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The Ultimate List of the Best Foreign Language TV Shows to Watch on Netflix
Have you, like me, searched on the internet for the best foreign language TV shows to watch, especially before a trip to that place? Or perhaps you are bored with watching the same American sitcoms and would like to see what the other countries are up to? Listed below are the ultimate (and ever growing) list of TV shows I have watched and compiled for you. Most of them are on Netflix India and may not be on Netflix in your country. Forgive me, if so. And write to them to include it. They are all fab; I promise.
I was hard pressed to choose a single one from a few countries (Korea, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, and India has many wonderful series) but just to keep it simple, I chose one best show from each country. If you have any I can add, please let me know in the comments, and I would do so.
So, here goes. The ultimate list of the best foreign language TV shows to watch on Netflix.
DARK: Germany
Dark is the first German original series produced for Netflix. It’s mind blowing, jaw dropping, genre defining, I could go on. A boy disappears in the village of Winden in Germany. As folks begin to investigate and his story unfolds, we are introduced to families interconnected through time travel and life altering choices. The time travel phenomenon is caused by a wormhole in a cave beneath a nuclear power plant. Watch it to believe how intricately enmeshed a show’s tracks can be. Not for the stupid, this.
THE BREAK: Belgium
This was an interesting police procedural with a troubled (what else?) cop in small town Belgium. Police detective Yoann Peeters moves from Brussels with his daughter, Camille, to his hometown, where the body of a young African football player was pulled from the river. The death is originally thought to be a suicide, but Peeters suspects murder (what else?). In addition, there is corruption associated with gaining approval by farmers to sell their land to allow construction of a dam and reservoir. And so the story goes. Interesting, slow burn, with a good back story that spans three seasons. The Break is a French language show shot in Belgium. Also, look up The Twelve — another interesting show set in Belgium and shot in Flemish.
13 COMMANDMENTS: Netherlands
The body of a 16-year old Turkish teenage girl is found in the town of Aalst, with her throat cut. The police assume it to be an honour killing committed by her uncle. Within a day, the suspect is found under a bridge, badly burned but alive. On the bridge above him, someone has sprayed the words “Thou shalt have no other gods”, referencing the first commandment. This is the first in a series of crimes, committed by someone going by the name of Moses, each of which is in some way inspired by one of the Ten Commandments. Those who have been perceived to have violated the Commandments are hunted down and punished. Two police detectives are assigned to find the vigilante but are increasingly hindered by the public opinion, which supports Moses despite his excesses. (source: Wikipedia) 13 Commandments is a Dutch-language television series shot in Belgium.
BORGEN: Denmark
My absolute, absolute favourite show. This is hands down the best political drama ever. Borgen is a Danish political drama series that chronicles the meteoric rise of Birgitte Nyborg—a minor centrist politician—to the first female prime minister of Denmark. Borgen is produced by DR, the Danish public broadcaster, which previously produced The Killing (another awesome show). The Bridge is another Nordic noir crime television series which I have been dying to watch. It is supposed to be stellar, but I’ve never found a streaming service that has it.
BONUS FAMILY: Sweden
Sweden has several good shows, but I like Bonus Family best because it’s a dark comedy slice of life. Ozy.com calls it “something delightfully understated, painfully complicated and yet totally hilarious”. The series follows the turbulent relationships between a new couple and their exes, as well as their kids’ adjustments to their new family situation. Bonusfamiljen (bonus family) is a unique Swedish word that refers to a family gained when parents separate and recouple. Other awesome Swedish shows are Caliphate, Fallet and Snabba Cash. The Rain is also not bad. If Wallander were on Netflix India, I’d put that on very top.
More on the ultimate list of the best foreign language TV shows to watch on Netflix.
RAGNAROK: Norway
Ragnarok is a delightful reimagining of Norse mythology set in the fictional Norwegian town of Edda. The town is plagued by climate change and industrial pollution caused by factories owned by the local Jutul family. Magne Seier, a teenage boy who has recently moved back to Edda with his mother and younger brother, Laurits, discovers that he is the reincarnation of Thor, the Norse god of thunder. Magne begins to manifest Thor’s powers, such as superhuman strength and the ability to control lightning. He uses his powers to fight against the Jutuls and their pollution, which is harming the environment and the people of Edda. The series is a fresh retelling of the epic war between the Gods and the Giants, with the scales tipping from one side to the other between episodes, keeping the excitement fresh. I binged it in three days. And don’t even get me started on how beautiful the landscapes of Norway looked. Except… the ending. That was disappointing.
THE FOREST: France
The Forest is a French crime drama television series. When a teenage girl disappears from a village near the Ardennes Forest, local police and a concerned teacher begin to uncover a web of unsettling secrets. It’s an ethereal show and draws you in. Lupin is another good watch in French.
NOVINE: Croatia
Arguably the most successful show that has come from Croatia, Novine, or Paper, takes place in Rijeka, and describes the life and work of a journalist and editor of a fictitious newspaper, which is considered to be the last independent and serious broadsheet in Croatia. An influential construction tycoon is suddenly in a hurry to take over the Novine because a young journalist has begun investigating a mysterious car accident. The sudden change of ownership triggers internal turmoil in the newsroom and chaos unfolds.
MONEY HEIST: Spain
An international sensation (Bella Ciao is now played in Indian weddings!), Money Heist is a Spanish heist crime drama television series that tells the story of two heists led by the Professor – one on the Royal Mint of Spain, and one on the Bank of Spain. The heists are narrated from the perspective of one robber, relying on flashbacks, time-jumps, and heart-pounding action. It was, what we Indians call, very ‘filmy’, and definitely entertaining. Elite (deliciously wicked) and Cable Girls are other fun Spanish language watches.
The ultimate list of the best foreign language TV shows to watch on Netflix.
FAUDA: Israel
Such an amazing, amazing show. The show depicts the ongoing conflict between Palestinians and the Israelis, and tries (as much as possible) to depict the human cost on both sides. Doron is the main character, and the show tells the story of his unit – Mista’arvim and his team. There are three seasons and there is going to be a fourth. I can’t wait. Other good Israeli shows are Tehran (On Apple TV) and Shtisel.
PARANORMAL: Egypt
Paranormal is an Egyptian supernatural-horror drama streaming television series based on Ahmed Khaled Tawfik’s best-selling supernatural book series Ma Waraa Al Tabiaa. After a skeptical hematologist is plunged into a series of inexplicable events, he unwillingly becomes the go-to-guy for paranormal investigations. The show is quirky and well made with a very interesting main character who doesn’t believe in the supernatural, but circumstances compel him to. He was funny.
SQUID GAMES: Korea
Okay, so, I confess, Korea has loads and loads of magnificent shows. I picked Squid Games because I am a sucker for play-until-you-die kind of gory shows (like Hunger Games and Battle Royale). Squid Games was also an international sensation like Money Heist. Squid Games is a nine-episode series that tells the story of desperate people who have been handpicked to play survival games and compete for cash in a game until death. It has twists and turns that made my heart come out of my ears. And such an imaginative show, especially in terms of the unique games, its rules, the costumes, and the social messaging! The other Korean shows I have enjoyed are Signal and Strangers from Hell.
The ultimate list of the best foreign language TV shows to watch on Netflix.
SACRED GAMES: India
Another one with games, but these are more mind games. Sacred Games was India’s first Netflix original, based on Vikram Chandra’s 2006 novel of the same name. Starring two of India’s biggest actors (Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui) the saga follows Sartaj Singh—a disillusioned, underperforming and troubled Mumbai Police officer—who receives a phone call from Ganesh Gaitonde, a notorious criminal. He tells Sartaj to save the city in 25 days, beginning a morbid chain of events and flashbacks revealing what led to that moment.
MIDNIGHT DINER: Japan
Midnight Diner is a Japanese anthology TV series based on a manga. It is a tale of (obviously) a late-night 12-seat diner (Izakaya) called Meshiya in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo, its mysterious scarred chef, and the lives of his customers. Each episode deals with a drama focused on a particular customer and makes for very entertaining viewing. Giri/Haji is another Japanese-British show you can watch.
GIRL FROM NOWHERE: Thailand
This was a crazy, strangely addictive, and obliquely feminist series. Watch it at your own risk, but watch at least one episode to see what I mean. Girl from Nowhere is the story of Nanno, a mysterious girl who transfers to different private schools in Thailand and exposes the students’ and faculty’s lies, secrets, and hypocrisy. She is supposedly an immortal and mystical entity with supernatural powers, punishing wrongdoers for their crimes and misdeeds.
6IXTYNIN9: Thailand
The show 6ixtynin9 is a wild ride that quickly escalates with unpredictable twists and turns, all while delivering dry humour. It follows the story of a woman who loses her job at an insurance firm because of COVID-19, only to discover a box filled with a fortune on her doorstep. She decides to keep it but soon finds herself pursued by the people who left it there by mistake. As expected, chaos ensues. Despite its dark themes, the show manages to inject several moments of laugh-out-loud humour and is truly enjoyable to watch.
Terror Tuesday: Thailand
If you’re a fan of horror, the Thai Netflix show, Terror Tuesday, serves up a chilling bouquet of short, terrifying tales. Inspired by the classic Thai horror radio show “Angkhan Khlumpong,” this series features eight stories based on real-life experiences shared by listeners. Expect the usual Thai flair for gore—creaking bones, bursting veins, and plenty of eye-popping moments. It’s bloody, it’s horrifying, but the stories are uniquely gripping—perfect for a devoted horror lover like me.
TRAPPED: Iceland
This Icelandic TV series might be terribly slow burn for some, but if you are a lover of Nordic noir, it hits all the right notes. Set in the tiny Icelandic fishing town of Seyðisfjörður, the show delightfully showcases the best and the most terrifying aspects of Iceland. The first episode starts with a snowstorm (scary, claustrophobic, I watched this right before my trip to Iceland, and I was SCARED) and the first season is about what unfolds after a ferry arrives from Denmark and a mutilated torso is caught in a trawler’s net. From this point on, the sleepy town is shaken, and we descend into a world of human trafficking, murder, domestic violence, political corruption, and whatnot.
ULTRAVIOLET: Poland
Ultraviolet is a fun Polish series with a cute, idiosyncratic, and temperamental female protagonist. The plot revolves around a thirty-year-old woman Aleksandra with a troubled past (of course!) She moves back to her hometown Łódź and joins a group of online amateur detectives who work on unsolved cases. Do not expect serious police procedural. They solve cases in the most whacky ways, but the series was a breeze to watch. Other decent Polish series are The Mire and The Woods.
INFAMY: Poland
Infamy, starring Zofia Jastrzebska as a young gypsy girl, tells the story of a family that is forced to move from Wales to Poland and adjust to a new, constricting way of life. The show follows the aspirations of 17-year-old Gita, who dreams of becoming a hip-hop musician, despite her community’s strict rules (“Romanipen”). It was refreshing to see a serious show about gypsies, as opposed to Peaky Blinders, which focused more on style than substance, and featured Cillian Murphy, who looks nothing like a gypsy. The gypsy community comprises wanderers who migrated from India over 1000 years ago, and they are often treated with derision in the countries they inhabit. This perpetuates a cycle of violence and criminality that they find difficult to break free of.
OMNISCIENT: Brazil
I liked the classy, quirky way the show was made, and it dealt with an exciting topic to boot. I think this show deserves more eyeballs. The story is set in the future where drones monitor everything we do. A woman must outsmart them to find out who killed her father and save herself. It is not the smartest show but is compelling and easy to binge. Other good Brazilian shows are The Mechanism and Good Morning, Veronica (This almost made to the top because it has a kickass renegade female cop).
SUBURRA: Italy
Suburra was a stunning binge-worthy feast for me which showed Rome and its suburbs in all its breathtaking beauty. No less fascinating were the bloody shenanigans of the three young men who must fight each other, the mafia, corrupt politicians, and the Vatican to survive. It is a coming-of-age show as much as a show about greed and organized crime. Another Italian show I liked (more class than substance though) was The Trial.
NARCOS: Colombia and Mexico
I know. I know. Not exactly shows made by those countries (and they’d probably hate me for putting it on the list) but admittedly a great show set there. The first two seasons focuses on the story of drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, who became a billionaire through the production and distribution of cocaine in Colombia. The third season is based on the story of the rise of Cartel leader Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo in Mexico.
BELASCOARAN: Mexico
Belascoarán is a delightful offbeat mystery crime series based in 1970’s Mexico. Private detective, Hector Belascoaran Shayne, (or independent detective as he prefers to call himself) abandons his comfortable but boring suburban life to start over as a PI, solving crimes and fighting a corrupt police force. The series is based on books by Paco Ignacio Taibo II. Each episode is over an hour long but flies by. The main character is played by Luis Gerardo Méndez – a stellar actor. The supporting cast is great, too. Expect endearing characters, laugh out loud moments, and a lovingly recreated 70’s canvas. The mysteries themselves are not worth speaking about.
TO THE LAKE: Russia
I watched To The Lake during the Covid pandemic and it hit hard. The story was prescient too, created as it was in 2019. The story goes like this: Residents of Moscow are infected with a deadly virus. The main symptoms of which are coughing and discoloration of the eyes. After a few days, death occurs. As the disease becomes an epidemic, Moscow turns into a city of the dead. And a few people are trying to escape…. I also enjoyed the Russian shows – The Method and Silver Spoon (No longer on Indian Netflix)
To be continued…
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