The heat has been oppressive, Hollywood is on strike and the ocean is scarier than ever – so who could blame us for seeking refuge in something comforting such as Barbie-themed cuisine, Tom Cruise being Tom Cruise or an absorbing TV series that is under-the-radar enough to feel as if it's your little secret?
If it's the latter you seek, you've come to the right place: We've rounded up some of the best, if underappreciated, TV offerings from recent months. The list of hidden gems that are too good not to share runs the gamut, including crime thrillers, science fiction and comedies.
'Jury Duty' (2023)
Picture this: You show up to do your civic duty and weird things ensue. The jury pool contains a moderately famous actor; the trial is – in the judge's words – "unorthodox"; and the atmosphere is so wacky the experience feels like a reality show. That's what happened to Ronald Gladden, the only "juror" not in on the joke in this documentary-style comedy, which might have gone unnoticed on Amazon's Freevee network if not for its considerable charm.
It was still a surprise last week when "Jury Duty" racked up four Emmy nominations – with the aforementioned celebrity actor, James Marsden, earning a best supporting actor nod and the show landing in the best comedy race (as well as those for best writing and casting). (Streams on Prime Video)
'Black Snow' (2023)
In this Sundance Now original, an unearthed time capsule prompts cold case detective James Cormack (Travis Fimmel) to revisit the unsolved murder of Isabel Baker (Talijah Blackman-Corowa), whose death at 17 left her South Sea Islander community reeling. The drama, which premiered on Australia's Stan network earlier this year, explores familiar themes – grief, identity and the pressure to succeed in marginalized communities among them – while confronting the enduring racism at the center of Australia's dark legacy of forced labor and kidnapping. (Streams on AMC Plus)
'Primo' (2023)
Shea Serrano's semi-autobiographical comedy, produced by Mike Schur ("Parks and Recreation," "The Office"), explores multigenerational Mexican American identity – including the joy of Latino uncles – through its coming-of-age story. The Amazon Freevee series stars Ignacio Diaz-Silverio as 16-year-old protagonist, Rafa, and Christina Vidal aka Taina (if you know, you know!) as his mom, Drea. (Streams on Prime Video)
'High School' (2022)
Indie pop duo Tegan and Sara recount the formative years of their musical partnership, which formed as they were figuring out their identities – as teenagers, as lesbians and as identical twins – in 1990s Calgary, Alberta. The Amazon Freevee series, co-created by actress-writer Clea DuVall ("Poker Face") and the Quin sisters, is based on the pair's 2019 memoir of the same name. Seazynn and Railey Gilliland play Sara and Tegan respectively; Cobie Smulders also stars. (Streams on Prime Video)
'From' (2022)
Harold Perrineau ("Lost") and Catalina Sandino Moreno ("The Affair") star in this sci-fi horror about a mysterious town where visitors find themselves trapped amid the stuff of nightmares. The show, which launched as Epix's most-viewed original series premiere, recently wrapped its second season and has already been renewed for a third on the since-renamed network. (Streams on MGMPlus)
'Warrior' (2019)
This martial arts crime drama, based on a treatment by Bruce Lee, follows a Chinese immigrant who must navigate the rival factions of San Francisco's Tong Wars in the late 19th century. The series, the rare project to get support from the martial arts icon's daughter, Shannon Lee (credited as an executive producer), recently returned for its third season – to the delight of fans who thought it was over after Cinemax stopped producing original shows. (Streams on HBO Max)
'Survival of the Thickest' (2023)
Michelle Buteau brings the soul-baring honesty and self-love at the center of her 2020 memoir to the small screen in this story about a New York fashion stylist (Buteau), who resets her life after a romantic betrayal and discovers just how fabulous she really is. The series arrived on Netflix on July 13, just before the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists joined the Writer's Guild on the picket lines, effectively ending its promotion cycle. But in an Instagram post, Buteau subtly reminded fans they can still watch the show. (Streams on Netflix)
'The Surrogacy' / 'Madre de Alquiler' (2023)
This Mexican series infuses the oh-no-she-didn't drama of a telenovela into a sobering story about an Indigenous Mexican woman, Yeni (Shaní Lozano), who is coerced into serving as a surrogate to a wealthy couple connected to a powerful pharmaceutical empire and its ice-cold matriarch (Leticia Calderón). The 24-episode show takes place in 2005, when surrogacy was still illegal in Mexico, and confronts the persistent racism and classism that Indigenous communities face in the country. (Streams on Netflix)