Some of these shows have been around for quite some time, and others made their debut in 2017.
A couple of them have ended or were canceled, or may, unfortunately, be on their way towards cancellation, but one thing they all have in common is that they all are fantastic shows that are criminally underrated.
Also, many of you aren’t watching them for some reason!
In this Peak TV era where there are too many shows and not nearly enough time to watch them, it’s easy for a few of them to slip under the radar. Below is a list of shows that you may not have checked out, but you definitely should!
Are there any hidden gems or underappreciated series missing? Sound off below!
Kevin (Probably) Saves the World
The world is in dire need of more joy and kindness. That’s why it’s baffling that more people aren’t tuned into this ABC feel-good family dramedy. It’s absolutely delightful and will make you cry happy tears every installment. Jason Ritter is an absolute treasure as Kevin, a formerly selfish, unhappy, depressed man who has found purpose in life with a mission as the last of the Righteous.
You’ll have to watch to fully understand the gist of it, just know that with the help and support of his angel, Yvette, his sister, niece, and friends, Kevin is becoming a better person. If you were a fan of Eli Stone or Pushing Daisies, with a dash of Touched By An Angel, you’ll love this. Will Kevin Save the World? Who knows? But he’ll definitely steal your heart.
The Sinner
This USA sleeper summer hit was a critical darling, but it didn’t have as big of an audience as it deserved. Based on the novel of the same name, The Sinner is about a young wife and mother who suddenly kills someone publicly on a beach and has no idea why. Evocative and thrilling, it will have you on the edge of your seats.
The Arrangement
This wildly addictive drama can be found on E!. The premise is wild from beginning to end: when an actress signs an unusual contract, it will completely throw her world off balance. Dating a high-profile actor isn’t anything like she envisioned, especially not when “The Institute” comes into play. We’re not saying this is about cult-religions in the entertainment industry, but we’re not disagreeing if someone else brings it up. It’s a twisted ride that’s deliciously good.
Claws
If you haven’t been watching Claws on TNT, then you are seriously missing out on one of the funniest, most creative, entertaining shows of the year. Claws burst onto the scene with its colorful characters, crazy plots, and so many laughs. The show follows ambitious Floridian manicurists just trying to make something of themselves and getting caught up in shady drug dealings and other crimes along the way.
Niecy Nash is at her best yet as the ringleader and “Mom” friend, Desna, and Carrie Preston as sweet but full of surprises Polly is an absolute hoot. The entire cast is phenomenal, and the show champions sisterhood among all of the hijinks and craziness, of course.
Travelers
How can you go wrong with this Netflix sci-fi hit starring Eric McCormack? You can’t. The future is bleak according to the time travelers in this gem of a show, and as a result, they have been tasked with traveling to the early 21st century (our present) and essentially trying to save the world. You know, the usual.
But between inhabiting bodies that aren’t their own while keeping up appearances, and dealing with conflicting orders, protocols, and other such complications, their task is far from easy. It’s the perfect type of sci-fi show that appeals to those who love the genre and those who don’t. The second season is currently on Netflix. You should definitely check it out.
Dynasty
Yes, it’s one of those pesky reboots, but the CW’s version of Dynasty is good old-fashion fun. They didn’t try to make it something spectacular. It’s not a show that takes itself too seriously nor tries to be something it isn’t. This isn’t a very dark version of the classic. Nope, it’s just soapy, absurd, mindless, dramatic fun. Who doesn’t need a little ridiculous, soapy fun sometimes? Check it out.
Queen Sugar
If you give OWN’s Queen Sugar a try, I promise you, you will not regret it. Queen Sugar is about everything: family, legacy, heritage, love, and business. The Bordelon siblings learning how to come together and take care of their father’s farm barely scratches the surface of this engrossing, complex, beautiful family drama.
In fact, the second season of this underrated sleeper hit delved deeper into the characters’ past and individual issues exploring love and loss within their relationships. Not to mention, with its exploration of the agricultural business, a big bad emerged and the fight to protect their land has raised the stakes in new and exciting ways.
Chance
I mean, it’s Hugh Laurie. What else needs to be said? Yes, Hugh Laurie was starring in this Hulu show right under your noses and many of you didn’t even realize it. Here’s another shocking tidbit, it just ended the SECOND season!
Chance is about a troubled forensic neuropsychiatrist (yes, another doctor!) who finds himself wrapped up in the dangerous but exciting life of his patient who has a split personality disorder. There’s intrigue, corruption, mental illness, and family drama. It’s a critically acclaimed show that few critics even tackled (but TV Fanatic did, so check out the reviews!), but it flew under the radar. So, give it a chance!
Legion
FX got in on their very own Marvel show with Legion. It follows a schizophrenic mutant who eventually discovers that there is more to him that he can offer to the world. It’s surreal, refreshing, and visually appealing. It has so much to offer, so you may want to check it out.
Greenleaf
OWN has another juicy family drama on its network, and it goes by Greenleaf. For some reason, this show generates even less buzz than Queen Sugar, and it’s a crying shame. Greenleaf is about a successful family whose business happens to be a megachurch.
If Queen Sugar is a slightly less soapy version of Dallas, then Greenleaf is like Empire with a Christian flair. There are mysteries, secrets, and lies, backstabbing, scheming and plotting, and so many scandals. Don’t let the church theme fool you, this show is scandalous and oh so good!
Marvel’s Runaways
This Hulu web TV series mixes something pretty standard: teenagers rebelling against their parents except with a superhero twist to it. Because in this case, their parents really are a criminal group worth rebelling against. It’s a teen drama, action-adventure, and superhero show wrapped up in one.
Mindhunter
Another Netflix show that is criminally underrated, this one delved deep into the human psyche. It’s about two FBI agents who paved the way for behavioral profiling of serial killers by attempting to study and understand the minds of psychopaths. Think Criminal Minds with a bit more edge.
The Brave
The Fall season brought us not one but three military-themed dramas, but honestly, NBC provided viewers with the best one. Sadly, the ratings don’t quite reflect the quality of the show, but that’s OK, there is still time for new fans to jump onboard. This drama about an elite team of undercover operatives gets better with every episode, and the team dynamic is endearing to boot.
Underground
This WGN hit is still one of the most underrated shows in existence and deserved Emmy recognition in more ways than one. Technically, it’s canceled thanks to WGN’s decision to ax their original programming, but valiant efforts to get it renewed somewhere else are still in the works by passionate fans.
Underground’s second season was action-packed and angst-filled and added into the equation historical figures like Patty Cannon and Harriet Tubman. In fact, an hour-long standalone episode about Harriet Tubman, titled “Minty.” is a masterpiece. It’s an incredible series that many viewers overlooked. The story, sadly, won’t continue as of yet, but you can enjoy the ride by catching up on it.
Mary Kills People
For a show with such a dark subject matter, Lifetime’s Mary Kills People is pretty damn hilarious in a dark way. If you appreciate dark comedy, pondering moral quandaries, and beautifully flawed characters, you’d love this show that isn’t generating nearly enough buzz.
Mary is an ER doctor by day and an “end of life” counselor by night. In other words, she provides assisted suicides with her partner and close friend, Des. It sounds simple enough (not really), but with the law onto her side business, her life becomes complicated.
The Leftovers
This HBO show is another critical darling comprised of three seasons. It’s about life after a global event that inexplicably led to a small percentage of the world’s population to disappear. As you can imagine, life after a rapture can be quite interesting, and this show may have wrapped up, but it’s still worth checking out.
Damnation
The USA network has taken a few risks with unusual shows that break away from their typical format, and Damnation is one of those shows. It is a period piece set in the 1930’s. It follows an unorthodox preacher leading an insurrection. It’s a bloody, violent tale with interesting twists, and it demands your attention.
Godless
You know what TV Fanatics need more of? Westerns! Guess what? There’s a pretty good one on Netflix that you may or may not have heard about it. Godless is about a band of outlaws who track down a man hiding from them in a female-driven, Old West Town. When the outlaws come to a ‘knocking, the town of badass women will do whatever it takes to protect their home.
The Good Place
This NBC comedy stars Kristen Bell and Ted Danson, yet it still remains an underrated gem that not nearly enough people are watching. This is about a seriously flawed woman who was accidentally sent to a Heaven-like Utopia and has to hide the fact that she’s far from perfect and teach herself to become a better person. Be a better person and check it out.
Timeless
Time Traveling FTW! We already know few people were watching this awesome NBC show; otherwise, it probably wouldn’t have been axed. Thankfully, enough of you raised some hell because it was renewed. Now, can more of you jump on board so we can avoid this fiasco again?
This show is fantastic. There’s a kickass trio, a complicated baddie, a freaking time machine, and so much more. If you can’t watch it for the amazing Abigail Spencer, the great costumes, or the sexual tension between Wyatt and Lucy, at least watch it for Rufus. Rufus, in all of his geeky, witty, quip-giving glory, is awesome.
Imposters
This Bravo series is one of the most amusing new shows that came out this year. It has all of the best elements: a beautiful but manipulative woman, a trio of misfits who begrudgingly become friends, betrayal, heartbreak, criminal activity, danger, and a few cons. Sounds awesome, right? That’s because it is. A con woman–Maddie– targets poor saps by making them fall in love with her before then scamming them of all that they’re worth. Ezra, Richard, and Jules are her victims who come together to arrange a little payback, but naturally, it doesn’t go according to plan. It’s a hilarious tale of a woman and her targets who become con artists themselves.
Dear White People
This Netflix hit is based on the movie of the same name. It follows a handful of minority students trying to navigate the often problematic waters of their predominately white ivy league school. It’s a comedy, but it covers serious topics and makes commentary reflective of real life. The title often throws viewers off, but it’s raved about for a reason.
Good Behavior
The ratings for this TNT diamond in the rough are infuriating. Good Behavior is positively riveting and will have you laughing, crying, swooning, or picking your jaw up off the floor with each episode. It’s coming off of an entertaining second season that went in so many unexpected directions it had fans glued to the screen.
Letty is nothing short of a hot mess. She’s an addict, alcoholic, con woman, and thief, and Javier is a dashing hitman with his own dark past. The couple is bad together, but they are even worse apart. They do a horrible job trying to stay on their best behavior, but that’s what makes this dark comedy so much fun.
The Gifted
The ratings for this Fox superhero show are less than ideal, but the show gets better with each passing episode. Maybe there are just too many superhero-themed shows to choose from, and some viewers just haven’t given this one a shot. They definitely should though. The tension between humans and mutants has escalated to whole new levels, and the remaining episodes of the season are bound to be thrilling.
Sneaky Pete
This Amazon show is the best! I happened across it by happenstance and was blown away at how good it is, but also, how poorly the promotion is for the show. I hadn’t heard a single thing about it and had to scour the internet for information after binge-watching it one night. I can’t be the only one; there have to be other fans out there somewhere!
This has a little bit of everything. A conman, Marius, attempts to start a new life after being released from prison, except he assumes his cell-mate Pete’s identity, and he ends up immersed in Pete’s dysfunctional family. Danger, secrets, and lies seem to follow him there, and the family has their fair share of them too. It’s entertainment for the ages.
iZombie
This CW zombie show sneaks up on you in the best possible way. It’s witty, gritty, and hilarious. The zombie mythology is refreshing, and it’s in such a way that it appeals to people who may not typically be into that type of genre. The characters are fantastic, the chemistry between them is also fantastic, and the show will take you on an emotional rollercoaster ride.
With three seasons under its belt, iZombie remains a cult hit, but it’s one of those shows that doesn’t get very many accolades outside of its devoted fanbase, and a surprising amount of people don’t even have the show on their radar.
SMILF
This Showtime comedy is about a young mother trying to balance single parenting, a crazy family, supporting herself, and more. The show is praised for its exploration of female sexuality and womanhood. Don’t let the title put you off, this is a smart, well-written series that will make you laugh, but it also makes you think.
Into the Badlands
If you are a fan of martial arts then you probably should be watching this AMC show. It’s a compelling, character-driven drama with a lot of ass-kicking and action. You can’t go wrong with that. With assassins and a battle for control over territory known as the Badlands, you won’t be able to tear your eyes away from this fantasy drama.
Glow
This Netflix comedy is pure gold and deserves more recognition. It’s about an organization of lady wrestlers in the 1980’s, which means you can expect big hair, bright colors, and loads of fun. It pays tribute to the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling in the most delightful, amusing of ways. It does not disappoint.
American Vandal
True Crime shows have taken over television, so naturally, Netflix would have a hit parody with a satirical take on it all. This show is about a high school student who takes it upon himself to investigate after multiple cars, belonging to high school teachers, are vandalized. It’s every bit as funny and entertaining as it sounds.
Queen of the South
Based on a telenovela, this USA show explores the dark, dirty, but the occasional glamorous world of the drug trade. By the second season, Queen of the South’s Teresa Mendoza blossoms into a calculating, clever woman who paves her own way. Teresa makes the best of a situation and lifestyle she didn’t get to choose.
She becomes a formidable rival to her former boss, Camila, and by the end of the season, the story brought viewers one step closer to witnessing how Teresa became a Drug Queen. It’s as exciting as USA’s Shooter, but not nearly as popular.
