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TV You Might Not Have Tried - Check Out New Shows - Extra Credits
Key insights
7 takeaways- 01Viewers should prioritize narrative experimentation and bold thematic risks over formulaic, corporate-driven mainstream hits to find genuine creative depth.
- 02International productions like the Brazilian dystopian series 3% and the Arctic-set mystery Fortitude offer unique cultural perspectives and atmospheric storytelling often absent from mainstream television.
- 03The British series Skins distinguishes itself from American teen dramas by utilizing magical realism to explore mature themes such as addiction and mental health.
- 04Post-apocalyptic narratives such as Jeremiah and the dark comedy You, Me and the Apocalypse demonstrate how unconventional genre blending can effectively heighten the poignancy of existential crises.
- 05Niche programs like the anime Mawaru Penguindrum utilize dense visual metaphors to examine complex human experiences, including family dynamics and social isolation.
- 06Many high-quality, boundary-pushing series face a high risk of premature cancellation or limited availability on major streaming platforms, requiring proactive discovery by the audience.
- 07The 1960s series The Prisoner serves as a foundational work that established the framework for modern surrealist and science fiction storytelling.
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Transcript
I imagine that a lot of us binged our way through a small mountain of TV back during the holidays and perhaps some of you are left searching for new things to watch. So, we thought it might be fun to do a TV you might not have tried. Like the games you might not have tried episodes, these recommendations are meant to be more on the obscure side, so there probably aren't going to be a lot of fan favorites on this list. And also like usual, many of these entries may be flawed works, but there is still something about them that is mind-bending, interesting, or just different. So, let's jump right in. Fortitude. Fortitude is Twin Peaks without the whimsy. Or rather, it's Twin Peaks meets X-Files on an Arctic island off of Norway without the whimsy. And while Twin Peaks without the whimsy might sound like it's taking away one of the key pieces that makes Twin Peaks work, this show runs with it. If you're looking for a good mystery that doesn't
hover around the same guy gets shot in a locked room premise that we have seen a thousand times, this might be what you're looking for. 3%. Now, this show is newer than the other ones on this list, so with some luck it will have become popular before this episode gets through our production pipeline. It's sort of like a Brazilian Hunger Games, but taken way more seriously. It does not pull as many punches or feel quite as formulaic as The Hunger Games films sometimes did. And it is made all the more powerful by being presented through the lens of Brazilian culture. James used to do a lot of work in Brazil and he feels that this type of narrative carried so much more of a punch when combined with just a hint of that strange romanticization and trepidation that surrounds the favelas and favela culture. Whether or not you enjoyed The Hunger Games, if the premise struck you as interesting, 3% might be worth a look.
Skins, specifically the BBC version. Magical realism meets teen drama. It is so good. I wish this sort of thing was attempted more often. Admittedly, it's not attempted more often because it is incredibly hard to pull off. You've got to have an amazing writing room that gets what it means to be young, coupled with an executive staff that trusts their audience to be mature enough to embrace and understand the elements of magical realism. It's a big ask, but for a brief moment on the BBC, it all came together. Not every episode and not every season is perfect, but when they nail it, it rips your heart out the way only something that has the stakes of being in your teens can. And the moment when they get to the Cat Stevens, oh my goodness. Oh, and somewhere in there they deal with everything from addiction to sexuality to eating disorders and mental health in a way that I have rarely seen American TV aimed at teens do. Just two things to know going in. Get past the first episode. Clearly somebody in charge told them that the pilot had to masquerade as a normal teen
drama to get people in. It sucks, just try to muscle through it. And second, for the love of mercy, do not watch the MTV remake. They took everything that is magical about this series and just wrung it through the corporate mill. It's really, really sad to watch. Just don't. See that? It's going to kill everyone. You, me, and the apocalypse. A comedy about the world ending in a horrific comet impact? That is bound to either be really interesting or really terrible, and luckily, this one is the former. The acting is stellar, the writing is sharp, and the comedy is there to make the poignance of the end of the world that much more moving. It's got an amazing framing device, which I am not going to spoil here, and some biting social commentary underneath that humor. So, naturally, it was canceled after a single season. Don't worry though, as much as I would like to have seen this show continue, the cliffhanger they end
on actually works pretty well. It feels almost like it could be an ending. Most of the questions and mysteries the show introduced are wrapped up and you're left with an interesting plot thread to speculate about. It's good, just watch it anyway. Jeremiah Speaking of apocalypses, post-apocalyptia, let's talk Jeremiah, a wasteland created by the same mind that created Babylon 5 and Sense8. It's set in a world where the entire adult population was wiped out by a plague leaving children who weren't affected by the disease to fend for themselves and rebuild the world. Interestingly, the show doesn't take place right after the plague, but rather 15 years later when all of the children have grown up and we get to see the world that they've wrought. Now, while it does feel a little bit early 2000s, the characters are really compelling and they present a pretty solid post-apocalypse world. It's the wasteland adventure series that I would have loved to be able to turn to
whenever I wanted a dose of post-apocalyptia. So, naturally, it was canceled after a single season. Well, okay, that's not exactly true. It was canceled partway through the second season when Showtime decided to veer away from sci-fi, which actually turns out to be a lot worse because the show just ends resolving practically nothing. It's really disappointing, but don't let that deter you from this trip through the waste. Mawaru Penguindrum I am sure that we could easily do an anime you might not have tried episode. There's just so much of it. Maybe someday. But, for now, I don't know how to even begin describing Penguindrum. I am not sure I have ever seen a show so layered in visual metaphor with plot and commentary going on on every level. Yet, also just as enjoyable as a story in and of itself. It's one of those rare anime that doesn't shy away from magical and sci-fi elements and yet somehow manages to focus on very human themes like loss and family and isolation. There are also
penguins though. Adorable, adorable penguins. And finally, The Prisoner. This is one of those shows so seminal that everybody's probably heard of it but because it's not on one of the major streaming services, too few people have actually gotten to see it. And if you love genre television, you really should see it. It's a show that taught us that TV could be weird. It's referenced in The Matrix, Twin Peaks, basically anything by Alan Moore, The Invisibles, and things ranging from the new Battlestar Galactica to Fringe to Hercules. Just make sure that you get the 1960s version, not the not the remake. I know we don't usually do TV things but I hope you all enjoyed that. Be seeing you.
Summary
Television offers a vast landscape of narrative experimentation that often goes overlooked in favor of mainstream hits. While many popular series rely on formulaic structures, there exists a collection of lesser-known programs that prioritize unique storytelling, complex character development, and bold thematic risks. These selections, though occasionally flawed or prematurely canceled, provide viewers with mind-bending experiences that challenge traditional genre conventions.
The recommended viewing list spans diverse international origins and genres. Fortitude offers a grounded, atmospheric mystery set in the Arctic, while the Brazilian series 3% provides a gritty, culturally distinct take on dystopian survival. The British series Skins is highlighted for its mature, unflinching exploration of adolescence, addiction, and mental health, utilizing elements of magical realism that are rarely seen in American teen dramas. Similarly, You, Me and the Apocalypse demonstrates how dark comedy can effectively heighten the poignancy of an existential crisis, while Jeremiah explores the long-term societal consequences of a post-apocalyptic world fifteen years after a global plague.
Beyond live-action drama, the list includes Mawaru Penguindrum, an anime noted for its dense visual metaphors and focus on human themes like isolation and family. Finally, the 1960s classic The Prisoner is identified as a seminal work of genre television that paved the way for modern surrealist and sci-fi storytelling. Despite the frequent risk of cancellation or limited availability on major streaming platforms, these shows remain essential viewing for those seeking narratives that push the boundaries of the medium. The overarching takeaway is that audiences should look past corporate-driven remakes and mainstream trends to discover works that offer genuine creative depth and lasting cultural influence.
