Netflix has come a long way since it was renting out DVDs to customers. The now, ever-popular streaming service has thousands of movies and shows at the fingertips of anyone who is subscribed, and it can be hard to pick something to watch with all the options.
With the new season of Stranger Things, close on the horizon, there is no doubt that some great content can get lost in the mix. These are just a few of the hidden gems among the TV shows on Netflix.
The Magic School Bus
The Magic School Bus was a fun way to learn about science. Ms. Frizzle and her class would hop on the magic school bus and go on wild adventures exploring all sorts of new science topics each week. This show made learning not only fun, but engaging and helped give kids a creative way to bigger science . Even though the show was made for a younger audience, some would argue that it was a cartoon show that was made for adults and kids.
Although there were four seasons when the show originally aired, Netflix only has the first season. For fans, there are a few spin-off shows called The Magic School Bus Rides Again, and while the animation is different, and Ms. Frizzle looks and sounds very different, the show still seems to have the same premise as the one from the 90s.
Abstract: The Art Of Design
For anyone that is looking to dive more into the design part of life, Abstract: The Art of Design is the perfect fit. While it doesn't outright cover which Netflix show has the best costume design or things of that ilk, the show takes some of the best designers in their fields and walks through exactly what it is they do in their job.
From shoe designers to bio-architecture, this show is slowly covering it all in ways never seen before. Each episode brings viewers into the field of the designer and gives them an inside look at what all it takes for them to complete their job. It truly brings a whole new appreciation to the artistry.
Explained
Explained has ebbed and flowed in whether or not it's popular on Netflix. But, that doesn't negate the fact that it has explored some extremely interesting ideas.
The show Explained, having three seasons so far, covers a variety of topics and breaks down their history, their meaning, and how they affect everyday life. Some topics are more fun like "Dance Crazes" while others cover heavy topics like "The World's Water Crisis". With over 40 episodes to pick from, viewers can learn about a variety of topics in less than thirty minutes.
Unorthodox
In a four-part limited series by Netflix, Unorthodox follows a Hasidic Jewish woman as she runs away from an arranged marriage. The show was inspired by the book Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots, an autobiography written by Deborah Feldman.
As she looks to discover herself in Berlin with a group of musicians, her life seems to catch up to her as her fiance starts to look for her. Her journey as she finds her place in the world and learns about the other side of her religion makes for a compelling and emotional tale.
Sense 8
Sense 8 is a science-fiction drama series created by the Wachowski sisters. They are known for popular movies like Speed Racer, and Cloud Atlas.
In this show, they created a story about eight humans who are linked emotionally and mentally even though they live all around the world. These eight form a cluster called a 'sensate' which is a group of humans that can link and communicate with others in their cluster, sharing their knowledge and power. The show follows the lives of these characters as they learn to navigate this connection between each other and their battle against the bad guys - The Biological Preservation Organization (BPO) and Whispers.
Saved By The Bell
Netflix is now home to many classic shows from people's childhood. From Sister, Sister to iCarly, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network sitcom classics seem to be filling the selections more and more. One of the most well-known sitcoms from the 90s is Saved By The Bell, and all seasons are now on Netflix.
Watching Zack, Kelley, Slater, Jesse, Screech, and Lisa go through high school gave all viewers many relatable moments. The show creates a sense of nostalgia for fans of all ages as it covers some light-hearted topics like friends, relationships, and figuring out what to do after high school, but also some heavier topics like how sometimes Zack wasn't a good boyfriend, drugs, death, women's rights, and environmental issues. The realness of this old sitcom makes it the perfect watch.
Glow
Glow is a comedy-drama based in the 1980s about a group of women who formed a wrestling crew. The show covers their triumphs and tribulations both as a group and in their individual lives. It's filled with moments of joy and sadness as fans get to know each member of Glow (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) and even received high ratings by both IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, but was canceled after season 3 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Glow is not the show to let sit and collect dust in Netflix's large roster though. It is guaranteed to make fans laugh, cry, and feel empowered just as the women in the show worked to be as they fought for more rights in the 80s.
Love, Death & Robots
One unique show that often gets overlooked on Netflix is Love, Death & Robots. It now has two seasons out and provides a wide range of content in each season. The episodes all contain something related to the title of the show, and usually, there are all three aspects of the title in each episode, but each one also has a different story and animation style.
This kind of series is uncommon, but the show still manages to tell a beautiful story about love, death, and robots in each season. The episodes range from as short as six minutes to the longest episode being just under twenty minutes, making them really easy to watch at any time. Just be warned, some are cute and funny, while other episodes of Love, Death & Robots are really scary stories.
Wild, Wild Country
Documentaries can be a bit on the boring side sometimes, but not Wild, Wild Country. This six-part limited series on Netflix covers the conflict between Oregon locals and cult leader Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh as he relocated his people from India into Oregon. Drama, suspense, and major twists happen in this Netflix original. This isn't a classic true-crime docies either, as it involves lots of new layers that keep viewers wanting to binge the whole show.
The show came out in 2018 but was soon followed by a movie where an interview of the former Rajneesh spokeswoman returned to India. Between the show and the movie, this is a doc that is guaranteed to teach fans something while also keeping them at the edge of their seat the entire time.
Heaven's Official Blessing
For fans of anime, Heaven's Official Blessing is a great show to watch on Netflix. This show has layers of romance, fantasy, horror, and mystery all in one, making it appealing to a wide variety of audiences.
The Chinese series has captivated fans and made them fall in love with the character Xie Lian as he lives his life only to meet a demon king, Hua Chang. The two's story is told in a delicate yet powerful way involving ghosts, immortal humans who are considered gods, and a unique love story. If the plot isn't enough, the animation style is so beautiful and ethereal it makes fans feel as though they are floating between the mortal and the ghost realm.