The small screen has delivered many truly iconic TV shows over the years, but they don’t all get the attention they warrant. The nature of television has always meant that even the best TV shows are forced to compete with one another for their audiences’ attention. Once, this was limited to rival networks vying to dominate specific timeslots, but since the advent of streaming, the landscape of modern television has changed drastically. In an age where countless shows are available at the click of a button, TV shows are at more risk than ever of going unfairly overlooked, no matter how good they might be.
Recent years are no exception, as many excellent shows have been released without much fanfare. There are many great recent TV shows that nobody talks about enough, often because they failed to truly dominate viewership during their brief windows of opportunity. Even so, that doesn’t detract from their quality. While they may not have attracted the sizeable audiences they deserved, the following recent shows are all truly excellent.
7) Devs (2020)
When it comes to great sci-fi shows that nobody saw, Devs is one of the best recent examples. Its story follows Lily, a software engineer for a quantum computing company, who becomes entangled in the mysterious death of her boyfriend. A tense and thought-provoking examination of the modern tech industry, Devs explores complex themes of free will and determinism, earning it considerable critical praise. It struggled to translate this into direct viewership, though, which is a real shame considering its quality.
6) The Residence (2025)
The Residence was a great TV show that was canceled in 2025 despite clearly having huge potential. Billed as a mystery comedy drama series, The Residence concerns a murder scandal involving the staff of the White House. The Netflix show boasted a staggeringly talented cast of actors, with an exceptional leading performance from Uzo Aduba. Unfortunately, The Residence struggled to achieve the level of viewership that Netflix had hoped for, and it was unceremoniously axed after just one season.
5) Somebody Somewhere (2022-2024)
While there are many great HBO Max TV shows, few are as criminally overlooked as Somebody Somewhere. It follows Sam, a woman in her 40s who moves back to her hometown to care for her dying sister, and largely concerns her navigation of relationships with family and friends in light of her relocation. Airing for three seasons before ending in 2024, Somebody Somewhere is both comedic and touching, though it simply struggled to quite find the audience it truly deserved.
4) Inside Job (2021-2022)
Despite only airing a single season, Inside Job is often considered among the best animated sci-fi TV shows. A workplace comedy following the employees of a fictional shadow government who are tasked with keeping the truth behind various conspiracy theories from becoming known. Inside Job‘s cutting satire marked it as a wickedly funny show, but low viewership figures ultimately led to Netflix cancelling it after just one season.
3) We Own This City (2022)
Though considered a spiritual successor to The Wire, We Own This City never reached the heights of the former HBO show. The six-episode miniseries was based on the book chronicling the real-life corruption behind the Baltimore Police Department’s Gun Trace Task Force, and features a solid cast starring Jon Bernthal. A gritty tale of corruption, We Own This City performed relatively well, but considering its exceptional quality, it simply deserved to have been watched by a much larger audience.
2) Overcompensating (2025-Present)
Overcompensating is one of the best comedy TV shows of recent years. It follows Benny, a former high school star athlete who struggles to find himself as a freshman in college, grappling with his sexuality as it conflicts with his overly macho public image. Its light-hearted look at coming-of-age stories through the lens of sexuality in the modern era is both fascinating and deeply entertaining, and though Overcompensating is exceptional, not enough people watched its first season when it initially aired. A second season is currently in the works.
1) Adults (2025-Present)
For many, Adults flew under the radar in its first season, putting it at risk of being criminally underrated. An ensemble comedy that rivals many great TV sitcoms, Adults follows a group of young cohabiting friends in Queens who are in the midst of navigating the challenges of embracing adulthood. A well-written and engaging comedy exploring the trials of modern life for people entering adulthood, Adults is a great show whose first season deserved a much bigger audience. Season 2 of Adults is currently in production.
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