Obviously with us all being stuck inside at the minute, we're increasingly turning to everyone's quarantine best friend, Netflix. I love seeing what others are watching on Netflix but usually, I find a lot of the shows and movies that people are recommending come up time and time again and obviously it's because these shows are good but there's also a lot of hidden gems on Netflix that are PERFECT to binge when you've got nothing else to do! I'm kind of known in my friendship circle for my niche Netflix taste so hopefully, you discover something new here to add to your watch list! (PSA: a lot of these are foreign because that's just who I am as a person)
High Seas
OKAYYYY so I can't speak highly enough about this show and I think everyone needs to watch it! Think Titanic meets the Grand Budapest Hotel. Basically, it's about a whole load of fancy people on a fancy cruise ship just after the war and people on board just keep dying! It's full of mystery and intrigue and the cinematography is DIVINE. I discovered it by accident and it soon became one of my absolute favourite shows I've ever watched! I actually rewatched it as soon as I finished it I loved it that much! It's Spanish so I recommend watching it subbed but the English dub isn't excruciating. Also, the cast is beautiful so it really has no flaws in my totally unbiased opinion.
Dance Academy
Okay, hear me out. I know this is a kids show but it's honestly one of the best teen dramas out there and I say this as someone who's not even a fan of dance movies. It basically follows the lives of a group of teenagers at a prestigious dance school in Sydney. It starts out a little cheesy but once you can get passed that you begin to fall in love with the characters and you will become so so invested. It touches so many important subjects from sexuality, eating disorders, religion, and grief. Oh, and you will definitely cry so don't underestimate the power of this little Australian gem.
after writing this it appears that they have removed dance academy from Netflix which is honestly an OUTRAGE but the entire series is. actually on the official
youtube channel so all is not lost!
Money Heist
This one may not be super obscure but every time I recommend it to people it seems that they've never heard of it and I don't know how because it's a phenomenon. It follows the story of a group of robbers breaking into the royal mint of Spain. It shows these robbers not as criminals but as flawed people trying to make a difference in the world and unlike your stereotypical crime drama you're on their side. Season 4 has just been released last month so now is the prime time to get binging!
Quicksand
This is a super intense Swedish courtroom drama that follows a high schooler who has been imprisoned and accused of murder. You follow her story of how she ended up in that situation as well as the aftermath. One of the lead actors, Felix Sandman also makes incredible music so that's worth checking out too!
Ragnarok
Before I begin, this has nothing to do with Marvel's Thor: Ragnarok. This Norwegian drama brings the Norse Gods to a modern setting so if you're at all interested in mythology this is a great shout! It follows the Jutul family who are a very wealthy family and the other families that live in their small town and focuses very heavily on environmental issues. It shares a lot of actors from the original SKAM series as well so if you've seen that you'll definitely recognise a few faces.
James Acaster's Repertoire
This is a bit of a rogue choice but there are load of stand up specials on Netflix and few are better than James Acaster's. I can't tell you how many times I quote this 4 part series and I think it is the crux of my entire sense of humour. So if you're after something a little different this is such a fun one!
Control Z
This one literally just came out today so I'm not quite finished it yet but I'm already obsessed. There's a hacker in a Mexican school setting out to expose everybody's secrets through blackmailing them! It reminds me a lot of Elite and The Shut up and Dance episode of Black Mirror crossed over if that makes any sense but trust me it's so, so good!
So that's a few of my Netflix suggestions: Obviously I also love shows like Sex Education, Brooklyn Nine Nine, and Queer Eye but this is supposed to be a niche Netflix list. Let me know your nichest Netflix pick because they are my FAVOURITES.
