20 little-known but cool TV shows of recent years

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Projects that have remained in the shadow of high-profile premieres.

1. Cobra Kai

• USA, 2018 - present.
• Action, drama, comedy.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 8.

The series continues the story of the classic film The Karate Kid. Many years have passed since the famous battle. The life of Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) did not turn out well. And as a last chance to do something useful, he reopens the Cobra Kai karate school. Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), who has become a successful car salesman, finds out about this. He is sure that Johnny is still the same villain and can ruin the lives of his students.

At first glance, "Cobra Kai" is a clear attempt to play on nostalgia and bring to light the forgotten actors from the 80s. However, literally in a couple of episodes, an interesting and topical story begins about the problems of modern schoolchildren and the difficulties of communication between children and their parents. The series turned out to be fresh and interesting - both for those who watched the original film in their youth, and for young people.

2. Piano

• Australia, 2019.
• Drama, comedy.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 8, 6.

A restless man, Lucky, drives an old piano in his car. He gets into an accident and must now continue on his way with the girl whose car he crashed into. And at first, the compelled fellow travelers simply hate each other.

The famous musician and comedian Tim Minchin wrote the script for this series and himself played the main role in it. There are a lot of jokes here, but still the plot of "Piano" is very touching. It is dedicated to people who cannot find their place in life. And also there are very beautiful shots of the landscapes of Australia.

3. Naked director

• Japan, 2019.
• Drama, comedy, biography.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 9.

One day Tooru Muranisi returned home and found his wife with her lover. This is what changed his whole life. First, he sold an audio recording of the overheard sex, then decided to publish his own erotic magazine. And then it came to a personal porn studio.

Believe it or not, this incredibly funny series is based on true events. Director Toru Muranishi once influenced the porn industry in Japan and even forced censorship laws to be changed. And besides, Naked Director is a good way to immerse yourself in the culture of Japan in the 80s.

4. Seven seconds

• USA, 2018.
• Drama, crime.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

This series is a free American adaptation of the film "Major" by Yuri Bykov. The plot tells about a policeman who knocked down a black boy. His partner tries to hush up the case, but the story becomes known to the public and, as a result, leads to riots.

Initially, the authors of the series planned to shoot several seasons in the form of an anthology. But two months after the premiere, the project was closed. At the same time, Regina King won an Emmy Award for Best Performance in a Miniseries or Film.

5. Save me

• UK, 2018 - present.
• Drama, detective.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

A resident of a poor district of London, nicknamed Nelly, lives alternately with his friends and spends all his free time in a bar. He is suddenly arrested by the police on charges of kidnapping his daughter, whom he has not actually seen since almost infancy. And from that moment on, Nelly decides that she must make every effort to save the child.

Renowned actor Lenny James (The Walking Dead) wrote the script for the show himself. And here there is not only a very emotional detective story, but also clear memories of James, who once lived in the same poor area. The intricate plot, where literally anyone can be a suspect, is complemented by the difficult relationship of the hero with his ex-wife and friends - after all, they are all hiding something from others.

6. Elite

• Spain, 2018 - present.
• Drama, detective.
• Duration: 3 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

After the collapse of a school in a poor neighborhood, three teenagers are sent to study at an elite educational institution as compensation. Finding themselves among children from wealthy families, the heroes at first feel insecure, but then each of them finds loved ones. However, everyone in this school has its own dark secrets, and the action inevitably goes to a bloody denouement.

One of the most popular Spanish-language projects from Netflix successfully combines a teenage drama in which there is literally no single character, and a detective in the spirit of "Big Little Lies". From the very beginning, it becomes clear that a murder will happen, but how exactly this will happen is not revealed until the finale of the first season.

7. Tired of

• UK, 2018 - present.
• Comedy.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

After parting with his girlfriend, Karl lives with his elderly aunt. He communicates little with other people, but still the hero has an interlocutor: his inner voice often expresses out loud what is not even accepted to think about.

"Tired" is a brilliant representative of the author's British comedies. Karl Pilkington himself came up with this project, wrote the script and played the main role. Or rather, even two roles, because the "inner voice" of the protagonist appears right in the frame. He looks exactly the same, except that he wears dark clothes and a hat. And for all the simplicity of filming, it really seems that there are two identical people on the screen.

8. Paranormal Wellington

• New Zealand, 2018 - present.
• Comedy, fantasy, mysticism.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

After the release of the film What We Do in the Shadows by Taiki Waititi and Jemaine Clement, the authors of the original decided to film the series adaptation of the same name in the United States. But before that, they released the first season of the spin-off of the project.

Wellington, Paranormal, is about the cops who briefly appeared in the original film. The partners go to work in the department that deals with the investigation of supernatural cases. And all their adventures were filmed in the spirit of a pseudo-documentary reportage.

9. Magnus

• Norway, 2019.
• Comedy, fantasy, detective.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 4.

The Norwegian TV series is dedicated to Magnus - the worst policeman and failed inventor Magnus. They do not trust him with a single serious matter, because he always spoils everything, and after another mistake he is completely kicked out of the station. But soon, under mysterious circumstances, the famous actor disappears, and his girlfriend, killed by lightning, is found in a hotel room. And in a strange way, the investigation is entrusted to Magnus: someone wants the case to never be solved.

This low-budget project has mixed almost every possible genre. The comedy is replaced by a good detective story, and then trolls from parallel worlds are added to everything. The action looks as strange and even ridiculous as possible. But that only makes it funnier.

10. In the end

• UK, 2018 - present.
• Comedy.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 4.

A native of Sierra Leone, Walter (Idris Elba) lives with his wife and son in a poor area of London. He works in a factory, and his wife goes from door to door and sells cosmetics. Walter often writes letters to his mother back home. One day she reports that she sent his younger brother Valentine to London. And now the hero's family will have to get along with a big child who dreams of a career as a DJ and a football player.

This series is even more autobiographical than Save Me: Idris Elba talks about her childhood and plays the role of her own father. But unlike Lenny James's project, "In the End" is a very fond memory with a fair amount of positive and humor. Elba laughs a lot here and even dances, which is sorely lacking in his larger roles.

11. Urban legends

• UK, 2017 - present.
• Comedy, adventure, biography, anthology.
• Duration: 3 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

There are many legends about almost every famous person. These stories once actually happened, and then overgrown with speculation, rumors and variations. It is these stories that the authors of the series retell.

Around the "Urban Legends" scandal flared up associated with the image of Michael Jackson. The episode about him was taken off the air, but even without it there is something to see here. The stories of how Bob Dylan came to visit a stranger, Hitler did not enter the art academy, and Marilyn Monroe could not remember one phrase on the set of "There are only girls in jazz", perhaps, they are not entirely documented, but very fun.

12. Security

• UK, 2018.
• Drama, detective.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

After the death of his wife, surgeon Tom single-handedly brings up two daughters. They live in a very calm area. But after the eldest daughter disappears, Tom finds out that his neighbors have a lot of secrets.

Anyone who misses Michael S. Hall, who once starred in the TV series Dexter, can enjoy his new project. True, here he appears in a completely different way. But nevertheless, the combination of the atmosphere of a detective story and a lively drama allows him to perfectly reveal his acting talent.

13. Plague

• Spain, 2018 - present.
• Detective, historical, drama.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

In 16th century Seville, the bubonic plague is raging, and the authorities are closing the city. At the same time, brutal killings of high-ranking members of society begin to take place. The investigation of the case is entrusted to Mateo, who was convicted by the Inquisition for publishing prohibited literature. He agrees, hoping to receive the forgiveness of the church.

The set in The Plague looks a bit theatrical, which is typical of inexpensive historical series from Europe. But all the shortcomings are quickly forgotten, because the gloomy atmosphere of the times of the epidemic here coexists with an excellently twisted detective plot.

14. Amnesia

• USA, 2017 - present.
• Thriller, drama, crime, detective.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

FBI agent Emily Byrne (Stana Katik) has long been considered dead: she disappeared while trying to catch a maniac. The offender was convicted, the search has long been stopped. But the murders with the maniac's signature handwriting are resumed, and the arrested person informs where Emily can be found.

She is found alive, but she has absolutely no memory of what happened to her. The heroine tries to return to normal life, but realizes that now she has no place even in her family. In addition, new details of the case are revealed, raising suspicions that Emily may not be the victim, but the perpetrator.

Katik will be remembered as detective Kate Beckett in the series "Castle". However, in "Amnesia" she appears in a more ambiguous way: there is both aggression and outright psychosis. Besides, the story is really very complicated. And figuring out who is the hero and who is the villain is very difficult.

15. Communication

• USA, 2018 - present.
• Drama, comedy.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

Lonely shy guy Pete is tired of working as a waiter. He meets with his school friend Tiff, who offers to become her assistant. Only she is a professional dominatrix who fulfills clients' bizarre BDSM fantasies.

The series with very frank jokes on the topic of all kinds of sexual deviations can be called the successor of the ideas of "Sex Education". The heroes are more mature here, but in the same way they are trying to understand themselves. The only drawback of "Svyaz" is that the timing is too small. The first season consists of only seven episodes of 10-15 minutes.

16. The Romanovs

• USA, 2018–2019.
• Drama.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 0.

The unusual anthology consists of only eight episodes, lasting like feature films. Each episode is dedicated to new characters. What unites them is that they all consider themselves descendants of the imperial family of the Romanovs, who were shot during the revolution.

The new project of the creator of the legendary "Mad Men" Matthew Weiner was little noticed. But he is distinguished not only by the fact that the roles are played by excellent popular artists. Each series of "The Romanovs" is dedicated to various human shortcomings: racial stereotypes, dreams of betrayal, dislike for sick children and much more.

17. Strange Angel

• USA, 2018–2019.
• Drama, detective.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 6, 9.

In the early 1930s, a young Jack Parsons goes to work as a janitor at a chemical plant in Los Angeles. And over time, he, from childhood fond of engineering, becomes one of the founders of American rocketry. However, apart from invention, Parsons was always interested in the occult and even joined the Eastern Templar order.

This project is based on real events. Many to this day argue which part of Parsons' life is more interesting for history - his contribution to the development of science or his passion for esotericism and occultism.

18. Due to illness

• UK, 2017 - present.
• Comedy.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 6, 8.

Daniel Glass (Rupert Grint) is a typical bummer and deceiver. He lives off his girlfriend's money, loafs around at work and loves only one thing - playing video games. Therefore, the hero constantly invents all sorts of diseases for himself in order to be able to stay at home.

During the next visit to the doctor, he is diagnosed with esophageal cancer. True, it soon turns out that Dr. Ian Glannis (Nick Frost) got it all wrong and Daniel is healthy. But he already realized the advantages of a situation when everyone around him cares about him and forgives any antics.

"Hospital" is a series in which there is not a single positive character. All the main and secondary characters constantly lie to each other and care only about their own benefit. Therefore, even the most rude jokes do not evoke pity for anyone, but allow them to laugh at the absurdity of what is happening. It is also interesting to watch Rupert Grint do his best to move away from the image that stuck to him after "Harry Potter". And Nick Frost, on the contrary, pleases with his completely typical awkward role in the style of Edgar Wright's films.

19. Margins and monsters of Bobcat Goldthwaite

• USA, 2018.
• Drama, comedy, fantasy.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 6, 7.

Each episode of the fantasy anthology tells a different story. The voice worker here is being stalked by his most popular cartoon character, the werewolf plans to become president, and the guy proves his lack of racial bias by having an affair with a mermaid.

"Outcasts and monsters" are somewhat reminiscent of the legendary "Black Mirror". Only behind the creation of this series is Bobcat Goldthwaite - the famous Zed from "Police Academy" and a very unusual director. With a small budget, he adds a lot of topical jokes and outright madness to the plot.

20. Alphabetical Murders

• UK, 2018.
• Detective drama.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 6, 6.

The aged and retired Hercule Poirot begins to receive letters from the killer, who signs ABC. He communicates with the detective as an old acquaintance and informs in advance where he will commit the next crime. The detective will have to strain his "gray cells" again to understand the case.

The BBC has filmed one of the most unusual versions of the famous work of Agatha Christie. Echoing the broad outline of the original book, the new miniseries creates a noir thriller rather than a classic English detective story. In addition, the viewer is offered not only to watch the investigation, but also to understand the past of Poirot himself, who was superbly played by John Malkovich.

21. Ruthless Sun

• UK, 2018.
• Drama, detective, fantasy.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 6, 6.

London detectives Hicks and Renko work together, but they hate each other. One of them is a loving family man and a corrupt policeman, the other is an incorruptible loner. But maintaining law and order is not the main problem of the heroes now. The whole world is preparing for the apocalypse.

Luther author Neil Cross is behind the creation of this series. He perfectly combined the traditional story of partners with different characters with the depressive motives of waiting for the end of the world.

22. Kiss me first

• UK, USA, 2018.
• Thriller, drama, detective, fantasy.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 6, 3.

Leila feels lonely after her mother's death. She tries to forget herself, plunging into the virtual game "Azan". The heroine finds a hidden zone in the fictional world, where a whole club of outcasts has gathered. Later, she meets the girl Tess - first in the game, and then in life. They become very close, but soon Tess disappears without a trace. Leila is trying to find out what happened to her friend and who the mysterious Adrian is.

This series has already been called the correct version of Ready Player One. Here the plot is also devoted to a global virtual game in which people are hiding from reality. But the authors devote more time not to references to classical pop culture (although they also exist), but to human relationships, loneliness and even the topic of driving to suicide.

23. Room 104

• USA, 2017 - present.
• Thriller, drama, comedy, anthology.
• Duration: 3 seasons.
• IMDb: 6, 1.

All the action of the project takes place in one room of a cheap motel. But this is the only thing that unites the series. Each episode tells a short story, usually involving 2-3 actors. Moreover, the genre can be any: thriller, comedy, drama, or even a dance number. But each plot is dedicated to important experiences in a person's life.

The creators of the series, the Duplass brothers, joke that the budget in "Room 104" is less than the expenses on food in "Game of Thrones". However, even within the same room without special effects and with a couple of actors in the frame, you can create a real story that will capture the viewer.

24. A Dangerous Book for Boys

• USA, 2018.
• Drama, comedy, family.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 5, 9.

Batt single-handedly raises three sons after her husband's death. To help the children cope with their grief, their mother gives them a fascinating book that their father once compiled. And from that moment in the life of the family, the line between reality and childhood fantasies is erased.

A very kind and positive series that will not only allow you to better understand the inner world of children, but also make adults remember their youth and dreams of becoming an astronaut or sailor.

25. Alex Corporation

• USA, 2018.
• Comedy.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 5, 7.

Alex Schumann (Zach Braff) is a successful radio host. At home he is doing well: a loving wife and two children. But the hero realizes that he is not doing what he dreamed of, and decides to quit the limited format of the radio show and start recording his podcast. He does not know where to get money for this and what to talk about at all. But the idea comes naturally: he makes a podcast on how to create podcasts.

Zach Braff continues to stubbornly act only in his own independent projects. Unfortunately, "Alex Corporation" was rated poorly, the series was canceled after the first season. But those who love this actor with rich facial expressions and sincere emotions will definitely like him.

This material was published in February 2020. In June 2020, we updated the text.