14 Shows You Scroll Past On Netflix That You Should Totally Watch

    There's a lotta stuff on Netflix that you just scroll past every day. Here are the ones you should watch.

    Andy Golder
    by Andy Golder

    BuzzFeed Staff

    1. The Umbrella Academy (Superhero, Drama)

    Netflix

    What it's about: Years ago, an eccentric billionaire adopted seven children born under inexplicable circumstances, and raised them to be a superhero team. During their preparation to save the world, they grew older, grew jaded, and grew apart. After their father's death, the siblings reunite as adults and find themselves potentially facing the threat he always told them to prepare for: the end of the world.

    Why you should just give up and watch it: The show's quirky style might delight you or turn you off, but the story presents a mystery that's a lot of fun to watch. The music selections are excellent, which isn't surprising since My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way co-created the comic book on which the show is based, and is an EP on the show. It's weird, but much better than some superhero shows on Netflix. Not naming any names.

    2. Pose (Drama)

    FX

    What it's about: A dance musical centered on ball culture in 1980s New York that follows Blanca Rodriguez (MJ Rodriguez) as she creates her own "house" to provide a new family for LGBT youth who were disowned by theirs.

    Why you should just give up and watch it: Well, it was nominated for Best Drama Series at the Emmys, and Billy Porter WON Outstanding Lead Actor, so that ought to tell you how good this show is. But if you love a show that immerses you in a particular era or culture, this one does an incredible job of it.

    3. Terrace House (Reality)

    Netflix

    What it's about: Six strangers (three men, three women) live together in a house, maybe go on dates, and maybe maybe even fall in love. It's like The Real World, but in Japan and with much less drama. Additionally, the show features a panel of six commentators who react to what's happening on the show.

    Why you should just give up and watch it: Much like British Baking Show, Terrace House shows how different reality TV can be in other countries. Where a show like Big Brother or The Real World thrives on big arguments and lots of drama, Terrace House is much quieter, and the housemates are generally much friendlier and more respectful. As a viewer who isn't from Japan, it's extra interesting to see the cultural differences in how Japanese housemates, friends, co-workers, and even couples interact vs. Americans and other countries that produce reality TV. Trust me, start with Boys & Girls in the City (the 2016 season) and you'll be hooked and shipping couples before you know it.

    4. The Great British Baking Show (Reality)

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    What it's about: A group of amateur bakers compete in a series of challenges to determine who will become each week's Star Baker and — eventually — win the whole thing.

    Why you should just give up and watch it: You know how American baking competitions are all drama and loud music and everyone's super mean and competitive? Well, this show is absolutely nothing like that. The competitors will actually help each other if they're struggling, the hosts are delightful, and watching it is a nice, relaxing experience.

    5. Russian Doll (Dark Comedy, Sci-Fi)

    Netflix

    What it's about: A woman celebrating her 36th birthday finds herself in a time loop, forced to relive the evening over and over again. There's more, but I don't want to spoil anything.

    Why you should just give up and watch it: Let's get this out of the way: Natasha Lyonne is a treasure. Also, time loops are fun. You might think the trope has been done to death, but this isn't just a re-do of Groundhog's Day. There are layers, man.

    6. Castlevania (Fantasy, Animated)

    Netflix

    What it's about: Monster hunter (and occasional drunk) Trevor Belmont defends the region of Wallachia against Dracula and his minions. Yes, that Dracula.

    Why you should just give up and watch it: If you're not into animation, you probably passed this show by thinking it wasn't for you. But that would be a mistake: Castlevania is a thrilling, dark show with moments of both humor and badass-ness that make it a very fun watch. Dracula is painted as a sympathetic villain, making for a more morally ambiguous story than a simple "good guy vs. bad guy." Plus, Trevor is sassy as hell.

    7. Death Note (Crime/Fantasy, Animated)

    Netflix

    What it's about: Imagine you found a notebook — given to you by a shinigami, a literal god of death — that allowed you to kill anyone, anywhere, just by writing their name, time of death, and cause of death in the book. That's what happens to high school prodigy Light Yagami, who then decides to use the notebook to kill criminals that have escaped justice. But when the police assign a genius detective to attempt to solve the mysterious deaths, Light has to outsmart everyone to avoid getting caught.

    Why you should just give up and watch it: If you're into anime, then you've probably seen this show already. It's a classic. But if you're not, you probably haven't given anime much of a chance at all. Try this one out, especially if you were into the first few seasons of Dexter. As anime goes, it's pretty accessible for Western audiences, and the English dub is solid. Oh, and this is important: watch the show, not the live-action movie!

    8. Derry Girls (Comedy)

    Netflix

    What it's about: Set in the 1990s in the midst of the political conflict in northern Ireland, the show follows five teenagers at an (almost) all-girls Catholic high school.

    Why you should just give up and watch it: If the '90s nostalgia doesn't hook you, the hilariousness of the girls' antics will. Anyone who attended Catholic school will especially relate.

    9. The Good Place (Comedy)

    NBC

    What it's about: Eleanor (Kristen Bell) finds herself in the "Good Place" (read: Heaven) after an accident ends her life, but the problem is she's a terrible person and clearly doesn't belong there. She enlists the help of her mistakenly assigned soulmate Chidi (William Jackson Harper) to teach her how to be a better person and — hopefully — keep her secret safe.

    Why you should just give up and watch it: At first, it might seem like this show doesn't have legs. How long could it possibly be interesting to watch someone live in heaven? But the story's twists and turns keep you on your toes, and the characters become more and more fleshed-out as the cast settles into their roles. In particular, D'arcy Carden is an absolute genius as Janet. The show is currently in its final season on NBC, so catching up right now on Netflix will put you in position to watch the finale as it airs.

    10. Dark (Sci-Fi)

    Netflix

    What it's about: When a child goes missing in a German town, four families begin to discover that they're more connected than they thought.

    Why you should just give up and watch it: If you're into Stranger Things, you might like this one too. It has a very similar sci-fi-conspiracy vibe to it, though it's a bit darker and lacks the '80s fun.

    11. Big Mouth (Comedy, Animation)

    Netflix

    What it's about: Teenagers go through the confusing, awkward, but sometimes magical ordeal of puberty and deal with their "hormone monsters" along the way. It's a coming-of-age show. Emphasis on the "coming."

    Why you should just give up and watch it: First off, the voice cast is incredible: Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Jessi Klein, Jenny Slate, Jason Mantzoukas, Maya Rudolph, Jordan Peele, Fred Armisen...I could go on, but suffice it to say this cast is stacked. Second, the show is rife with jokes about the awkwardness of puberty, but always makes the effort to approach the many facets of sexuality in a healthy and responsible way. Third, it's just really funny.

    12. Elite (Drama, Suspense)

    Netflix

    What it's about: Three regular teenagers enroll in a high school filled with students from ultra-wealthy families. Murder and intrigue ensue.

    Why you should just give up and watch it: If you love plot-twisty stuff like How To Get Away With Murder, you're gonna love this one. There's all kinds of wild stuff happening that'll keep you bingeing for days.

    13. American Vandal (Mockumentary, Comedy)

    Netflix

    What it's about: A group of high school students film a true-crime documentary about a crime committed at their school (someone spray-painted penises on the faculty's cars) and the student who may have been falsely accused of doing it.

    Why you should just give up and watch it: I can't possibly praise the cast of this show enough for being able to act like they're in a documentary so convincingly while also being so damn funny. If you've ever watched shows like Making a Murderer, you'll "get" this show immediately.

    14. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (Fantasy, Drama)

    Netflix

    What it's about: Set in the 1860s, the show follows a magician who practices ~actual~ magic, and his relationship/rivalry with another practitioner of the magical arts and sciences.

    Why you should just give up and watch it: You might want to read the excellent novel by Susanna Clarke first, as the show is a solid but imperfect adaptation of that source material. However, the show is great as well, playing with the traditional BBC period drama genre in fun ways.