While critical reception and scores on websites like Rotten Tomatoes don’t define the worth or quality of a TV show, all of these projects have earned their 100% scores. Each season of these TV series has earned a perfect score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and even when their audience ratings aren’t quite as high, they’re still impressive. These aren’tTV shows I’ll never rewatchor that viewers should watch because they feel they have to.These are fun, fresh, and innovative additions to their genresthat shouldn’t be overlooked.
While there are classicHBO shows everyone should watchand other prestige projects that get a lot of attention, these series don’t typically have perfect scores on Rotten Tomatoes. Part of the reason a few of these projects remain underrated is that they were heralded by critics as game-changing television but didn’t have mass appeal. Despite this, there’s something in each of these works for everyone who tunes in. Even if you’ve never heard of these projects, within just a few episodes, it will become clear that they’ll change your life.
10The Legend Of Vox Machina (2022–Present)
This D&D-Inspired Show Makes Strides In Fantasy Adventure
Prime Video’s fantasy show based on the web seriesCritical Rolehas had a lot more crossover success than the streamer might have imagined. While fans ofDungeons & Dragonswill automatically connect with the show, viewers of all kinds will find something to love aboutThe Legend of Vox Machina. Every member of the ensemble is unique and vivid, as in the tabletop game, but there’s even more room to explore narrative and character through the series thanks to the format of TV.
Thisfantasy show has had no bad seasonsso far, and it looks likeThe Legend of Vox Machineis going to make sure it stays this way. As many series of the genre are cut short and canceled before their time,The Legend of Vox Machinaremains engaging and popular, growing more so with every successive season. As the characters are enriched and the next campaign gets started,The Legend of Vox Machinawill only gain momentum.
100%
94%
9Jane The Virgin (2014–2019)
Satirical, Dramatic, & Eternally Fun, Jane The Virgin Won’t Be Forgotten
A twist on the telenovela genre,Jane The Virginis full of magical realism and miracles, beginning with the accidental immaculate conception that kicks off the events of the show. As stated by the lovable narrator many times over,the events ofJane The Virginhave to be seen to be believed,taking the characters on shocking emotional journeys full of twists no one could’ve seen coming. WhileJane The Virgindoesn’t shy away from melodrama territory, it doesn’t take itself too seriously in these moments.
Additionally,Jane The Virginensures that it grounds itself in true moments of realism to allow the more interrogative and genuine moments to capture the audience’s attention. By paralleling Jane’s journey to acceptance of her new role as a mother and the love triangle she’s caught in with the exciting criminal investigations behind the scenes,Jane The Virgintouches upon almost every genre of TV. Though it’s easy to laugh at the satirical tone of the show,viewers shouldn’t be surprised if they find themselves tearing up as well.
87%
8Somebody Somewhere (2022–2024)
Bridget Everett Gives A Landmark Performance In This Series About Grief
Bridget Everett leads the cast ofSomebody Somewhereas Sam, a woman adjusting to life in her hometown in the wake of her sister’s death. Taking solace in her group of friends, including Jeff Hiller as Joel, Sam is left feeling lost and uncertain without her sister, andSomebody Somewhereleans into this difficulty adjusting to life after death. While the writing and storytelling are fantastic,without Everett’s vulnerable and funny performance,Somebody Somewherewouldn’t be half as good.
A lot of recent TV shows grapple with the concept of grief and how to move on from a life-changing loss, but few do this as well asSomebody Somewhere. Critically acclaimed and award-winning,Somebody Somewherehas the accolades to prove that it’s a good series. However, every audience member should buckle in and be carried away by the humor and warmth of the show to understand just how good it is. Grief and joy have no trouble going hand-in-hand inSomebody Somewhere.
7Los Espookys (2019–2022)
Blending Horror And Humor, Los Espookys Is Eternally Memorable
The magical realism ofLos Espookyscontributes to the humor and unforgettable style of the underrated series.Starring Bernardo Velasco and Julio Torres,known forProblemista,Los Espookysfollows their characters, Renaldo and Andrés, as they attempt to translate their interest in all things horror into a business. Joined by a few friends and an enduring love of the unusual, the pair form the titular group and embark on a series of offbeat and hilarious adventures.
Despite being cut short after just two seasons,Los Espookysmade its mark on TV and earned rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. Unafraid to get a little strange and play with its premise,Los Espookyswas charming and irreverent from the start,poking fun at real-world events and issues within its fantastical world. While it would have been easy to watch many more seasons of the innovative show, it will never get old to revisitLos Espookysseasons 1 and 2.
80%
6Arcane (2021–2024)
Netflix’s Groundbreaking Video Game Adaptation Demonstrates What The Genre Can Be
The visuals are the first part ofArcanethat will capture your attention, but it’s the story and characters that will make you stay. Following the sisters Vi and Jinx, voiced by Hailee Steinfeld and Ella Purnell,Arcaneis about a lot of characters and events, but everything comes down to the love and anguish shared between these two sisters. Representing different sides of the conflict between the warring cities, Zaun and Piltover, Vi and Jinx are a product of the violent and hierarchical world they grew up in.
While it’s upsetting to see the pair in conflict, the fight sequences inArcaneare some of the best of the 2020s, incorporating elements of the video gameLeague of Legends. Waiting forArcaneseason 2 was agony, but it quickly proved itself to be well worth it, asArcanebecame even more fantastical and otherworldly without losing its emotional spark. The potential for spinoffs and other stories within theArcaneuniverse makes it a little easier to accept that the show is over.
5How To With John Wilson (2020–2023)
This Auto-Fiction Docuseries Pushes The Boundaries Of What TV Can Be
Whatever preconceived notions you might have about documentary TV shows,How To With John Wilsonwill subvert and exceed your expectations. The series is narrated and shot in man-on-the-street style by the star and creator, John Wilson.How To With John Wilsonsees the filmmaker take a new topic in every episodeand let it take him down a rabbit hole of adventure and possibility. All of this happens as he subtly includes context about himself and his own life, sparking sudden emotional weight.
Just three seasons long,How To With John Wilsonhas one of the best series finales of any TV series, asWilson made a conscious choice to end the project,wanting to reflect on how viewing his life through this lens changed it forever. Taking the audience on unexpected odysseys and putting himself in shocking situations, Wilson doesn’t shy away from taking the most outrageous possible course. This is what makesHow To With John Wilsonthe kind of series you get sucked into.
90%
4Dark Winds (2022–Present)
A Tense Crime Drama With A Sense Of Purpose
ThoughDark Windsis still airing, and it’s not certain where the series will go next, it’s not difficult to imagine that the upcoming seasons will be just as strong as the first three.Loosely based on the novel seriesLeaphorn & Chee,Dark Windsis a tense thriller but also a character study of its leads, Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) and Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon). Jessica Matten also takes center stage as Bernadette Manuelito, and the ensemble comes together to solve crimes in the American Southwest.
Dark Windsis helping to fill a niche on television by centering on Indigenous American voices and characters, and does so by crafting incredibly compelling stories and mining the crime genre for its best elements. As the series has progressed, it’s only become more dedicated to every aspect of its storytelling. It has given the characters room to grow while still following the thriller format that draws viewers in. It’s exciting to imagine whereDark Windswill go next.
75%
3Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005–2008)
An Animated Children’s Show That Changed The Face Of Fantasy TV
When an animated fantasy series is as popular and iconic asAvatar: The Last Airbender, it’s clearly for a reason. When it comes to this kid’s show, there isn’t a single aspect of the series that flags in terms of pacing, character, or world-building. Packed with lore and magic that the audience loves learning more about, as the world ofAvatarexpands throughout its three seasons, it only becomes more interesting and tangible, andthe characters get to develop and deepen alongside this vividly imagined fictional universe.
Even the less critically acclaimed spinoff,The Legend of Korra, is worth watching for the way it followsAvatar’s example and leans into the best parts of the story. These are the ways that the characters change and grow as they learn more about the way the world works and get to know the different cultural and social niches of the setting.Every successive viewing ofAvatar: The Last Airbenderunlocks a new piece of the showthat viewers never expected, allowing it to stand the test of time.
98%
2Feel Good (2020–2021)
This Romantic Comedy Series Is Too Underrated
Co-created by and starring the comic Mae Martin,Feel Goodis a loose interpretation of their experiences with love and addiction, looking at both through a comedic yet honest lens. They’re joined by Charlotte Ritchie, who audiences might recognize from her work in the more recent seasons ofYou. The pair play Mae and George, the hopelessly in love but slightly doomed couple who use their relationship to heal the wounds of their past.
Feel Goodis anunderrated Netflix TV showthat deserves a lot more love. The chemistry between Martin and Ritchie pours out of the screen, making it all the more painful to see Mae and George face challenges that shake the foundation of their connection. There is a litany of series out there about romantic love and obsession, butFeel Goodisn’t what audiences might expect. It’s raw in a way that doesn’t feel forced or overwrought, allowing the writing and performances to shine.
1Fleabag (2016–2019)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge Cemented Herself As A Genius With This Series
ThoughFleabagis far from the only great TV show that Phoebe Waller-Bridge has lent her talents to, it’s by far the best. Based on the creator’s one-woman play of the same name, both seasons ofFleabagare deeply emotional without sacrificing a moment of humor.The tragi-comedy ofFleabaghits home for contemporary viewers,as the series is timely without ever feeling dated or like it’s trying to appeal to a specific generation.Fleabagis for everybody.
The natural evolution between seasons and seamless transition to a new type of narrative that’s no less effective is a testament to the writing behindFleabag. While it’s sad that there won’t be any more episodes for the numerous fans to consume, being able to craft a definitive and worthy ending is what we would expect fromFleabag. As devastating as the show can be,its enduring hopefulness and innovative storytelling will always make us return toFleabag.
93%
