The great conundrum that plagues all streaming services is that, in spite of the great content in many of their libraries, it can be almost impossible to find what you might be looking for. Netflix, for example, has tons of great shows, but it can only surface a few of them through its algorithm.
If you’re looking for some titles on the surface that have flown a little more under the radar, then we’ve got you covered. We’ve selected three underrated shows available on Netflix that you can check out this weekend, and that will be perfect for whatever mood you might be in.
Documentary Now! (2015-)
One of the more niche comedy shows ever created, Documentary Now! is a brilliant series in which each episode parodies a different famous documentaries. While some of the jokes might not work for you unless you’ve seen the documentary being parodied, most of the episodes are hilarious entirely on their own terms.
Some episodes are definitely funnier than others, but if you’re looking for a show that’s likely to bring you consistent laughs from episode to episode (and also features a roster of great guest performers), Documentary Now! is the perfect place to start.
You can watch Documentary Now! on Netflix.
One Day (2024)
Adapted from a novel and film of the same name, One Day tells the story of two people who find themselves connected over decades as we check in with their lives on the same day every year. Thanks to the charisma of its two stars and the innovative format, One Day manages to set itself apart from many romantic dramas that tell similar story.
Although the series veers toward the melodramatic on occasion, it is for the most part a grounded story of two people trying to connect as life sends them hurdling both apart from and toward one another. On top of all that, it’s also charmingly British.
You can watch One Day on Netflix.
Monk (2002-2009)
An oldie but a goodie, Monk is a dramedy about a private police consultant whose obsessive compulsive disorder makes him an extraordinary crime solver, even as it also makes it difficult for him to live his life. Is Monk an accurate representation of mental illness? Definitely not, but Tony Shalhoub’s central performance is both intricate and sensitive enough to overlook the notion that OCD is some sort of superpower.
And, given the severe mental illness of its central character, Monk is a remarkably sympathetic show that also finds plenty of ways to be funny. On top of all that, there’s a murder every week that we get to solve, and what could be better than that?
You can watch Monk on Netflix.
