9 Must-Watch Titles You Might’ve Missed on Netflix, Hand-Picked by an Entertainment Editor

Remember when we used to excitedly await Netflix DVDs in the mail? How about those thrilling trips to Blockbuster, where you picked a movie solely based on the VHS cover art? (And please don’t tell me you only know Blockbuster because of that recent Netflix series.)

Now, our viewing experience is much simpler. Subscribers can simply scroll through an app and there are thousands of choices right at their fingertips. However, this endless stream of content can be overwhelming, and often, I find myself missing the days of walking through those Blockbuster aisles. When most of us come home from work, we want to be able to kick back with a glass of wine and put on something we know we’ll enjoy. No one’s looking to spend an hour just scrolling for something to watch. That’s a job in itself!

So, as an entertainment editor, I’m here to provide a little guidance. I mean, I’m paid to watch TV (but to be fair—I was spending my free time bingeing shows long before I ever got this job). But as a fellow scroller, I’m looking to help filter through the filler. Here, I present nine Netflix shows and movies that you need to watch immediately.

• Starring: Najwa Nimri, Alba Flores, Carla Campra
• Number of seasons: 1
• We recommend if you enjoy: Desperate Housewives, The House of Flowers or Devious Maids

Many of us miss the suburban drama of Desperate Housewives, and this Spanish thriller from the creator of The House of Flowers (La Casa de las Flores) provides that same blend of neighborly politics and wine sipping with a little side eye.

In Holy Family (aka Sagrada Familia), we follow a single mom named Gloria (Najwa Nimri), who moves to a wealthy neighborhood with her newborn and her devoted nanny in tow, quickly befriending the local mothers in the process. However, Gloria’s got a slew of secrets up her tailored sleeve, and her world starts to slowly unravel when one neighbor begins to do a bit of digging.

One thing to know: the show is entirely in Spanish, so you’ll need to turn on the subtitles if you’re not fluent.

• Starring: Ali Wong, Steven Yeun, Joseph Lee
• Number of seasons: 1
• We recommend if you enjoy: Revenge, Killing Eve or The Glory

Road rage (er, parking lot rage) is a dangerous rabbit hole, and there’s no better depiction of that than in the new black comedy series Beef.

Starring Ali Wong (Always Be My Maybe) and Steven Yeun (Minari), this dramedy follows two people who let a near accident evolve into a full-blown rivalry, with each trying to one-up each other in their respective acts of revenge.

The tension is expertly built, but watching this show makes Uncut Gems feel like a meditation session from the Headspace app. So, if you can’t handle uncomfy viewing, then you might be better off with less stressful fare. But if you’re game, the sharp writing, powerful performances and nonstop drama makes for an unforgettable watch.

• Starring: Tan France, Gigi Hadid, Alexa Chung
• Number of seasons: 2
• We recommend if you enjoy: America’s Next Top Model, Project Runway or Making the Cut

Fashion lovers, assemble. If you find yourself googling outfits from your favorite shows or sketching clothing designs in your free time, then this reality series is for you.

Next in Fashion is a fashion competition series, which follows a group of designers who compete to win a $200k cash prize and the opportunity to have their designs sold on the retailer site Net-a-Porter.

While many reality shows lean into the drama, Next in Fashion is unique in that it’s laser-focused on the designs. Viewers not only get to watch some of the best rising designers flex their skills, but they’re also treated to a number of high-profile guests, including Eva Chen, Prabal Gurung and Donatella Versace.

• Starring: Emma Corrin, Jack O’Connell, Matthew Duckett
• Running time: 127 minutes
• We recommend if you enjoy: Pride & Prejudice, Fifty Shades of Grey or Bridgerton

Look no further for your saucy date night movie.

Period piece fanatics can only rewatch Pride & Prejudice *so* many times, but there’s been an influx of costume dramas hitting our screens recently, from the Dakota Johnson-starring Persuasion to the Brontë-inspired Emily. However, this film might have slipped under your radar.

Based on the D.H. Lawrence novel of the same, which was considered so salacious at the time that it was banned for obscenity (and we certainly know a thing or two about books being banned), this romance follows a wife who begins a passionate love affair with a gamekeeper once she realizes that her marriage is crumbling.

• Starring: Ama Qamata, Khosi Ngema, Gail Mabalane
• Number of seasons: 3
• We recommend if you enjoy: Switched at Birth, Élite or Savage Beauty

This crime drama follows a South African high schooler named Puleng (Ama Qamata), whose sister was kidnapped shortly after being born. Flash forward 16 years and Puleng’s world is rocked when she attends a party hosted by a local athlete…who she believes to be her missing sister. Dun dun dunnn.

Over three seasons, the twists and the drama have only increased, and if you eagerly devour teen dramas like Riverdale and Élite, then this series can’t be missed.

If you don’t believe us, maybe you’ll consider the endorsement from celebrities like Gabrielle Union and Lil Nas X, who both expressed their love for the show on social media.

• Starring: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph
• Running time: 114 minutes
• We recommend if you enjoy: Robots, Hotel Transylvania or Big Hero 6

If you’ve got kids around the house, or if you simply love a feel-good animated film, The Mitchells vs. the Machines is a lighthearted, comedic installment that deserves the same praise as Encanto or Frozen.

In The Mitchells, we watch as the somewhat dysfunctional Mitchell family takes a life-altering road trip in an effort to save the world from a robot uprising. What ensues is an uproarious sequence of hijinks.

Not only does this family-oriented movie include rare LGBTQ+ representation, whip-smart writing and colorful animation, but it also features a star-studded voice cast, with everyone from Olivia Colman to John Legend providing their best vocal acting.

• Starring: Sally McNeil, John Lowden, Shantina Lowden
• Number of seasons: 1
• We recommend if you enjoy: The Staircase, Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal or Why Did You Kill Me?

Among the plethora of true crime docuseries that exist on Netflix, Killer Sally stands out for its complicated portrait of bodybuilder Sally McNeil, who was questioned when she murdered her husband in an act of self-defense. Because Sally existed outside of stereotypical beauty and gender norms, she was doubted even further, and this series offers a unique slice of our justice system and the way that it helps, and hurts, women who are victims of domestic abuse.

With only three nearly-hour-long episodes, this limited series can be finished in one sitting, or it can be spread out over a period of time. Regardless, its themes will sit with you long after you finish it.

• Starring: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jonathan Bailey, Adrian Scarborough
• Number of seasons: 1
• We recommend if you enjoy: Fleabag, Broad City or Community

Everyone knows Phoebe Waller-Bridge for her Emmy-winning black comedy series Fleabag, but what you might not know is that in the same year, the English screenwriter created a miniseries titled Crashing (which also featured Jonathan Bailey years before he become the swoonworthy Anthony Bridgerton).

In this six-episode irreverent comedy, a ragtag group of twentysomethings become friends as they all move into an abandoned hospital that has been converted into an affordable living space.

If you love Fleabag, or shows of that ilk, Crashing offers features plenty of the same cringeworthy moments, dark jokes and complicated characters. (But be warned: if you thought Fleabag ended too soon, you’ll be cursing how quickly this show is over.)