Eight underrated shows to put on your watchlist

Saya Uotanion 25 June 2019
choosing what to watch on TV

Everyone watches Riverdale (no matter how trash it’s gotten), Friends (yeah, it’s super unrealistic), and Love Island - don’t even get me started... But there are some absolute gems that people don’t know about in the glorious land of TV! Here are some picks to get you started…

1. Insecure - HBO 

One of my absolute favourite shows right now. There are 3 seasons so far, and a 4th one is coming next year! Issa Rae, the creator and main character of the show is hilarious and so are her wing-women Molly (Yvonne Orji), Kelli (Natasha Rothwell), and Tiffany (Amanda Seales). 

clip from Insecure gif

2. Lucifer - Netflix

Yes, I too, thought this was going to be some dumb mashup of The Vampire Diaries and Chuck Bass in a police setting. How wrong I was! This show is witty, twisty, and has some great character development. A solid 10. 

clip from Lucifer show gif

3. Dynasty - Netflix, The CW

One word: fashion. Ever since Gossip Girl ended, there hasn’t really been a TV show that features iconic looks every week. Dynasty’s got you covered. The plot can be a bit predictable and over-the-top, but everyone in the show is so pretty to look at that you won’t care.

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4. Good Girls - Netflix 

Season 3 just came out and I’m still hooked. A perfect combination of funny, scary, heartwarming, sexy, real, and empowering. The three main characters, Elizabeth (Christina Hendricks), Ruby (Retta), and Annie (Mae Whitman) kill it in each of their roles. 

clip from Good Girls show gif

5. Smash - NBC

As a musical theatre fan, I’m still mad they cancelled this. It’s like Glee for grown-ups. 

clip from Smash show gif

6. Grown-ish - Freeform

Most spin-offs kind of suck, but I think this one is really well done. At its roots it’s an American college TV show, but the nuances and realism it has about being a (vom) “millennial” and how that changes how relationships and lifestyles work make it quite special. 

clip from Grown-ish show gif

7. Black Lightning - Netflix, The CW 

A lot of superhero TV shows can be a bit shallow, but Black Lightning deals with important current topics like Black Lives Matter head on. The soundtrack is also fire. 

gif from Black Lightning show

8. Greenleaf - Netflix, OWN

I didn’t think I’d be interested in a show about a family that runs a giant church in the American deep south, but the acting in this show is amazing, and the plot is so deep. It really makes you think about family, loyalty, and love, so if you’re feeling a bit pensive, give this one a try. 

Now go update that watchlist before you forget!

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Saya Uotanion 25 June 2019