a British crime drama that focuses on the agents of Slough House, a subdivision where MI5 sends its disgraced spies to spend the rest of their days in obscurity. And this dead-end purgatory is overseen by the vulgar and grumpy Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), who treats his agents with such disdain that he legitimately expects them to get sick of him and quit. If Slow Horses had premiered on Netflix, it would be all anyone talked about. It’s just that good. But because it airs on Apple TV+, a streaming service with less than 2 million UK subscribers, it hasn’t gotten the attention it rightfully deserves.
Plus, many shows these days drag on for 8 to 12 episodes, leaving you with a cliffhanger that feels more like a mid-season finale than a satisfying ending. Slow Horses isn’t like that. Each season is a concise 6 episodes, featuring a gripping, well-written, self-contained story, which is why it is our #1 pick on this list. You get closure, you get excellent television, and you don’t have to wait years for the story to continue. With a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and Season 4 set to arrive by the end of 2024, Slow Horses definitely deserves a spot on your watchlist.
Watch Slow Horses on Apple TV+
2. Russian Doll
Russian Doll is a time-loop story following Nadia (Natasha Lyonne), who’s at her 36th birthday party when she suddenly dies and wakes up back at the beginning of the night, the same playlist blaring, the same awkward conversations rehappening. Throughout the show, she keeps dying in absurd ways while trying to figure out how to stop this never-ending nightmare. But Russian Doll is so much more than just another Groundhog Day or Palm Springs knockoff. It’s funny, has its own unique identity, and touches on some very mature themes of fate, karma, death, isolation, and self-destruction.
3. The Ranch
Ashton Kutcher’s The Ranch was Netflix’s take on the old-school sitcom, complete with laugh tracks and cheesy dialogue. In fact, most people skipped it when it first came out. But the show turned out to be far more charming and endearing than it had any right to be. The characters are relatable, the jokes are funny, and the series does a great job of focusing on the real-world struggles of being a small farmer. If you’re a fan of That ‘70s Show or Two and a Half Men, play guitar, wear Chelsea boots, and have a strict dad, you’ll find a lot to love in The Ranch, making it the 3rd most-underrated TV show on our list!
4. Minx
Minx is a blatantly unapologetic show about porn. The series follows Joyce Cooper (Ophelia Lovibond), an ambitious young woman who unexpectedly finds herself working on the first-ever feminist porn magazine. Minx usually gets overshadowed by The Deuce because of its similar plot and bigger-name cast, but it is so much more than just a show about porn. It’s charming, funny, well-written, well-acted, sometimes absolutely unhinged, and moves at breakneck pace. So, if you can handle a montage of over 60 naked men in 10 seconds, definitely check Minx out. There are only two seasons with a strong 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and that gives it a #4 spot on our list!
5. Bad Sisters
Bad Sisters is a dark comedy murder mystery centered around the five Garvey sisters. It’s a classic whodunit, where the show opens in the aftermath of a murder, and then jumps back in time to turn over pieces of the puzzle. But what makes Bad Sisters stand out from the rest of the murder mysteries is undoubtedly John Paul (Claes Bang), the victim of the murder. He’s one of the best TV villains ever — utterly awful and detestable. In this show, we aren’t so much trying to figure out who the killer is, but rather hoping whoever did it gets away with it.
The show has a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and it’s fully deserved. However, Bad Sisters also suffers from the Apple TV+ curse. It didn’t get anywhere near the numbers of Netflix or HBO audiences and quietly flew under the radar.
Watch Bad Sisters on Apple TV+
6. Shrinking
Have you ever been listening to a friend’s problems and just wanted to tell them the blunt, unfiltered truth, even though you knew it might hurt their feelings? Shrinking is all about that feeling. The show follows a therapist who’s grieving and decides he’s tired of holding back. So, he starts telling his clients exactly what he thinks of their issues with brutal honesty. If you enjoyed Ricky Gervais’ After Life, you’ll love Shrinking even more because it touches similar themes but better in every way.
The series is hilarious, cathartic, and beautifully shot. It also features an ensemble cast including Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams, Christa Miller, and many more. And if you’ve ever been the therapist friend, you’ll find Shrinking incredibly relatable. The series holds a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and Season 2 is already in production. Also check out this article reminiscing about the time when Jason Segel and Seth Rogen auditioned for 8 Mile.
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