Sometimes I find an incredible recommendation from a random person on the internet who is raving about a show to watch. Other times, I stare at the screen in confusion and severely question their judgment in saying it's a good show.
Wouldn't it be easier to have faith in recommendations online if you knew the person liked the same shows you do? My trust issues say yes, yes it would. I decided to do a little social experiment and asked the BuzzFeed Community to share their favorite popular show, along with an underrated show they recommend. If you like any of these well-known shows, then maybe the suggestions that go along with them will be truly trustworthy:
1. Popular show: The Great British Bake Off + underrated pick: The Dog House UK
"If you like The Great British Bake Off, try The Dog House UK. It’s set at an animal charity where the staff are matchmakers for would-be adopters and dogs in need of a home. Both shows have similar heartwarming vibes."
The Dog House UK is available on Max. You can check out the trailer here:
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2. Popular show: Lost + underrated pick: Deadwood
"Popular: Lost. (I loved the ending! Leave me alone.) Underrated: Deadwood. It was on HBO years ago and only had two seasons. It's NOT for the fainthearted. If you have kids and they walk in while you're watching it, there is a 100% chance you will all be traumatized. But the story and acting are just so good, and the moments of comedy are done perfectly."
Deadwood is available on Max. You can check out the trailer here:
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3. Popular show: Mr. Robot + underrated pick: Taxi Driver
"One of my favorite shows of all time is Mr. Robot. If you miss Rami Malek as Elliot Alderson, the themes focusing on bringing down the 1 percent's corruption, facing past traumas, accepting the love of others and yourself, facing your demons, and a neo-noir grunge aesthetic — I'd recommend trying out Taxi Driver. It's a highly underrated series from South Korea. It's almost like Mr. Robot, but without the extreme horrors and mindfuckery. The series has strong Mr. Robot vibes, and Lee Je-hoon as Kim Do-ki will remind you so much of Elliot. It highlights a lot of topics that are based on IRL cases in South Korea, including bullying, ableism, sexual harassment, medical malpractice, abuse, PTSD, corrupt law, grooming, gaslighting, etc."
Taxi Driver is available on Viu (in certain countries). You can check out the trailer here:
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4. Popular show: Downton Abbey + underrated pick: Pushing Daisies
"Popular: Downton Abbey. I thought it looked incredibly boring, and I simply had no interest. But then the pandemic started and I was like — might as well. I was hooked within the first half hour. Watched the entire series and then made my husband watch it with me. He loved it as well.
"Underrated: Pushing Daisies. Absolutely one of my top three shows of all time. Visually stunning, amazing dialogue, laugh-out-loud funny, and incredibly romantic. Two seasons just wasn't enough."
5. Pushing Daisies is available on Max. You can check out the trailer here:
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6. Popular show: Arrested Development + underrated pick: What We Do in the Shadows
Fans of Arrested Development may enjoy What We Do in the Shadows for its similar overconfident characters, deadpan humor, and convoluted plotlines. It's sorta like everything we know and love about Arrested Development...plus vampires.
What We Do in the Shadows is available on Hulu. You can watch the trailer here:
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7. Popular show: The Good Place + underrated pick: Raising Hope
"A popular show I recommend is The Good Place. As Eleanor would say, 'It’s forking good.'
"An underrated show I recommend is Raising Hope. I found it one day on Netflix and watched it all in one sitting. Highly recommend. Its comedy was just so on point."
Raising Hope is available on Netflix. You can check out the trailer here:
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8. Popular show: Golden Girls + underrated pick: A Million Little Things
"My favorite popular show is Golden Girls, and an underrated show I'd recommend is A Million Little Things. It brings up difficult topics and gives them the attention they deserve. You can tell everyone involved cared deeply about portraying these issues with the sensitivity and respect they deserve. At the same time, the characters are so interesting, and actors are so excellent that you’ll want to binge-watch it."
A Million Little Things is available on Hulu. You can watch the trailer here:
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9. Popular show: Vampire Diaries + underrated pick: Orphan Black
"My favorite popular show is The Vampire Diaries because duh?? My favorite underrated show is Orphan Black. Tatiana Maslany has the range to play so many different characters in one show. The storyline. Genius. I love it."
Orphan Black is available on Apple TV. You can watch the trailer here:
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10. Popular show: The Office + underrated pick: Psych
"Huge fan of The Office. My underrated favorite show would be Psych. Both shows have a cult following, but the cult following for The Office is much bigger."
Psych is available on Amazon Prime. You can watch the trailer here:
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11. Popular show: Ted Lasso + underrated pick: Dave
"Fave popular show is Ted Lasso, and underrated is Dave. Both are hilarious in different ways."
Dave is available on Hulu. You can watch the trailer here:
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12. Popular show: Ted Lasso + underrated pick: Extraordinary
"My current favorite popular show is Ted Lasso, and an underrated show I recommend is Extraordinary. It has very offbeat British humor. After one specific scene toward the end of the season, I laughed so hard for so long (if you know, you know). Please give it a chance! I need a Season 2."
Extraordinary is available on Hulu. You can watch the trailer here:
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13. Popular show: Parks and Recreation + underrated pick: Superstore
"One my favorites is Parks and Recreation, and a criminally underrated show is Superstore! It’s hilarious, well written, and off the wall, has good chemistry between romantic leads, and also handles real-life issues with empathy."
Superstore is available on Hulu. You can watch the trailer here:
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14. Popular show: The Simpsons + underrated pick: Class of '07
"My favorite popular show is probably The Simpsons. An underrated show that I can’t shut up about is Class of ‘07 on Prime. It’s like Lord of the Flies, but it takes place following a class reunion at an Australian girls’ school. Everyone please binge it because I would love a second season."
Class of '07 is available on Amazon Prime. You can watch the trailer here:
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15. Popular show: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia + underrated pick: The Righteous Gemstones
"If you like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, you should give The Righteous Gemstones a chance."
The Righteous Gemstones is available on Max. You can watch the trailer here:
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16. Popular show: How I Met Your Mother + underrated pick: How I Met Your Father
"My favorite popular show is How I Met Your Mother, and I would recommend giving How I Met Your Father a chance. The second season was better than the first."
How I Met Your Father is available on Hulu. You can watch the trailer here:
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17. Popular show: Supernatural + underrated pick: Grimm
Anyone who loves the early-2000s energy and spookiness of Supernatural may find their next comfort binge in Grimm, a 2011 drama series inspired by Grimm's Fairy Tales.
Grimm is available on Amazon Prime. You can watch the trailer here:
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18. Popular show: South Park + underrated pick: Nathan for You
If you find yourself cackling at the absolute absurdity of South Park because you can't believe how far they go for a joke, then you need to check out Nathan for You because he does the saaame thing. It's about an awkward consultant who goes around trying to help businesses grow by using really, um, creative tactics to do so. Much like South Park, most episodes are a total fever dream.
Nathan for You is available on Hulu. You can watch the trailer here:
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19. Popular show: This is Us + underrated pick: Craig of the Creek
"I'm late to the game, but This Is Us is my favorite popular show right now! I found it during a season of grieving and loss, and it hit home for me.
"I don't hear this show getting much play, but Craig of the Creek is that show when you want to tap into your childlike wonder and joy."
Craig of the Creek is available on Hulu. You can watch the trailer here:
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20. Popular show: M*A*S*H + underrated pick: Sports Night
"My all-time favorite is M*A*S*H. An underrated recommendation is Sports Night. It's an Aaron Sorkin show, rapid conversation, clever humor, all the Sorkin hallmarks. It stars Robert Guillaume, Josh Charles, Peter Krause, Felicity Huffman, Joshua Malina, and Sabrina Lloyd. The scene in Season 1, Episode 3, 'The Hungry and the Hunted,' when Jeremy gets back from his first assignment, is an all-time great."
Sports Night is available on Apple TV. You can watch the trailer here:
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I know I found so many solid suggestions from these responses that I've added to my watch list! Do you have any other shows to add to this list? Let us know in the comments!
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.