Warren Zevon. A comfortable hoodie-sweatpant combo. Ricotta cheese on pizza. All things that are underrated.
But what about underrated TV shows? What are some of those?
1. Severance
Severance documents workers whose memories have been neurologically divided between their work lives and personal lives. When they're engaged in one, they can't access knowledge of the other.
Though those who have seen Severance marvel at the supremely original concept and cutting-edge visuals, not nearly enough people have seen Severance. The single show is worth the cost of an Apple+ subscription.
2. Orphan Black
Critics loved BBC America's Orphan Black, an Emmy-winning series about a female street hustler falling deeper into a homicidal conspiracy. Despite being in the upper echelon of IMdB ratings, Orphan Black has not achieved the name recognition it deserves.
3. Happy!
A wise-cracking, cynical former cop turns to a life of serving hits. Only, he's got his daughter's imaginary unicorn friend along for the ride, and that unicorn has Patton Oswalt's voice.
Weird? You bet. Great? The critics say so.
4. The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret
Think: Larry David's propensity for making foot-in-mouth comments, except with actual decisions. David Cross plays Todd Margaret, who can't get out of his way as he tries to navigate London as an American executive.
5. Kim's Convenience
Rank this selection even higher if you happen to be Korean. While Kim's Convenience appeals to anyone with a heart and a funny bone, it is about a Korean-Canadian family. The writers leaned hard (but not too hard) into cultural tropes.
Hit your local convenience store for snacks and a drink, then plop yourself down and binge all five seasons of Kim's Convenience.
6. Dark
This German murder mystery is among the highest-rated Netflix series ever, but have you seen it? Or even heard of it? That's the point—and what a shame of a point it is.
7. Reservation Dogs
FX has earned a reputation for high-floor shows, and everyone should know better than to write off Reservation Dogs. The comedic portrait of four Native American teenagers living on an Oklahoman reservation is not as niche as it might seem.
8. The IT Crowd
Ever wonder what The Big Bang Theory would be like if it were good? It might look something like The IT Crowd.
9. Detectorists
How is a show about two British metal detectorists this funny?
Mackenzie Crook (the original Dwight from The Office) and Toby Jones form a potent on-two punch, unearthing comedy gold out of a hilariously tedious hobby.
10. Better Off Ted
When a network comedy turns out to be actually good, it's not long for the airwaves. Arrested Development proved it once, and Better Off Ted removed all doubt. Even so, the two seasons of Better Off Ted, a comedic twist on corporate politics, are worth the rental or subscription cost.
11. Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency!
The thing about underrated shows is there's a reason why more people should have watched them. In the case of Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency!, that reason might be the name Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency!
Get over the name, and you're in for a bizarro blend of the supernatural, psychological, and Elijah Wood-ial.
12. Wilfred
Apparently, after starring as Frodo in The Lord of the Rings, Elijah Wood made it his mission to make criminally underrated TV shows. Wilfred is an outrageous comedy about a man who sees a neighbor's dog as a full-grown man in a dog suit.
It's a man doing the things a dog does. Simply genius.
