5 Underrated Drama Shows Nobody Talks About

It’s more difficult than ever to break through in the TV world. Shows that air on network TV have to contend with streamers, who are more than happy to drop major projects weekly that dominate the headlines and keep users coming back. The only fighting chance that regular series have is that they can find a second life on a streaming platform. There’s an argument to be made that The Office is more popular than ever because of its streaming presence, but not every show is that lucky.

Sitcoms have it easy because of their rewatchability. Drama series, on the other hand, have an uphill battle because not everyone is always in the mood for doom and gloom, and even when they are, they want a known quantity like Breaking Bad or The Sopranos. But there are more than a few shows out there that deserve better than they’re getting. Here are five underrated drama shows that nobody talks about.

5) Southland

Not every police procedural can be Law & Order: SVU. However, Southland gives Dick Wolf and Co. a run for their money by heading to Los Angeles and focusing on a group of cops who are just as likely to talk about their feelings as to arrest a perp. Leading the charge are Michael Cudlitz‘s John Cooper and Ben McKenzie’s Ben Sherman, two characters who walk to the beat of their own drum when they’re on patrol. Despite giving its unique characters five seasons to develop, Southland takes a back seat to the bigger procedurals.

4) The Good Fight

The Good Wife will never appear on a list like this because it’s widely considered one of the best modern courtroom dramas. Julianna Margulies chews up the scenery as she navigates life as both a lawyer and the wife of an influential figure. Christine Baranski also brings her A-game, so it should come as no surprise that she gets a spinoff of her own, The Good Fight. Rather than keeping her character, Diane Lockhart, buttoned up, the show knocks her down a peg, making her more vulnerable than ever. Six seasons’ worth of episodes should be enough to keep The Good Fight in the ring, but it’s still ignored like an annoying younger sibling.

3) Ray Donovan

Sure, it might be hard to argue that nobody talks about a TV show with seven seasons and a movie, but there’s a certain stigma around Ray Donovan. A lot of people seem to think that it’s a “dad show” and nothing more. That’s far from the case, though, as the titular “fixer” is easily Liev Schreiber’s most nuanced character. Schreiber also gets plenty of help from his castmates, with Ray Donovan featuring its fair share of heavy hitters, such as Ian McShane, Katie Holmes, and Jon Voight. Hopefully, the years will be kind to Ray Donovan, and it’ll be remembered as one of the best dramas of the 21st century.

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2) Big Love

Crime isn’t the only thing that can produce drama. In the case of Big Love, a Mormon family that practices polygamy drives the story forward. What sets the show apart from other family dramas is that it puts its characters in a unique position, one that it knows will challenge them. While it takes Big Love a few seasons to get going, by Season 3, it’s firing on all cylinders and doesn’t let up until the credits roll on the final episode. Bill Paxton can do no wrong when he’s on the screen, but Big Love doesn’t stand out on his resume the way it should.

1) The Riches

All the shows on this list so far have at least five seasons, which seems like a good benchmark. However, sometimes a series doesn’t reach its full potential despite coming out of the gates swinging. The Riches suffers that fate, getting the axe after its stellar second season. The show follows a family that has all of their wishes fulfilled when they assume the identities of a dead couple. Of course, their dark deeds come back to haunt them as they try to live the lie. Being cut off at the knees ensures The Riches will never end up on any “best of” lists, and that’s a shame because it’s genuinely fantastic.

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