Binge watching: It’s the favorite pastime of bored Americans everywhere. I know I’ve certainly lost countless hours to the back catalogs of Netflix and Hulu. But there’s one pervasive issue I’ve run into when looking for new shows to watch.
They’re all exactly the same.
Once you get past the big hits, most every show on the major streaming platforms seems oppressively generic. The cinematography is bland, the characters are unoriginal and the themes are either unchallenging or completely absent. It can all seem a bit mind-numbing.
Buried under mountains of identical police procedurals and teen dramas, there still are some truly unique TV shows to be found. Here are six shows which I think are totally unlike any other.
BrainDead – 2016 – Pluto TV, CBS
In today’s political climate, it often seems like the people in power have lost their minds. BrainDead’s premise takes this observation to a hilarious extreme. In 2016, alien bugs began controlling the minds of various members of congress in an elaborate scheme to take over the world.
Across 13 episodes, we follow Laurel Healy, a documentary filmmaker who moves to D.C. to work as a consultant for her congressman brother. After a series of bizarre incidents, she slowly comes to understand the space bugs’ plot and works with an amateur scientist, a nurse and a staffer from the opposite party to stop it from coming to fruition.
This show’s unlikely blend of political satire and sci-fi thriller works incredibly well. A tightly paced story, smooth cinematography and some impeccable comedic performances come together to create an experience that’s equal parts thrilling and hilarious.
Atlanta – 2016 – Hulu
Loosely following the story of up-and-coming rapper Alfred Miles and his inner circle, Donald Glover’s Atlanta expertly uses surreal imagery and magical realism to examine themes of race, class and celebrity. Forgoing traditional dramatic structure and genre conventions, Atlanta tells a powerful story on its own terms.
Most episodes serve as standalone stories, each highlighting different aspects of the show’s world or characters. Some follow the mundane day-to-day struggles of the main cast: trying to plan a date on a budget, pass a drug test at work or get a long-overdue haircut. Others deviate completely from reality, with one particular episode featuring a charity basketball game between Alfred and a fictionalized African-American Justin Bieber.
The show’s grainy, underexposed look and creative cinematography make every shot a feast for the eyes. Additionally, its diverse soundtrack, understated special effects and gorgeous locations help create a vivid, immersive experience.
Watchmen – 2019 – HBO Max
Watchmen depicts an alternate universe America in a period of paranoia and political turmoil following a mysterious catastrophic event. We follow the parallel stories of police detective Angela Abar, FBI agent Laurie Blake and various other residents of Tulsa as a vast conspiracy is gradually uncovered and the secrets of the past come to light.
This show holds off on direct delivery of exposition, instead thriving on a slow reveal of information. Its pacing is expert, teasing viewers with the promise of answers and granting them at just the right time. When it finally does explain its biggest mysteries, it does so in two of the most inventive and emotionally impactful episodes in recent TV history.
Despite the setting feeling at times completely alien, it also feels all too familiar. With the theme of trauma at its center, Watchmen highlights the legacy and continued impact of racism in America. It uses its alternate universe to comment on the issues near to our own in a way no other TV show has.
Vice Principals – 2016 – HBO Max
Vice Principals will not be the show you are expecting. At every turn it will pull the rug out from under your feet and make you reconsider what exactly it is that you are watching.
Beginning with the deceptively simple premise of two high school vice principals competing for the job of principal, this show progressively gets more and more absurd across its 18 episodes. There is no depth of depravity this show won’t sink to, no moral line it won’t cross, and no expectation it won’t subvert. Anything can happen, and almost everything does.
Though a little slow at points, Vice Principals’ best moments are unforgettable. Danny McBride and Walton Goggins deliver stunning performances that are equal parts hilarious and tragic. The development of their characters’ relationship is a delight to watch unfold and results in some truly spectacular scenes later in the series.
The Politician – 2019 – Netflix
The Politician is the second show that Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan and Brad Falchuk created together, the first being the iconic musical comedy-drama Glee. Though it feels similar to Glee at points, The Politician creates a strong identity for itself and tells a unique story.
This show follows the life of Payton Hobart, whose deepest aspiration is to be elected president of the United States. The first season introduces him as a high school student running for student body president and trying to get into Harvard. His well-laid plans quickly take a turn for the worse, however, and much of the series focuses on the toll Payton’s ambition takes on his mental health.
The show’s lighter moments are a joy to watch, and it treats its heavier themes with gravity and nuance. Its story and cast of characters are dynamic, with interesting twists and turns in nearly every episode.
Orphan Black – 2013 – YouTube TV, Philo
Orphan Black is a sci-fi thriller with a sprawling, complex plot and compelling themes on the nature of humanity. What sets it apart from the rest, though, is its unconventional cast. Much of the show’s plot revolves around a group of human clones, and actress Tatiana Maslany portrays all of them. Across the series, she has played more than 14 separate characters.
This ambitious central conceit is beautifully realized on almost every level. Each clone feels completely distinct from the others, almost erasing the fact that they’re all played by the same actress. Scenes with multiple clones are executed seamlessly, and the effect never looks fake.
In line with the diverse cast of clones, the show’s many subplots are equally diverse. From suburban soccer mom Allison Hendrix’s slow descent into a criminal underworld to trained assassin Helena’s twisted path to redemption, each storyline feels like it could carry an entire show on its own. The intersection between plots is even more compelling, with some episodes feeling straight out of a Shakespearian comedy.
