23 Underrated Television Series For Your Spring Break Binge (And Where To Watch Them)

    If you have a staycation planned for Spring Break 2022, we just might have the show for you...

    Ken W. Hanley
    by Ken W. Hanley

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    For most people, Spring Break means vacations, parties, excursions, and the first chance of the year to have some fun in the sun.

    Fox

    Yet, there are more people than ever deciding on the more affordable and safer option of remaining home for their 2022 Spring Breaks, and we hope that this list of binge-worthy television series will help you pass the time and make the most of your "staycation."

    23. Black Sails

    Toby Stephens in "Black Sails"
    Starz / Pictorial Press Ltd / Courtesy Alamy

    It's Game of Thrones on the high seas, as this prequel to Treasure Island posits a more realistic, adult-oriented pirate series filled with brutal violence, sweaty sex, and shocking twists.

    Where to Watch: All 38 episodes of Black Sails are streaming on Hulu / Starz.

    22. Salem

    Janet Montgomery & Elise Eberle in "Salem"
    WGN America / AF Archive / Courtesy Alamy

    This overlooked slice of witchsploitation absolutely deserves your attention, as its steamy melodrama is well-complimented by an abundance of incredibly impressive practical SFX.

    Where to Watch: All 36 episodes of Salem are streaming on Hulu.

    21. Murderville

    Will Arnett, Conan O'Brien and Lilan Bowden in "Murderville"
    Darren Michaels / Netflix/ The Hollywood Archive / Alamy

    Will Arnett mines comedy gold from this hysterical new series, in which celebrity guests (ranging from Conan O'Brien to Marshawn Lynch to Sharon Stone) have to improvise their way through an over-the-top murder mystery.

    Where to Watch: All 6 episodes of Murderville are streaming on Netflix.

    20. G.L.O.W.

    Alison Brie in "G.L.O.W."
    PictureLux / The Hollywood Archive / Alamy

    From the creative team behind Orange Is the New Black, G.L.O.W. effortlessly balances comedy and drama with this fictionalized retelling of the bombastic and campy women's wrestling promotion of the same name in the 1980s.

    Where to Watch: All 30 episodes of G.L.O.W. are streaming on Netflix.

    19. The Knick

    Clive Owen in "The Knick"
    Cinemax / Allstar Picture Library Ltd. / Courtesy Alamy

    Visionary director Steven Soderbergh injects a palpable tension into every episode of this incredible early 1900s-set medical drama, which will keep your eyes glued to the screen even if the procedures themselves tempt you to look away.

    Where to Watch: All 20 episodes of The Knick are streaming on HBO Max.

    18. Shut Eye

    Isabella Rossellini in "Shut Eye"
    Hulu / Via YouTube

    A modern crime story entrenched in the seedy underbelly of LA's psychic reading and high-money spiritualism, Shut Eye is a compelling, explosive, and occasionally surreal spin on an oh-so-tired subgenre.

    Where to Watch: All 20 episodes of Shut Eye are streaming on Hulu.

    17. Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun

    "Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun"
    Netflix / Via YouTube

    This subversive and bizarre sketch comedy series featuring the viral Australian comedy troupe Aunty Donna is a genuine laugh riot, hitting nearly every hilarious premise out of the park by doubling down on its own absurdity.

    Where to Watch: All 6 episodes of Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun are streaming on Netflix.

    16. Mr. Mercedes

    Brendan Gleeson in "Mr. Mercedes"
    Peacock / Via YouTube

    This demented cat-and-mouse thriller from the mind of Stephen King is a gripping binge, which might mean some unexpectedly late nights in which you might end up sleeping with the lights on.

    Where to Watch: All 30 episodes of Mr. Mercedes are streaming on Peacock.

    15. Banshee

    Antony Starr in "Banshee"
    Cinemax / Album / Courtesy Alamy

    Before he raised hell as Homelander on The Boys, Antony Starr turned heads as criminal-turned-cop Lucas Hood, who navigates the complicated and often violent landscape of Banshee, Pennsylvania, as he attempts to reconnect with his former lover and avoid vengeful mobsters.

    Where to Watch: All 38 episodes of Banshee are streaming on HBO Max.

    14. Review

    Andy Daly in "Review"
    Comedy Central / Via YouTube

    Anchored by a painfully funny performance by Andy Daly, Review follows a mild-mannered yet determined television host who is committed to reviewing life experiences, whether that may be joining a cult, going to space, or eating an ungodly amount of pancakes.

    Where to Watch: All 22 episodes of Review are streaming on Paramount+.

    13. Inside No. 9

    Steve Pemberton, Reece Shearsmith and Alexandra Roach in "Inside No. 9"
    BBC / Prod.DB / Courtesy Alamy

    In this often twisted spin on a Twilight Zone-esque anthology series that weaves between heartbreaking drama, irony-laced comedy, and pulse-pounding horror, Inside No. 9 feels like an assortment of clever and engrossing one-act plays that are always one step ahead of the audience.

    Where to Watch: All 37 episodes of Inside No. 9 are streaming on Britbox.

    12. The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret

    David Cross in "The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret"
    IFC / Via YouTube

    Priding itself on finding uncomfortable new lows for dark and cringe comedy, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret is an amazing series that'll have you either doubled-over in fits of laughter or gasping in utter disbelief.

    Where to Watch: All 18 episodes of The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret are available for rental on video-on-demand.

    11. The Good Lord Bird

    Ethan Hawke and Zainab Jah in "The Good Lord Bird"
    Showtime Networks / Prod.DB / Courtesy Alamy

    Adapted from James McBride's award-winning novel, The Good Lord Bird showcases Ethan Hawke in a powerhouse performance as gun-toting abolitionist John Brown as he guides the newly freed Henry "Onion" Shackleford (a phenomenal Joshua Caleb Johnson) in attempting to incite a slave revolt shortly prior to the American Civil War. 

    Where to Watch: All 7 episodes of The Good Lord Bird are available to stream on Showtime.

    10. Peacemaker

    Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Chukwudi Iwuji, Danielle Brooks and John Cena in "Peacemaker"
    HBO Max / The Hollywood Archive / Courtesy Alamy

    Whether or not you enjoyed James Gunn's irreverent and ultraviolent The Suicide Squad, there is plenty to be loved about Peacemaker, a superhero series that feels antithetical to all things superhero-y, including exceptionally crude humor, quiet (and affecting) sentimentality, and an opening dance number that would be a crime to skip.

    Where to Watch: All 8 episodes of Peacemaker are available to stream on HBO Max.

    9. Channel Zero

    Paul Schneider in "Channel Zero"
    Universal Cable Productions/ AF Archive / Courtesy Alamy

    Quite possibly the scariest television series in recent memory, Syfy's anthology show brought some of the most iconic and frightening creepypastas to life while providing an exhibition for a new generation of stellar horror filmmakers.

    Where to Watch: All 24 episodes of Channel Zero are available to stream on Shudder.

    8. Legion

    "Legion"
    FX Networks / AF Archive / Courtesy Alamy

    It's hard to describe a Marvel project as "underrated," but the X-Men franchise decided to take a gamble on this surreal and unsettling small screen expansion of their universe, headlined by an astounding Dan Stevens in a career redefining performance that evolves in a fairly unpredictable fashion.

    Where to Watch: All 27 episodes of Legion are available to stream on Hulu.

    7. Smiling Friends

    "Smiling Friends"
    Adult Swim / Via YouTube

    If you've been on the internet for any extended period of time in the past 6 weeks, you likely have had a glimpse of the meme-worthy Smiling Friends, Adult Swim's hysterical and chaotic animated series about employees of a service dedicated to cheering up those in need (and occasionally solving a murder).

    Where to Watch: All 8 episodes of Smiling Friends are available to stream on HBO Max.

    6. Jean-Claude Van Johnson

    Jean-Claude Van Damme in "Jean-Claude Van Johnson"
    Amazon Studios / AF archive / Alamy

    Jean-Claude Van Damme plays a depressed super-agent posing as legendary '90s action star Jean-Claude Van Damme in this short-lived meta-comedy series.

    Where to Watch: All 6 episodes of Jean-Claude Van Johnson are available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

    5. Yellowjackets

    "Yellowjackets"
    Showtime / Via YouTube

    The secrets of the past collide with the horrors of the present to fuel the mystery of Yellowjackets, Showtime's incredibly popular and spellbinding suspense series.

    Where to Watch: All 10 episodes of Yellowjackets are available to stream on Amazon Prime Video / Showtime.

    4. Emerald City

    Adria Arjona in "Emerald City"
    NBC / Album / Courtesy Alamy

    Bolstered by the unique approach from visionary filmmaker Tarsem, Emerald City is an imaginative and beautiful retelling of The Wizard of Oz with legitimately jaw-dropping costumes, practical real-world sets, and unexpected spins on the property's most renowned characters.

    Where to Watch: All 10 episodes of Emerald City are available to stream on the NBC App.

    3. Los Espookys

    "Los Espookys"
    HBO / Via YouTube

    From executive producers Fred Armisen and Lorne Michaels, this series is in Spanish and is a comedy series about a group of friends who construct horror movie-esque scenarios for private employers. It has a metric ton of belly laughs in its bite-sized inaugural season.

    Where to Watch: All 6 episodes of Los Espookys are available to stream on HBO Max.

    2. Dark Side of the Ring

    "Dark Side of the Ring"
    Vice / Via YouTube

    With colorful re-enactments, shocking testimonials, and unbelievable archive footage from throughout the history of professional wrestling at their disposal, Vice has created one of the best and most sensational docu-series going today in Dark Side of the Ring.

    Where to Watch: All 30 episodes of Dark Side of the Ring are available to stream on Hulu.

    1. The Last Man on Earth

    Will Forte in "The Last Man on Earth"
    FOX Network / Album / Courtesy Alamy

    Not only is the Will Forte-fronted The Last Man on Earth easily among the funniest and most unhinged mainstream shows in recent memory, but it may likely be among the best modern television programs, period.

    Where to Watch: All 67 episodes of The Last Man on Earth are available to stream on Hulu.