Netflix has begun rolling out its fall slate. One of the streamer’s most popular TV shows, Outer Banks, returns for season 4. Nobody Wants This, a rom-com series with Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, resonated so much with viewers that Netflix has already renewed it for a second season. On the movie side, Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, Woman of the Hour, could be the streamer’s next big true crime success.
However, beyond the popular titles are plenty of little-seen and underrated shows. Some of these shows are original Netflix shows, while others are licensed from other networks. Regardless of their origins, these shows should be saved in your queue. Our October recommendations include a recently canceled comedy, a spine-tingling horror, and a hilarious sitcom.
We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
That ’90s Show (2023-2024)
If you don’t watch this show, Red will put a foot in … you know the rest. That iconic phrase by Red Foreman (Kurtwood Smith) returned in That ’90s Show, the sequel series to That ’70s Show. The series followed Leia Forman (Callie Haverda), the teenage daughter of Eric Foreman (Topher Grace) and Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon). During the summer of 1995, Leia travels from Chicago to Point Place to visit her grandparents, Red and Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp) Foreman.
After a successful Fourth of July weekend, Leia decides to spend the rest of the summer in Wisconsin. Point Place had such a positive impact on Eric and Donna that they hope it will do the same for their daughter. Don’t worry: Leia will get into the same hijinks as her parents did two decades ago. Unfortunately, Netflix just canceled That ’90s Show after two seasons, but there’s still hope another network might save the series.
Watch That ’90s Show on Netflix.
The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)
Mike Flanagan created a horror empire during his time at Netflix. Flanagan created five shows in five years, all within the horror genre. His best is Midnight Mass, while his weakest is The Midnight Club. The one that lands in the middle is The Haunting of Bly Manor, Flanagan’s most underrated offering.
As the second entry into The Haunting anthology, Bly Manor stars Victoria Pedretti as Dani, an au pair hired to watch two children at the Wingrave family estate in London. Despite a warning to stay in her room at night, Dani leaves and discovers several ghosts haunting the house. Bly Manor is another shining example of a filmmaker who understands atmospheric horror and how to use it for suspense and dread.
Watch The Haunting of Bly Manor on Netflix.
Tacoma FD (2019-2023)
Tacoma FD is a sitcom by Kevin Heffernan and Steve Lemme, two Broken Lizard comedy group members. For those unfamiliar with the troupe, Broken Lizard is the creative force behind Super Troopers and Beerfest. Those are two hilarious movies from the 2000s, so if that’s the type of comedy you enjoy, Tacoma FD will be right up your alley.
The sitcom follows a firehouse in Tacoma, Washington, one of the wettest cities in America. With all that rain, there are few fires to put out. But that doesn’t stop these firefighters from stirring up trouble. From a “Beefcake Calendar” and the fireman’s ball to department romances and outrageous pranks, there’s always something going on at the firehouse, and lucky for us, it typically ends in hilarity.
Watch Tacoma FD on Netflix.