From Dark to Lupine: The Top 20 Non-English Netflix TV Shows

20. Katla

Iceland, 2021 - present.
Drama, thriller, fantasy.
Duration: 1 season.
IMDb: 7, 3.

During the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Katla, a naked girl covered in ash appears not far from it. It turns out that many years ago she met with one of the inhabitants of the neighboring town of Vic and since then has not changed at all. And soon other unexpected guests begin to arrive: the dead and disappeared relatives of local residents.

The series from the director of the films "Everest" and "At the mercy of the elements" Balthasar Kormakur combines a dark post-apocalyptic atmosphere, a fantastic plot and philosophical reflections on attempts to fix the past. The fact that this volcano really exists and in recent years scientists have warned of the danger of an eruption adds pungency.

19. Ragnarok

Denmark, Norway, 2020 - present.
Fantasy, drama, detective.
Duration: 2 seasons.
IMDb: 7, 5.

The teenager Magne returns to his hometown of Edda with his mother and brother Loritz. He soon realizes that he can throw his father's hammer unusually far and even somehow manage a thunderstorm. In parallel, Magne reveals the secrets of a local rich family: they are to blame for the pollution of the environment and are even ready to commit murder in order to hide it.

The Scandinavian project unusually combines two seemingly opposite genres. On the one hand, Ragnarok is a typical series about teenagers and contemporary issues. On the other hand, myths about Thor and his struggle with the giant yötuns are woven into the plot.

18. Elite

Spain, 2018 - present.
Drama, detective.
Duration: 4 seasons.
IMDb: 7, 5.

Netflix series: frame from the series "Elite"

After the collapse of a school in a poor neighborhood, several teenagers are sent to an elite educational institution as compensation. At first, the heroes find it difficult to take root in the new community, but soon each of them finds friends for themselves. However, the children of the elite have their own secrets, and the newcomers unwittingly push the situation to a tragic outcome.

In this series, the authors added a detective thriller to the teenage melodrama. Each season, a new cruel crime takes place, against the background of which the secrets of the heroes are gradually revealed.

Since the fourth season, almost the entire core of the project has changed. And about the original characters, they released a series of short films dedicated to their further fate.

17. Marianne

France, 2019.
Horror, drama.
Duration: 1 season.
IMDb: 7, 5.

Emma became a popular writer with a series of books about the creepy witch Marianne, who appeared to her as a child. One day the heroine has to return to her hometown, and there she faces the nightmares of her past. Now Emma must write a new novel about Marianne, otherwise she will begin to kill her loved ones.

The French series will surely appeal to all fans of Stephen King's work, because its plot clearly refers to the books of the master of horrors. There are typical memories of childhood, screamers with creepy creatures and the atmosphere of a small but very dangerous city.

16. Sorjonen

Finland, France, 2016-2020.
Detective drama.
Duration: 3 seasons.
IMDb: 7, 6.

Police Commissioner Kari Sorjonen leaves his service in Helsinki and moves to the quiet Finnish town of Lappeenranta to devote more time to his family. However, it turns out that here, too, crimes regularly occur, which the detective will have to deal with.

The first Finnish TV series, purchased by Netflix, will delight the inhabitants of northwestern Russia with the familiar landscapes of Lappeenranta, where tourists so often travel. And the villains in this project often come directly from St. Petersburg. Otherwise, this is a typical detective story about a police officer who is trying to combine work with family life.

15. Lupine

USA, France, 2021 - present.
Crime, detective, drama.
Duration: 1 season.
IMDb: 7, 6.

Netflix series: frame from the series "Lupine"

Assan Diop from a poor family loved books about Arsene Lupine since childhood. When the boy grew up, he also became a criminal - as witty and noble as his literary idol. Diop each time accurately thinks through the plan of the next robbery and even foresees the reaction of the police. Moreover, he does all this not for profit, but out of a desire to take revenge on the man who killed his father.

The authors of the French TV series, in which the main role was played by Omar Si from "1 + 1", do not copy the plots of Maurice Leblanc's books, but only draw inspiration from them and adapt the action to modernity. Thanks to this, they ended up with an energetic and witty project with very controversial characters and unexpected plot twists.

14. Nude director

Japan, 2019.
Drama, comedy, biography.
Duration: 1 season.
IMDb: 7, 7.

The unlucky Toru Muranisi sells English textbooks. But when the hero returns home and finds his wife with her lover, his life turns upside down. He starts distributing audio recordings of sex. Then Muranisi decides to publish his own erotic magazine, and then opens a porn studio.

"Naked Director" can seem comical to the point of implausibility. And it is all the more surprising that he talks about real people. Real porn director Toru Muranishi has greatly influenced the Japanese adult film industry and has even managed to mitigate censorship in the country.

13. Alice in the Borderlands

Japan, 2020 - present.
Fantasy, action, thriller.
Duration: 1 season.
IMDb: 7, 7.

The unlucky gambler Ryohei Arisu quarrels with his relatives and leaves home. Together with two friends, idlers, the hero goes for a walk. All of a sudden, the whole trio moves into a dangerous parallel world. Now Arisu and his friends must participate in survival games, strictly observing strange rules.

The Japanese TV series is based on the manga of the same name, which was already released in 2014 as an anime series. And the original, as the name implies, refers to "Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll. Only instead of a fairy tale, the heroes find themselves in a semblance of a computer game.

12. Subura

Italy, 2017-2020.
Action, crime.
Duration: 3 seasons
IMDb: 7, 9.

Netflix series: frame from the series "Subura"

In one of the oldest criminal districts in Rome, Subura, drug trafficking and prostitution flourish. And after the mayor resigns, the local authority decides to knock out a new plot of land for building. However, his plans are spoiled by three young ambitious guys who are trying to achieve money and fame.

In 2015, the movie Subura was released, based on the famous book by Giancarlo de Cataldo and Carlo Bonini. And after his success, a prequel series about the formation of heroes was launched into development. Moreover, fictional fiction is combined here with the real history of Italian crime.

11. Blank slate

Belgium, 2017.
Thriller, drama, detective.
Duration: 1 season.
IMDb: 8, 0.

Annemy's girl who has lost her memory wakes up in the hospital. The heroine is informed that she is the last one to see the disappeared Thomas Specter, who is now wanted by the police. But Annemy does not understand which of the people she meets can be trusted, because even her loved ones behave strangely and suspiciously.

One of the scriptwriters of the series was Verle Battens, who herself played the main role. She managed to show a very controversial heroine who is haunted by nightmares even in dreams. "Blank slate" with its psychedelic and mysticism resembles the famous "Twin Peaks". Although the ending here is much more clear and prosaic.

10. Unorthodox

Germany, 2020.
Drama.
Duration: 1 season.
IMDb: 8, 0.

Esti, 19, lives in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn. She gets married, but then runs away from her relatives and goes to Berlin. Esti's husband goes after her with his brother. After all, it turns out that the girl is pregnant.

The writer Deborah Feldman herself asked the writers to remake her autobiography into a series. Although in the process of work, they partially departed from the real story, supplementing it with artistic plot twists. The result was a dark and emotional analysis of the order of the Orthodox communities.

9. Samurai gourmet

Japan, 2017.
Comedy.
Duration: 1 season.
IMDb: 8, 1.

Netflix series: still from the series "Samurai Gourmet"

An elderly Japanese man who has worked for a corporation all his life is fired. When he is retired, at first he does not know what to do with himself. But then the hero begins to simply walk around various cafes and restaurants, order his favorite food and remember events from his life. At the same time, he presents himself as a strong and brave samurai from the past.

Gourmet Samurai is the kindest and most relaxed TV series in this collection. There is no cool action game or detective story in it - just reflections on life and a lot of food. And the episodes of this project are 15 minutes long, and you can watch them even during a short break at work.

8. Fouda

Israel, 2015 - present.
Drama.
Duration: 3 seasons.
IMDb: 8, 2.

During the next conflict with the Arabs, employees of the secret division of the Israeli troops are trying to catch a terrorist. To do this, the heroes go to the enemy's territory and work undercover. But at any moment the situation can get out of control.

The creators of the series Lior Raz and Avi Issakharov themselves once served in combat units and know firsthand about the war. Therefore, the series turned out to be very naturalistic. The authors even tried to shoot a significant part of the action in natural light with a manual camera to ensure complete immersion in what is happening.

7. Ten percent

France, 2015-2020.
Comedy.
Duration: 4 seasons.
IMDb: 8, 3.

ASK's four employees work with movie stars. They have to forge connections between demanding directors and capricious actors, as well as solve all sorts of scandals. But suddenly one of the founders of ASK dies, which puts the company on the brink of ruin.

"Ten percent" was created by the famous agent Dominique Besnear, which made it possible to show such a funny and lively story. Firstly, a significant part of the plots from the series took place in reality. And secondly, in the project, many French actors played themselves. But the main advantage of "Ten Percent" is that this series is literally imbued with love for cinema.

6. Paper house

Spain, 2017 - present.
Thriller, crime, drama.
Duration: 4 seasons.
IMDb: 8, 3.

Netflix series: frame from the series "Paper House"

A genius criminal under the pseudonym Professor organizes the most daring crime in the history of Spain. He assembles a team that breaks into the Royal Mint building and takes hostages. The robbers are planning to take out a record amount of money. But everything can break down due to the too emotional actions of some gang members.

The beginning of the Spanish series is built on the constant deception of the audience's expectations: every time it seems that the robbery is on the verge of failure, but the Professor manages to think through even the most unexpected turns. And then the plot goes into frank melodrama: the heroes are more concerned with personal relationships than the success of the adventure.

5. Zombie Kingdom

South Korea, 2019 - present.
Horror, action, thriller.
Duration: 2 seasons.
IMDb: 8, 4.

In the Korean state of Joseon of the 16th century, the emperor falls ill, which causes a fierce struggle for power. The Crown Prince tries unsuccessfully to meet his father. But it soon turns out that the emperor died and then resurrected, becoming a carnivorous zombie. And now the whole country is engulfed in the invasion of the living dead.

The series, based on the web comic "Land of God," was Netflix's first South Korean project. This story combines two unusual genres: a typical story of a zombie apocalypse and a costume drama about political intrigue.

4. Sacred games

India, 2018-2019.
Thriller, detective, drama.
Duration: 2 seasons.
IMDb: 8, 6.

Netflix series: frame from the series "Sacred Games"

The city of Mumbai is steeped in crime, and the corrupt authorities are not even trying to fight the problem. A simple police officer, Sartaj Singh, suffering from the trauma of the past, is faced with a strange situation. One of the most wanted bandits in India calls him and says that the city will be destroyed in 25 days. And only he, together with Singh, can save Mumbai.

Many people still perceive Indian cinema exclusively as melodramas, in which they necessarily dance and sing. But "Sacred Games" from the very first shots are immersed in the dark and cruel world of crime. The thing is that the plot was based on a book by journalist Vikram Chandra, partially based on real events.

3. Shtisel

Israel, 2013 - present.
Drama.
Duration: 3 seasons.
IMDb: 8, 6.

Timid Akiva Shtisel lives in the orthodox Mea Shearim neighborhood in Jerusalem. He works as a substitute teacher, secretly enjoys drawing and is looking for a wife. In the latter, his father Shulem helps him in every possible way, who arranges dates for Akiva. But the son himself finds a beloved - twice a widow with a child, which shocks those around him.

Unlike Unorthodox, this Israeli project talks about the order of the Jewish community without judgment. There are many situations in life and good humor. And most importantly, "Shtisel" allows you to learn a little more about the everyday life of the Israeli Orthodox.

2. On the way to heaven

South Korea, 2021.
Drama.
Duration: 1 season.
IMDb: 8, 7.

Young Gyru helps his father run a very unusual business. Together they clean up the apartments of deceased people, trying to treat the former owners with respect. But suddenly Giru's father dies, and the matter goes to his brother, who has just been released from prison.

The series is based on a column by publicist Kim Se-byol. And he, in turn, talked about real events: he was the first to open a business in Korea for cleaning the houses of the dead. The controversial topic is presented in the series as delicately as possible: the authors mix arguments about death with the personal experiences of the protagonist.

1. Darkness

Germany 2017-2020.
Drama, fantasy, detective.
Duration: 3 seasons.
IMDb: 8, 8.

Children are missing in the small German town of Winden. This is strangely related to a nearby nuclear power plant. Yonas, a teenager who recently lost his father, finds himself at the center of events that will change the lives of four families in the city.

The German science fiction series has become one of the platform's most talked about projects. The authors showed a very complex story about time travel: the same characters appear here at several ages, and the fates of all the heroes are intertwined in an unexpected way. The project lasted for three seasons, and the finale summed up what was happening.