Underrated TV Shows Nobody Talks About (But Should)

Some series arrive with quiet premieres, small marketing budgets, or awkward time slots, then finish their runs before many viewers even hear about them. This roundup brings together television from different countries, platforms, and genres, along with essential details that make each show easy to understand at a glance.

You will find creators, main cast, networks, episode and season context where useful, and production notes such as locations and release history. Use it as a guide to explore finished gems and limited runs as well as shows that returned for surprise revivals.

‘Patriot’ (2015–2018)

Amazon released this espionage drama from creator Steven Conrad, with Michael Dorman leading the cast alongside Kurtwood Smith and Terry O’Quinn. The story follows an intelligence officer working undercover at a Milwaukee industrial piping firm, with two seasons produced.

The production filmed across the United States and Europe with scenes in Prague, Paris, and Luxembourg and used original songs performed in character as a recurring device. Episodes run close to an hour and the show blends workplace operations, field missions, and family dynamics within a single serialized narrative.

‘Counterpart’ (2017–2019)

Starz commissioned this science fiction thriller created by Justin Marks and headlined by J.K. Simmons and Olivia Williams. The plot centers on a Berlin office worker who discovers a parallel world and a long running diplomatic arrangement, told across two seasons.

The series filmed extensively in Berlin and Los Angeles and features a structured mythology that assigns distinct agencies to each side of the divide. Episodes run about an hour and the show uses mirrored casting and production design to track characters across both worlds.

‘Terriers’ (2010)

FX aired this California set procedural created by Ted Griffin with executive producer Shawn Ryan, starring Donal Logue and Michael Raymond James. The story follows two unlicensed private investigators working small cases that connect to larger local corruption, told in one season of thirteen episodes.

The show filmed in and around Ocean Beach in San Diego and features a rotating guest cast tied to neighborhood institutions and real locations. Episodes run about forty five minutes and the season presents a complete arc with a case thread that builds from the pilot to the finale.

‘Rectify’ (2013–2016)

SundanceTV launched this Southern drama from creator Ray McKinnon, starring Aden Young, Abigail Spencer, J. Smith-Cameron, and Clayne Crawford. The narrative begins when a man is released from death row after new evidence emerges and follows the legal and personal aftermath across four seasons.

Production took place in Georgia with location work that anchors the family home, local businesses, and courthouse settings. Episodes run about forty five minutes and the series uses a linear timeline with occasional memory sequences to document appeals, investigations, and community response.

‘Halt and Catch Fire’ (2014–2017)

AMC produced this period tech drama created by Christopher Cantwell and Christopher C Rogers, starring Lee Pace, Scoot McNairy, Mackenzie Davis, Kerry Bishé, and Toby Huss. The story charts personal and professional shifts during the personal computer boom and the early internet era over four seasons.

Filming took place in the Atlanta area with art direction that tracks evolving hardware, office layouts, and networking gear from generation to generation. Episodes run about forty five minutes and each season moves the timeline forward, adding companies, market pivots, and industry conferences to the setting.

‘Lodge 49’ (2018–2019)

AMC aired this Long Beach set series created by Jim Gavin and starring Wyatt Russell, Brent Jennings, and Sonya Cassidy. The story follows an ex surfer who wanders into a fraternal lodge and becomes involved in the daily life of its members across two seasons.

Production used California locations for exteriors and built lodge interiors that remain central to most episodes. Episodes run about forty five minutes and the series includes recurring plotlines involving small businesses, apprenticeship programs, and the internal structure of the order.

‘Banshee’ (2013–2016)

Cinemax released this action crime series created by Jonathan Tropper and David Schickler, starring Antony Starr, Ivana Miličević, Hoon Lee, and Ulrich Thomsen. The plot follows an ex convict who assumes the identity of a small town sheriff while pursuing unfinished business, told across four seasons.

The show filmed in North Carolina and Pennsylvania and features practical stunt work with fight choreography that evolves with character histories. Episodes run about an hour and the series uses a case of the week rhythm that connects to ongoing organized crime arcs.

‘Happy Endings’ (2011–2013)

ABC aired this ensemble comedy from creator David Caspe with a cast that includes Eliza Coupe, Elisha Cuthbert, Damon Wayans Jr, Adam Pally, Casey Wilson, and Zachary Knighton. The show follows a friend group in Chicago across three seasons.

Production used Los Angeles for interiors with establishing shots that match Chicago neighborhoods and landmarks. Episodes run about twenty two minutes and the series uses stand alone plots that reference running gags and a consistent timeline across the seasons.

‘The Knick’ (2014–2015)

Cinemax produced this early twentieth century hospital drama created by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler with direction by Steven Soderbergh on every episode. Clive Owen and André Holland lead the cast as surgeons at the Knickerbocker Hospital in New York across two seasons.

The series filmed in New York and used detailed period sets, wardrobe, and medical equipment based on archival references. Episodes run about an hour and each season incorporates public health crises, surgical innovations, and hospital administration changes.

‘Utopia’ (2013–2014)

Channel 4 in the United Kingdom aired this conspiracy thriller created by Dennis Kelly and starring Fiona O’Shaughnessy, Alexandra Roach, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, and Adeel Akhtar. The story follows a group of forum users who obtain a mysterious manuscript and become targets across two seasons.

Production took place across England with set pieces that revolve around research facilities, safe houses, and public spaces. Episodes run about fifty minutes and the series combines serialized plotting with case files, codenames, and a central dossier referred to as the Utopia Experiments.

‘Review’ (2014–2017)

Comedy Central released this scripted comedy starring Andy Daly as a professional critic who evaluates life experiences by request. The show adapts the Australian format ‘Review With Myles Barlow’ and ran for three seasons.

Episodes run about twenty two minutes and present a structure where a viewer prompt leads to field segments and a rating at the end. Production uses recurring studio inserts that frame each assignment with on screen graphics and a consistent broadcast style.

‘Berlin Station’ (2016–2019)

Epix aired this modern espionage series created by Olen Steinhauer and starring Richard Armitage, Rhys Ifans, Richard Jenkins, Michelle Forbes, and Leland Orser. The plot centers on the Central Intelligence Agency office in Berlin and follows agents handling leaks and political cases across three seasons.

The production filmed on location in Berlin with additional work in Budapest and uses European political events as background context. Episodes run about an hour and the show employs a rotating case structure with season long arcs built around handlers and assets.

‘The Bridge’ (2011–2018)

The Swedish Danish co production known as ‘Bron/Broen’ premiered on SVT and DR with creator Hans Rosenfeldt and star Sofia Helin. The first case begins with a body found on the Øresund Bridge connecting Malmö and Copenhagen and continues across four seasons.

The series filmed in both countries and uses bilingual dialogue with alternating jurisdictional procedures. Episodes run about an hour and each season presents a complete investigation with returning character threads and unit leadership changes.

‘Giri/Haji’ (2019)

BBC Two and Netflix co presented this bilingual crime drama created by Joe Barton and starring Takehiro Hira, Kelly Macdonald, Will Sharpe, and Yōsuke Kubozuka. The story follows a Tokyo detective sent to London to locate his brother during a gang conflict in one season.

Filming took place in London and Tokyo with sequences that incorporate Japanese and English dialogue in the same scenes. Episodes run about an hour and combine police work, family dynamics, and organized crime meetings across connected locations.

‘Kingdom’ (2014–2017)

Audience Network aired this drama created by Byron Balasco and starring Frank Grillo, Kiele Sanchez, Matt Lauria, Jonathan Tucker, and Nick Jonas. The story follows a family operated mixed martial arts gym in Venice, California and spans three seasons.

Production filmed in Southern California with fight choreography coordinated by trainers from regional circuits. Episodes run about forty five minutes and the show follows training camps, weigh ins, and promotions with calendars that mirror real schedules.

‘ZeroZeroZero’ (2020)

This limited series aired on Amazon Prime Video and Sky and Canal Plus in Europe, created by Stefano Sollima with Leonardo Fasoli and Mauricio Katz. The story adapts Roberto Saviano’s nonfiction book and follows a shipment of cocaine from sellers to brokers to buyers in eight episodes.

Filming took place across Italy, Mexico, the United States, Morocco, and Senegal with multilingual dialogue tied to each region. Episodes run about an hour and the show follows three parallel tracks that converge at ports, warehouses, and financial hubs.

‘Sweet/Vicious’ (2016–2017)

MTV launched this campus set vigilante drama created by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and starring Eliza Bennett and Taylor Dearden. The plot follows two college students who target sexual assault cases that have stalled within campus systems in one season.

Production used Los Angeles area locations for quad and classroom settings with a visual style that clearly marks night patrol sequences. Episodes run about forty two minutes and the season follows case leads, evidence handling, and the impact on student organizations.

‘Party Down’ (2009–2023)

Starz released this workplace comedy created by John Enbom, Rob Thomas, Dan Etheridge, and Paul Rudd with Adam Scott, Ken Marino, Martin Starr, Ryan Hansen, and Megan Mullally among the ensemble. The show follows a Los Angeles catering team and spans two original seasons and a later revival season.

Production filmed mostly in the Los Angeles area and uses a single event location per episode structure that resets the guest cast. Episodes run about thirty minutes and the show tracks employment status, auditions, and catering contracts across the seasons.

‘Dark Matter’ (2015–2017)

Space in Canada and Syfy in the United States aired this science fiction series created by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie. The plot follows six crew members who awaken on a spacecraft with no memories and continues across three seasons.

The show filmed in Toronto with ship interiors built on soundstages and recurring planets and stations established through standing sets. Episodes run about forty five minutes and the series uses character designations by number with backstory files and corporate factions introduced over time.

‘Please Like Me’ (2013–2016)

ABC2 in Australia and later Pivot in the United States aired this dramedy created by Josh Thomas, who also stars with Thomas Ward and Debra Lawrance. The story follows a young man navigating family changes and relationships across four seasons.

Filming took place around Melbourne with interior sets for the family home and shared apartments. Episodes run about twenty five minutes and the show uses a present day timeline with recurring holiday and birthday episodes that anchor each season.

‘Fortitude’ (2015–2018)

Sky Atlantic released this Arctic set thriller created by Simon Donald with Richard Dormer, Sofie Gråbøl, and Stanley Tucci among the cast. The story takes place in a remote town during a series of investigations that involve scientific research and law enforcement across three seasons.

Production filmed primarily in Iceland with additional work in the United Kingdom and uses severe weather conditions as part of the setting. Episodes run about an hour and the series introduces local government, mining interests, and research stations as recurring institutions.

‘Detectorists’ (2014–2022)

BBC Four aired this comedy created by Mackenzie Crook, who stars with Toby Jones. The show follows two friends who belong to a metal detecting club in the fictional town of Danebury across three series and a later special.

Filming took place in Suffolk with farmland and village locations that repeat across the run. Episodes run about thirty minutes and the series includes club meetings, permit processes, and finds that connect to local history.

‘Patria’ (2020)

HBO Europe released this Spanish language limited series created by Aitor Gabilondo and based on the novel by Fernando Aramburu. The story examines two families in the Basque Country over decades of political violence across eight episodes.

Filming took place in the Basque region with dialogue in Spanish and Basque and a timeline that moves between past and present. Episodes run close to an hour and the series uses court proceedings, memorials, and local institutions to structure the narrative.

‘The OA’ (2016–2019)

Netflix aired this mystery drama created by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij with Marling leading a cast that includes Emory Cohen, Jason Isaacs, and Phyllis Smith. The plot follows a missing woman who returns with a new identity and recruits a small group to carry out a plan across two seasons.

Production filmed in multiple states with rural and urban settings that align with each chapter of the story. Episodes vary in length and the series includes scenes that depict near death experiences, research facilities, and community meetings.

‘Station Eleven’ (2021–2022)

HBO Max released this limited series created by Patrick Somerville and based on the novel by Emily St John Mandel. The story follows a traveling theater troupe and a group of survivors who keep records and artifacts after a global pandemic across ten episodes.

Filming took place in the Chicago area and Ontario with production design that tracks the passage of time through repurposed spaces. Episodes run about an hour and the series uses a non linear structure that intercuts pre collapse events with later years.

Share your own overlooked picks in the comments.