While it’s undoubtedly one of the best streaming services in the world, finding something you want to watch on Netflix can sometimes be harder than it should be. The sheer volume of options means that there’s something for everyone, but it also means that, if you don’t already know what you’re looking for, you can spend more time scrolling through the streaming service than actually watching anything.
We’re here to help with this dilemma. We’ve selected three underrated shows available on the service that are well worth your time. They’re the perfect place to start if you’re unsure of what to check out next.
When you’re done here, check out the best new movies to stream this week, as well as the best shows on Netflix, best shows on Hulu, best shows on Amazon Prime Video, and best shows on Disney+.
Call the Midwife (2012-)
A brilliant series that purposefully defies the serialization of so much modern TV, Call the Midwife is adapted from a series of memoirs, and focuses on the life of a midwife working at a convent in the 1950s in the U.K. Although there are some overarching themes and ideas, the series is mostly about the show’s central nuns and midwives learning about the lives of the patients that they treat, and dealing with the conundrums that arise from those interactions.
It’s a beautiful, funny, sometimes deeply emotional series that has already run more than 10 seasons and should run for as long as those behind it want to keep making it.
You can watch Call the Midwife on Netflix.
Monk (2002-2009)
Look, is Monk‘s depiction of what it’s like to live with obsessive-compulsive disorder accurate? No, but the show is usually pretty sensitive about its central character, even if his mental illness does help him solve a variety of murders. What really makes Monk work, though, is that Tony Shalhoub is so excellent in the central role.
He’s the perfect combination of genuinely hilarious and ultimately sweet and human. The way Monk is written doesn’t necessarily suggest that Adrian Monk is a grounded person, but that’s exactly what Shalhoub turns him into.
You can watch Monk on Netflix.
Six Feet Under (2001-2005)
Death is a part of almost all TV shows, but it rarely gets as much focus as it does on Six Feet Under. Telling the story of a family who comes back together to run their father’s funeral home in the aftermath of his death, the show is truly just a family drama about messed-up people who are trying to find a way to live with one another.
The show was acclaimed while it was on the air, and its final moments will take your breath away. The whole journey is worth going on, though, in part because the cast that was assembled for the series went on to prove themselves to be among the best actors of their generation.
You can watch Six Feet Under on Netflix.