There have been quite a few times that fantastically ambitious shows have never seen the recognition they truly deserve. While Netflix is well-known for producing some of the finest global hits ever made, there have been a great number of bold, genre-blending releases that quietly came and went without leaving a lasting mark in mainstream discussions. Whether it’s unconventional storytelling styles, high-concept fantasy worlds, or experimental tones, many shows on the streaming platform have taken creative risks only to be put on the back burner, never finding their mainstream audiences.
Netflix shows like the teen dramedy Teenage Bounty Hunters, which balances wit and coming-of-age elements into its very entertaining story, and the bold superhero fantasy/sci-fi blend that is The Imperfects, are two series that wielded an appreciated originality that has somehow been mostly forgotten. Compiled on this list are Netflix gems that are extremely ambitious watches, but have sadly slipped from the minds of most audiences.
1
‘The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself’ (2022)
This underrated gem is a Netflix adaptation that never got a chance to reach its full potential. The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself follows teen Nathan Byrne (Jay Lycurgo), whose origins as the illegitimate son of the incredibly feared witch Marcus Edge (David Gyasi) have trapped him between two warring magical clans.
The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself’s ambition shows in its tonal bravery — a YA adaptation that refuses to shy away from brutality or moral mess, while also skillfully delivering kinetic action and incredibly stylish world-building. It’s genuinely one of Netflix’s boldest fantasy projects that beautifully blends coming-of-age storytelling with dark magic. The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself has been lauded as an under-promoted gem that fans still wish would receive another season. With an early cancellation, the fantasy show, with heaps of potential, is quickly cut short, ensuring it is forgotten by most and lost to the ether of other series.
2
‘Daybreak’ (2019)
Daybreak is a creative sci-fi take on the end of the world through a rather youthful perspective. The one-season Netflix series, set after an apocalypse, turns adults into zombie-like creatures known as “Ghoulies” and focuses on teenager Josh Wheeler (Colin Ford), who spends his time roaming Glendale searching for his missing girlfriend Samaira “Sam” Dean (Sophie Simnett).
Daybreak is widely inventive — an enticing mix of post-apocalyptic antics, with vicious teen drama, and chaotic humor. The show came onto the scene with a captivatingly vibrant tone, wielding rule-breaking storytelling that felt unlike anything else on Netflix during that time. Daybreak’s unique voice made it a cult favorite despite its abrupt cancellation, which only elevated its already underappreciated status. Without an expected continuation, the apocalyptic comedy — with its ambitious genre mash-up of fourth-wall breaks, zombies, and outrageous teen humor — still takes the spot as one of Netflix’s most ambitious tries that, despite being mostly forgotten, remains consistently remembered for being a standout watch.
3
‘The Imperfects’ (2022)
This bold mixture of superhero fantasy and sci-fi elements is one of Netflix’s most understated, ambitious gems to come out in 2022. The Imperfects follows three Seattle young adults — Abbi Singh (Rhianna Jagpal), Juan Ruiz (Iñaki Godoy), and Tilda Weber (Morgan Taylor Campbell) — after undergoing experimental gene therapy, resulting in them suffering from “monster” side effects that give them dangerous abilities that drastically alter their bodies and lives.
During its run, The Imperfects stood out as an entertaining combination of emotional storytelling and humor. In a fresh and character-driven way, the show delivers an ambitious fantasy series that showcases real potential. Unfortunately, The Imperfects was part of Netflix’s famous wave of early cancellations, cutting short its ambitious story and ensuring that it’d be forgotten by most of the streaming platform’s subscribers. While it met an early end, The Imperfects remains an underrated, ambitious watch that sadly left behind a foundation that could have grown into something so much greater.
4
‘Cursed’ (2020)
Cursed came and went in a blast of magic and a visually rich reimagining of Arthurian legend, delivering a far darker, more character-driven take on a rather familiar story. The series focuses on Nimue (Katherine Langford), a young woman with mysterious powers who embarks on a dangerous journey to deliver an ancient sword to Merlin.
What makes Cursed such an ambitious project is its genuine attempt at retelling one of fantasy’s most iconic myths by shifting focus away from the traditional main characters and placing it on a female protagonist with the odds promptly stacked against her. The series may have lasted just a single season before it was abruptly canceled, but its world-building, tone, and aim for the mature cinematic fantasy experience dub it a standout. Due to Cursed’s slower pace and quick end, the series has become a forgotten Netflix gem that has consistently faded into the background of fantasy.
5
‘The Get Down’ (2016–2017)
This underappreciated gem is one of the most visually stunning and musically driven series on Netflix. The Get Down is set in late-1970s New York and centers around a group of teens, including Ezekiel “Books” Figuero (Justice Smith) and Mylene Cruz (Herizen F. Guardiola), who are actively chasing music as both an escape and a sense of identity.
A stylized, maximalist, historically curious musical drama that aims to be both a social history lesson and a pop opera, The Get Down presents a pretty ambitious watch. The show is hard to remember, as it was released in parts and was hardly easy to summarize, but was one of Netflix’s genuinely biggest swings, and even with its short lifespan, one of the streaming platform’s most quietly admired projects. The show’s vibrant style and stellar combination of history, music, and drama delivers a larger-than-life narrative that, even in its short run, left a lasting impression on those who watched, marking it as forgotten by many but cherished by a loyal few.
6
‘Santa Clarita Diet’ (2017–2019)
Santa Clarita Diet is an underrated Netflix hit that captivated its audience with its addictive mix of humor and horror. The series follows the married real-estate agent Sheila Hammond (Drew Barrymore) as she undergoes a grotesque transformation that leaves her craving human flesh — all the while her husband Joel Hammond (Timothy Olyphant) tries his best to keep their suburban life intact.
With a bizarre premise that hosts clever comedy, Santa Clarita Diet was able to garner a solid fanbase during its run, standing as an ambitious TV project that wielded the appropriate amount of potential to grow into a long-running series. Its performance and laugh-out-loud humor made it a quick fan favorite that most Netflix subscribers wished lasted much longer than it actually did. Due to Santa Clarita Diet never making it to the top of mainstream TV hits, the ambitious comedic horror’s cancellation drove it into the dark corners of the streaming platform. Today, the series, with its lost momentum despite its creative story, has been forgotten by most viewers and stands as a masterful what-if for those who do remember.
7
‘Teenage Bounty Hunters’ (2020)
This 2020 underrated Netflix drama is a far more layered series than most would ever expect. Teenage Bounty Hunters centers around fraternal twins Sterling Wesley (Maddie Phillips) and Blair Wesley (Anjelica Bette Fellini), who stumble into bounty hunting and a partnership with veteran agent Bowser Jenkins (Kadeem Hardison) after wrecking their father’s truck.
Teenage Bounty Hunters is an ambitious blend of coming-of-age drama with unexpected action. Its impeccable balance of heartfelt storytelling and genuine humor makes it all the more compelling. With sharp writing and far more depth than one would ever assume, Teenage Bounty Hunters delivers a truly fantastic teen dramedy that wields tons of potential. Unfortunately, none of it was realized, as the series was cut short after its first season despite its bold narrative. Teenage Bounty Hunters‘ inventive tonal balance of teen drama, wannabe crime caper antics, satire of Southern respectability, and a surprisingly sincere coming-of-age story, all without collapsing into parody, shows impeccable TV craftsmanship.
8
‘Between’ (2015–2016)
Between is an ambitious Netflix masterpiece that skillfully maintains a steady sense of tension throughout its run. The entertaining series focuses on a mysterious illness that kills everyone in a small town over the age of 21, leaving teenagers and children abruptly in charge as authorities quarantine the area, and follows characters like Wiley Day (Jennette McCurdy) as they grow into leadership roles and tackle countless dystopian challenges.
Between is a constantly overlooked dystopian Netflix drama that holds some pretty creative ideas. The story delivers a unique take on the genre while it examines societal breakdown within a quarantined community. What’s really ambitious about Between is less spectacle and more distribution strategy, as it aims for a bleak, procedural “youth governance” story rather than a teen soap, with a release model that differed from Netflix’s usual binge format due to its weekly Canadian broadcast. Today, there aren’t many who know that the unique watch even exists, even though its premise is echoed by various series that came after, cementing its status as a forgotten game changer that never got its chance to shine.
