Netflix’s Most Underrated Shows and Movies
Hi, {{first_name | friend}}. Welcome back to Worth the Watch!
If there’s one thing I’ve learned during my four years at Pix, it’s that everyone loves Netflix. Actually, it would be more accurate to say everyone has Netflix. For better or worse, Netflix is the ubiquitous streaming service. Your mom uses it to watch Virgin River, your niece uses it to rewatch K-Pop Demon Hunters for the 75th time, and your toddler cousin probably uses it to play World of Peppa Pig on his parents’ iPad. Yes, Netflix has games, and apparently they’re wildly popular…?
I’ve had my fair share of criticisms of Netflix over the years. One of my earliest editions of Worth the Watch took shots at Netflix for being the culprit responsible for making modern movies and shows dumber. But to give credit where credit is due, Netflix has more original content than any other streamer, and they also offer a ton of older movies and shows that you’ve probably forgotten about.
The problem is that with so many options to choose from, we naturally feel overwhelmed by choice. If you find yourself endlessly scrolling Netflix instead of actually watching anything, you’re not alone. That’s why I wrote today’s edition of Worth the Watch—to point you towards Netflix’s must-watch shows and movies that get lost in the algorithm, so you can spend more time watching and less time scrolling. Happy streaming!
The One-Season Wonder
The Midnight Gospel
A spacecaster (a podcaster, but in space) named Clancy (Duncan Trussell) leaves the comfort of his home to interview beings living on dying worlds. Together they explore questions of life, death, and everything in between.
Of all the shows Netflix has canned after one season, The Midnight Gospel was the most devastating for me. I’ve been singing the praises of this animated series for six years, with no plan of stopping. This show, more than any other piece of media I’ve ever seen, highlights the beautiful, profound impact of a great conversation.
The dialogue in the show feels real and unscripted. As I later learned, that's because each episode is based on a real conversation, using real clips from Trussell’s podcast, the Duncan Trussell Family Hour. If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “I wish the characters would talk how real people actually talk,” this is the show for you!
Fun fact: A couple of years ago I made a whole video essay on my YouTube channel breaking down why this series is an underappreciated masterpiece. Go watch it!
The streaming guide is right behind this.
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