Netflix boasts an expansive library of TV shows in every major genre, including action, drama, comedy, horror, and romance. TV fans already know the hits, such as Stranger Things, Bridgerton, The Queen’s Gambit, and The Night Agent. However, there are other shows that, despite not having the same popularity, are equally as effective and positively reviewed.
For September, we chose three underrated TV shows on Netflix that should be on your list of what to watch next. Our selections include a psychological thriller about a bodyguard, a black comedy with an eventful road trip, and a coming-of-age love letter to the 1990s.
Bodyguard (2018)
When Richard Madden is brought up in conversation as a potential candidate to be the next James Bond, Bodyguard, not Game of Thrones, is frequently cited as his audition tape. Madden stars as PS David Budd, a former war veteran who works in the Royalty and Specialist Protection branch in London’s police department. After disarming a suicide bomber in the show’s exhilarating opening scene, Budd is assigned to protect House Secretary Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes).
As a former soldier with PTSD, Budd disagrees with Montague’s politics and her support of the Iraq War, complicating his duty to protect her at all costs. With tense action sequences throughout the six-episode season, Bodyguard is a top-notch psychological thriller with a gripping performance by Madden.
Stream Bodyguard on Netflix.
The End of the F***ing World (2017-2019)
The End of the F***ing World is not your typical coming-of-age show. It’s a black comedy about two teenagers struggling to make sense of the world. Alex Lawther plays James, a 17-year-old loner who believes he’s a psychopath, killing animals in his spare time. Jessica Barden plays Alyssa, his rebellious and foul-mouthed classmate who takes an interest in James. Feeling the need to prove his psychopathy, James decides that he will kill Alyssa.
Before he gets the chance, Alyssa asks James to run away and escape from their unstable families. James still wants to kill Alyssa, so he agrees to drive her on this road trip. Along the way, the two begin a relationship and develop feelings for one another, but the idea of something good happening in their lives may be too much for them to handle.
Stream The End of the F***ing World on Netflix.
Everything Sucks! (2018)
Everything Sucks! is the exact opposite of its title. The endearing high school comedy follows a group of misfits in the AV Club and Drama Club at Boring High School. Luke O’Neil (Jahi Di’Allo Winston) is a freshman and social outcast at Boring, so he and his two friends join the AV Club. Luke has a crush on Kate Messner (Peyton Kennedy), a sophomore member of the A/V Club who happens to be the principal’s daughter.
Desperate for acceptance, the AV Club and Drama Club team up to make a movie. Everything Sucks! is set in the 1990s, so anyone who appreciates nostalgia will love the clothing, pop culture references, and a killer soundtrack, including a memorable tribute to Oasis.
Stream Everything Sucks! on Netflix.