For those of us who consume television daily and can’t stop searching for our new favorite shows, a lot of the time, the content we consume is local. If you’re an American viewer, you’re much more likely to consume predominantly American content. Shows like Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead are homegrown and incredible, but there are equally great shows abroad.
When we look beyond our borders, we have greats like Squid Game or La casa de papel (Money Heist). Whether it’s the BBC or a niche production studio in Turkey, high-quality television is being made all around the globe. While we aren’t done with 2025, there are already plenty of strong international TV shows out so far.
10
‘Maschi Veri’ (‘Real Men’)
IMDb: 6.1/10
Real Men is Netflix’s Italian adaptation of a Spanish Netflix series, Alpha Males. Interestingly, the original Spanish Netflix series is one of the most popular comedies in Spain. The series is now being internationally adapted in France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy. All five of these shows will air on Netflix.
All of these series revolve around a group of men in their forties who are noticing that society is changing, and as a result, their male privilege feels threatened. Real Men revolves around four very different men in four distinctly different life circumstances. The series pokes fun at masculinity but also some of the overcompensating aspects of “woke” culture. As you watch these four men adjust to a world of equality, you can’t help but laugh (or sometimes be shocked) at their reactions. Overall, the show is good fun and an easy watch.
9
‘Apple Cider Vinegar’
IMDb: 7.2/10
Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar portrays the real-life story of Belle Gibson, an Australian woman who defrauded the public by claiming she had cancer and sold her supposed “natural” remedies. Her alternative health recommendations were sold in the form of a cookbook and recipe app, but it was all based on this false diagnosis. Belle Gibson is played by Kaitlyn Dever, who many people are now seeing on The Last of Us. The series dives deep into the dangers of this kind of medical misinformation and how harmful it can be to actual patients who live with these diagnoses.
Apple Cider Vinegar made the right choice by casting Dever. Besides the fact that you would never know she isn’t Australian herself, Dever brings some well-needed internal turmoil to the character that otherwise would be so easy to hate. While Gibson’s actions are terrible, Dever brought some humanity to the character.
8
‘Queen of F**king Everything’
IMDb: 7.8/10
Queen of F**king Everything is a Finnish show that is receiving numerous positive reviews. Rabbit Films, the largest Finnish television production company, produced the show. Queen of F**king Everything follows Linda Saarniluoto (Laura Malmivaara), a successful real estate agent, whose husband has gone missing and left her millions of dollars in debt. To survive, Linda is forced to enter the criminal world and resort to theft. What starts small eventually grows to her having to become the “Queen of F**king Everything.”
With only six episodes, the series is an easy watch, but it’s also a great crime thriller that includes light moments of comedy. Queen of F**king Everything asks users to question what someone is justified in doing when someone they love hurts them. Where is the line, and will we judge them if they cross it?
7
‘The Traitors UK’ Season 3
IMDb: 8.7/10
The Traitors UK has returned for its magical third season this year. While most American audiences are well-acquainted with the Alan Cumming-hosted American adaptation of The Traitors, the British version is different in some key ways. Both shows are based on the original series from the Netherlands, De Verraders. When the British adaptation premiered in the UK, it became one of the most-watched British reality series of all time.
The British series is hosted by radio presenter Claudia Winkleman, who brings a distinctly different energy to the role of host. While Cumming plays a dramatic and over-the-top host that is more often than not distant from the cast, Winkleman acts more as herself and as someone who deeply cares for the cast throughout the season. The British series also features regular people, whereas the American one features celebrities. The motivations of the British cast, along with their more down-to-earth nature, make it easier to care for and root for them. Unfortunately, both adaptations are produced by the same production company, and as a result, both shows are filmed in the same exact location and face nearly identical challenges. Both are great shows, and if you love The Traitors US, be sure to watch the British version and all the other international adaptations.
6
‘Reservatet’ (Secrets We Keep)
IMDb: 7.0/10
Netflix has more crime thrillers than you can count, and Secrets We Keep is the latest addition. The Danish crime thriller follows an affluent family whose neighbors have a Filipino au pair who goes missing. The missing persons case and Cecile’s investigation into the truth completely wreak havoc on her world and upend what she thought she understood about it. Besides being a crime thriller, the series also explores themes of classism, racism, and misogyny.
Secrets We Keep has an impressive 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s praised for its ability to seamlessly comment on larger societal themes while delivering a nail-biting mystery. Similar to The White Lotus, the disparities between the ultra-rich and everyone else are harrowingly clear. The cast is all impressive, especially the lead. This is another strong crime entry from Netflix.
Secrets We Keep
- Release Date
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May 15, 2025
- Network
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Netflix
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Marie Bach Hansen
Cecilie
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Danica Ćurčić
Katarina
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5
‘Big Boys’
IMDb: 8.4/10
Some dramedies have a lot of drama with a little bit of comedy, or vice versa. However, British Channel 4’s Big Boys masterfully blends the two. It will have you cackling one second, and then, unexpectedly, you get gut-punched with a healthy load of drama. While many series struggle to balance the two genres in one project, comedian Jack Rooke manages to create a series that does so beautifully. The third and final season arrived this year, tying a beautiful, yet damaged, bow on top.
With only 18 half-hour episodes, Big Boys is easy to binge, and only a couple of episodes in, you will find yourself invested in the chosen family Rooke discovers. The series follows a semi-fictionalized version of Rooke, who has just lost his father, goes to University, and tries to deal with the grief while discovering his sexuality. You can imagine the amount of awkward, emotional, hilarious, and wonderful moments this leads to.
Big Boys
- Release Date
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2022 – 2024
- Network
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Channel 4
4
‘El Eternauta’ (‘The Eternaut’)
IMDb: 7.4/10
The Eternaut is an Argentine Netflix science fiction series based on the comic of the same name by Héctor Germán Oesterheld. The original comic was published from 1957 to 1959. Netflix first began developing the massively popular comic story into a series back in 2018. The series takes place in Buenos Aires when a mysterious snowstorm kills most of the population. The survivors have to work together to fight enemies from another planet.
The series was a massive success on Netflix and has been renewed for a second and final season. The dark tone and rich lore built into the story made audiences fall in love with the characters. The first season set up many aspects of the story, and season two promises to dive deeper into the world. If you’re a fan of dark sci-fi, you won’t want to miss The Eternaut.
The Eternaut
- Release Date
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April 30, 2025
- Network
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Netflix
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Ricardo Darín
Juan Salvo
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3
‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North’
IMDb: 7.1/10
The Narrow Road to the Deep North is an Australian series based on the novel of the same name by Richard Flanagan. This foreign show follows an Australian soldier, Dorrigo Evans (Jacob Elordi), who was captured by the Japanese during World War 2. The series depicts Dorrigo and a love affair he had before the war, his time as a prisoner of war, and decades after reliving the trauma of the war.
While The Narrow Road to the Deep North is not a true story, it is based on the real accounts of several soldiers. The series received a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, with most reviews complimenting the incredible directing of Justin Kurzel and Elordi’s acting. Kurzel presents an unflinching portrayal of the horrors and ramifications of war. It’s impossible not to feel moved by this story.
2
‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’
IMDb: 9.2/10
When Life Gives You Tangerines is another hit Korean drama from Netflix. The series was a smash in Korea and around the world. With a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the K-drama has received universal acclaim. When Life Gives You Tangerines won four awards, including Best Drama, at Korea’s equivalent of the Oscars and Emmys, the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards.
This slice-of-life romance takes place on Jeju Island, renowned for its tangerines. The story begins in the 1950s and follows Ae-sun, a young woman who aspires to become a poet, and Gwan-sik, the son of a fisherman. There is nothing overly complex about the story; it’s a showcase of simple stories that chronicle the lives of two people over many decades. Themes of love, hardship, family dynamics, and resilience are threaded through the 16 episodes.
1
‘Adolescence’
IMDb: 8.2/10
If you’ve lived under a rock and haven’t heard of Adolescence, it is likely the biggest show of 2025 so far. The British series follows the arrest of a young boy who is accused of murdering his female classmate. With only four episodes, the crime drama features four one-shots, showcasing an impressive project with talented actors, crew members, writers, and every other individual who contributed to this masterpiece. Watching it, you don’t know what to focus on. Half the time, you find yourself asking how they filmed something, and the other half, you’re drawn to the acting, especially that of the impressive young boy, played by Owen Cooper.
Although the absolute masterclass was the third episode, where Cooper and Erin Doherty face off in an intense, gripping, and heartbreaking conversation that doesn’t let you take a breath throughout. Co-created and co-written by Stephen Graham (who also played the father), the series sparked important discussions about boys and men, as well as the impact of social media on our children. Adolescence is a show you don’t want to miss.
Adolescence
- Release Date
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March 13, 2025
- Network
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Netflix