20 Hidden Gems on Netflix You Probably Haven't Seen
Netflix's algorithm buries its best content under an avalanche of mediocrity. We dig through the catalogue to find the 20 films and shows you need to watch right now.
The Algorithm Problem
Netflix's recommendation engine optimises for engagement, not quality. This means genuinely exceptional films often get buried while content optimised for short attention spans gets pushed to the top row. We have done the digging for you.
Hidden Gem Films
- The Mitchells vs. the Machines — The best animated film Netflix has produced.
- I'm Thinking of Ending Things — Charlie Kaufman at his most hypnotic and uncomfortable.
- Private Life — Tamara Jenkins' devastating drama about IVF and identity.
- Okja — Bong Joon-ho's hybrid creature feature and corporate satire.
- Da 5 Bloods — Spike Lee's Vietnam epic, flawed and vital.
Hidden Gem TV Shows
- Mindhunter — The best crime drama Netflix ever made. Inexplicably cancelled.
- Maniac — Emma Stone and Jonah Hill in a formally audacious limited series.
- The OA — Unfairly polarising. Its final scene is among the most affecting in TV history.