I’ve done the heavy lifting this week to bring you a hand-picked selection of the best Netflix TV series that are actually worth your time. This weekend presents a fantastic opportunity to explore three exceptional hidden gems. Ranging from thoughtful animated comedies to eerie Nordic mysteries and tense crime dramas, these underrated Netflix TV series deliver original storytelling. So grab your favorite snacks and get ready to binge-watch.
We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best free movies, and the best movies on Amazon Prime Video.
Legends (2026)
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Drama
IMDb rating: 7.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
Inspired by a true story, this gripping Netflix series is set in early 1990s Britain and follows an untrained team of ordinary customs officers. They get recruited into a top-secret operation, sent deep undercover into the country’s most dangerous drug gangs under entirely fabricated new identities known as legends.
The gritty tension builds beautifully from the very first episode as these normal civil servants struggle to survive in a volatile underworld while constantly risking exposure. This underrated TV series has outstanding lead performances, which capture the real people behind this story with striking authenticity. The dialogue is sharp and well written, and the show brilliantly captures the massive toll that living a double life takes on families and personal relationships.
You can watch Legends on Netflix.
Carol & The End of the World (2023)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Comedy, Drama
IMDb rating: 7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Sometimes the end of the world makes for the most relatable story of all. With a mysterious planet hurtling toward Earth, humanity spends its final months chasing every wild indulgence it can find. While everyone else throws wild parties, one woman, named Carol, just wants a sense of normalcy before everything ends. She searches for a sense of ordinary routine by working a mundane office job inside a quiet corporate building.
The show perfectly balances existential dread with a comforting slice-of-life charm that makes the apocalypse feel strangely peaceful. I loved how it finds deep meaning in the quiet moments of everyday life rather than focusing on explosive destruction. The unique animation style and the brilliant dry humor make it an absolute standout comfort show.
You can watch Carol & The End of the World on Netflix.
Katla (2021)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Mystery, Drama
IMDb rating: 7.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 79%
Grief has a way of taking strange shapes, and this Icelandic mystery series shapes that idea into an unsettling story. The story of this underrated Netflix series begins one year after a massive volcanic eruption buries a small town in ash, when mysterious figures resembling people long thought dead start emerging from the glacier.
The haunting atmospheric tension grips you immediately, and the eerie Nordic scenery makes the unfolding mystery feel even more disorienting. This TV series uses Iceland’s bleak, icy landscape to build psychological dread that creeps you out. I also liked the deliberate slow-burn pacing that keeps you guessing about the true nature of the ash-covered visitors.
You can watch Katla on Netflix.