If you’ve reached the point where you feel like you’ve “completed” the big streaming catalogs, you’re not alone. In 2026, the volume of content is massive, but the volume of *craft* is still rare. Finding hidden TV gems worth your time is about looking past the expensive landing page banners and finding the shows where directors actually took risks with the frame, the sound, and the silence.
This list of hidden TV gems worth your time is for the viewer who wants that “where has this been my whole life?” feeling. We’ve scoured the IMDb underrated lists and international archives to bring you 10 series that offer pro-level filmmaking without the overblown marketing. If you’re tired of the same five shows being recommended by everyone you know, these are the fresh, high-impact picks that define a real cinephile’s watchlist.
Best for: Cinephiles looking for overlooked series with a strong visual identity, surgical pacing, and a “director-first” feel.
Common cinephile pain points this list solves: The “nothing to watch” scroll / Shows that feel like they were made by an algorithm / Flat, uninspired cinematography / Predictable “network-style” storytelling.
Related Lists: Great Shows You Probably Missed / TV Shows That Deserved a Bigger Audience / Underrated Series That Are Better Than You’d Expect / Great Shows That Slipped by Most People
What to watch for
The hallmark of a top-tier hidden gem is the use of visual storytelling over heavy exposition. Watch how these shows use their environment—whether it’s the grimy streets of 1970s Memphis or the neon-soaked alleys of modern Tokyo—to set the stakes. Pay attention to blocking and long takes; these directors aren’t afraid to let a scene breathe, which is how you build real, immersive tension.
10 hidden TV gems worth your time
1. Quarry (2016) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Graham Gordy / Michael D. Fuller (Directed by Greg Yaitanes)
Plot: A Marine returns home from Vietnam in 1972 only to find himself shunned by his family and recruited by a network of hired killers working along the Mississippi.
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Where to Watch: Max / Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
Why it’s a gem: It’s the best hidden TV gem for fans of 1970s-style crime cinema. The show features an 8-minute, one-take battle sequence that is a masterclass in stunt choreography and camera placement. It’s gritty, tactile, and visually stunning.
2. Tokyo Vice (2022–2024) 🇺🇸🇯🇵
Director/Creator: J.T. Rogers (Pilot directed by Michael Mann)
Plot: A young American journalist embeds himself within the Tokyo Metropolitan Police squad to reveal corruption, but he quickly realizes the line between the law and the Yakuza is paper-thin.
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a gem: With Michael Mann setting the visual tone, this is neon-noir at its peak. The sound design and the obsession with professional process make every investigative scene feel like a high-stakes heist. It’s a must-watch series for atmosphere alone.
3. Gangs of London (2020– ) 🇬🇧
Director/Creator: Gareth Evans / Matt Flannery
Plot: When the head of London’s most powerful crime family is assassinated, a power vacuum opens up, sparking a brutal war between international gangs.
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Where to Watch: AMC+ / Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
Why it’s a gem: Directed by the man behind The Raid, the action in this show has better blocking and physicality than 99% of Hollywood movies. The “farmhouse siege” episode is one of the greatest technical achievements in the history of action television.
4. Midnight Mass (2021) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Mike Flanagan
Plot: An isolated island community experiences miraculous events and frightening omens following the arrival of a charismatic, mysterious priest.
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why it’s a gem: It’s prestige horror that relies on monologues and atmosphere rather than jump scares. The cinematography and lighting—especially the use of shadow during the nightly church services—build a level of dread that feels almost biblical.
5. The Capture (2019– ) 🇬🇧
Director/Creator: Ben Chanan
Plot: A detective uncovers a multi-layered conspiracy involving “correction”—the manipulation of CCTV footage—after a soldier is accused of a crime that the cameras seem to fake.
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Where to Watch: Peacock / BBC iPlayer
Why it’s a gem: This is surgical editing as a plot point. The show is a terrifyingly relevant thriller about truth and technology, using its own visual language to make the audience doubt every frame they see. It’s binge-worthy TV for the deepfake era.
6. Primal (2019– ) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Genndy Tartakovsky
Plot: A caveman and a dinosaur, both bonded by tragedy, form an unlikely partnership to survive in a violent, prehistoric world.
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a gem: This is pure visual storytelling. There is zero dialogue, meaning every emotional beat and action turn has to be communicated through composition, color, and movement. It’s a cinephile pick that proves you don’t need words to tell a masterpiece.
7. Babylon Berlin (2017– ) 🇩🇪
Director/Creator: Tom Tykwer / Achim von Borries / Henk Handloegten
Plot: A police commissioner in 1929 Berlin uncovers a vast political conspiracy amidst the glitz, grime, and rising extremism of the Weimar Republic.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Max / Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
Why it’s a gem: The production design and scale are monumental. It’s an immersive, historical epic that uses its massive cast and intricate sets to show the “death of a city” in slow motion. The nightclub sequences are some of the most visually authored scenes in modern TV.
8. Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (2022–2023) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Max Borenstein / Jim Hecht (Produced by Adam McKay)
Plot: The professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, tracking how a struggling team became a global cultural phenomenon.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max
Why it’s a gem: It’s stylistic filmmaking taken to the limit. The show constantly switches film stocks—using 16mm, 35mm, and grainy video—to create a “living memory” of the 80s. The pacing and breaking of the fourth wall make it an energetic, addictive binge.
9. Blue Eye Samurai (2023– ) 🇺🇸🇫🇷
Director/Creator: Amber Noizumi / Michael Green
Plot: In Edo-period Japan, a mixed-race master of the sword lives a life in disguise while seeking revenge against the four white men who remain illegally in the country.
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why it’s a gem: It’s cinematic animation with a focus on period-accurate blocking. The action scenes are inspired by Kurosawa and have a sense of weight and geography that most live-action shows fail to achieve. It’s an IMDb top-rated sleeper hit.
10. Taboo (2017– ) 🇬🇧
Director/Creator: Steven Knight / Tom Hardy / Chips Hardy
Plot: An adventurer returns to London in 1814 after ten years in Africa to inherit the remnants of his father’s shipping empire and build a legacy that puts him at war with the East India Company.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Hulu / Disney+ / Prime Video (Rent/Buy)
Why it’s a gem: It’s atmospheric dread with a grimy, tactile texture. The show uses sound design—mud, creaking wood, heavy boots—to make the setting feel like a living antagonist. It’s a high-confidence pick for anyone who loves dark, authored drama.
What to watch next
Next category: Perfect Shows for a Weekend Binge (because once you’ve finished these hidden TV gems, you’ll want something with a fast engine that you can finish by Sunday night).