6 most underrated limited series of the past decade (and where to stream them)

The last decade has brought some truly incredible limited series, but not every series has received the same level of appreciation as others.

For the purposes of this article, there must be a clear distinction between success and underappreciation—this demarcation is important, as many of the soon-to-be included titles below did find commercial and critical success. Despite said successes, however, the six series included within this list are often overlooked and have not taken the limited series medium by storm in the same way that plenty of others have. In the spirit of giving them their time in the spotlight.

Here are six limited series that every cinephile, telephile, and lover of strong storytelling should watch.

Apple Cider Vinegar (Netflix)

This 2025 Netflix adaptation of the 2017 book The Woman Who Fooled the World is an almost satirical cautionary tale of the pitfalls of modern pseudoscience. The show explores the influences of social media, performative disability allyship, and "Munchausen by Internet" (the term coined for people who utilize false claims of illness to gain sympathy from their online following) to illustrate how some people, more and more in recent years, have co-opted real illnesses for the sake of online clout.

Kaitlyn Dever gives a standout performance as the real-life con artist Belle Gibson, who baselessly claimed to have been a multiple-cancer survivor and a charitable donor—things all later confessed to as being false, much of which resulted in a near-half-million-dollar lawsuit against Gibson.

Dever, a native of Arizona, convincingly portrays the Australian Gibson, and her plucky, fake-sincere approach to Gibson is spot-on. Gibson's foil in the show, Milla Blake (played by Alycia Debnam-Carey of Fear the Walking Dead fame), is not a real person, but as is the case in many different shows and movies, she serves as a composite character of various real-life influences, namely Jessica Ainscough.

Ainscough, herself, was not a fraud, but her dedication to alternative medicines ultimately contributed to her own death at 29. The entirety of Apple Cider Vinegar is used to shine a light on—and poke fun at—quack medicinal practices, but at its core, there are real lives affected by real lies, and the show is successful at present a metaphor and not a farce when it comes to these issues.

Catch-22 (Hulu)

Joseph Heller's eponymous novel is widely regarded as one of the most well-crafted and biting satires of modern warfare ever written. It examines the folly of expectation and the paradoxical nature of bureaucratic warmongering. The 2019 Hulu adaptation admirably attempts to bring the absurdity to the small screen, and it is largely successful at doing so. The show was nominated for a number of awards, including multiple Golden Globes, Emmys, and Critics Choice Awards, but its legacy has not endured like the similarly scathing modern classic Generation Kill or other big-budget war epics like Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and Masters of the Air. Its most enduring successes come via the casting decisions made.

George Clooney, Hugh Laurie, and Kyle Chandler portray three of the story's top brass, which is a brilliant decision; all three actors are famous for their dramatic roles but also have a strong history of gallows humor: Clooney has been utilized in many dark comedies, parodies, and satires, namely O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Men Who Stare at Goats, Burn After Reading, Hail, Caesar, and Leatherheads. Laurie, famously, got his start with British sketch comedies like A Bit of Fry and Laurie, Blackadder, and Jeeves and Wooster, and his comedic chops also shone in both House, M.D., and Avenue 5. Lastly, Chandler, who is known more for his dramas than anything else, has appeared in some comedic roles in recent years with Game Night and Lanterns (which features some legitimate dry humor).

Maniac (Netflix)

As a standalone entity, Maniac is one of the most well-rounded, fresh, and creative limited series in recent memory. The casting is strong, the premise is interesting, and the execution is top-tier. It is experimental in its presentation, marrying the absurd and the hyper-real into one cohesive, drug-addled adventure that crosses into multiple realities and a myriad of dimensions.

No two episodes are the same, but they all, ultimately, tie together in brilliant ways. In addition, the cinematography and score are also exceptional; in essence, every component of this show works in harmony with each other, and the end result is something special.

Concerning the aforementioned casting: Emma Stone and Jonah Hill are forces. Their gravitational trajectories routinely intersect throughout each episode, and this sets up for a satisfying payoff for both characters—respectively and as a cosmically, pharmaceutically-linked duo—by the series' end. The supporting cast, led by Justin Theroux, Julia Garner, Sally Field, and Sonoya Mizuno, fully buy-in to the show's absurdity and craziness, and their commitment to their individual characters helps the world in which this story is set feel full of life and believable.

The North Water (AMC+)

The North Water may be the most under-the-radar entry on this list, especially for American audiences, as it first ran as a joint production between BBC and AMC. Additionally, at just five episodes, it is also the most succinct series listed here.

Despite limited press and a limited budget (of $30 million), the immersion achieved via the world-building, dialogue, and dedicated, time-appropriate character development, The North Water tells a harrowing tale of whaling, survival, and deceit amidst the frozen waters of the Arctic Ocean in the mid-19th century, and it serves as a compelling adaptation of Ian McGuire's eponymous novel.

Jack O'Connell's protagonist, Patrick Sumner, comes into the story with a hazy backstory, one that is gradually revealed across the series' five parts. The foil to Sumner, Henry Drax, played by the inimitable Collin Farrell (in one of his most immersive roles to date), is a loathsome figure who evokes a visceral revulsion in the audience (as well as the other members of the imperiled crew of The Volunteer). Against the elements and the odds—and, oftentimes, against themselves—the intrepid whalers and seamen of The North Water illustrate how difficult it was to live the life of a seafarer in the 1800s.

The Outsider (HBO)

In just ten episodes, the showrunners of HBO's The Outsider plant the seeds of dread planted within the first episode's opening twenty minutes, which are given the right amount of shade and soil to bloom into a grotesque tragedy that instills as much fear as it does engagement.

At the heart of its story is a creature of human folklore that is given a world in which to play and a populace with which to torment. Creating a narrative in which this creature, otherwise confined solely to oral tradition and multi-culture nightmare, can be explained as a long-standing torturer of humanity is harrowing and reframes one's perceptions of the true origins of such emotions as grief, loss, and dread.

The ensemble cast is what, ultimately, makes this series a standout piece of horror media. While Ben Mendelsohn shines as protagonist Detective Ralph Anderson, it is the impressively well-developed supporting characters, namely Julianne Nicholson (as Gloria Maitland), Cynthia Erivo (as Holly Gibney), Bill Camp (as Howard Saloman), and Paddy Considine (as Claude Bolton)—and featuring Jason Bateman interspersed throughout—that set this series apart. It is remarkably well-rounded; over a dozen characters receive ample screen time and character development, and this gives the show an authentic feel: one that captivates the viewer and helps make the unbelievable grimness that the characters face feel both believable and grounded.

Sharp Objects (HBO)

Much like many of the other entries in this list, Sharp Objects is an adaptation; it is based on the Gillian Flynn novel of the same name. Both projects provide a gritty look at the weight of familial expectations, communal vanity, and the dangers of 'keeping up appearances' when things aren't as glamorous as they seem. The show is gripping and rife with tension and jarring plot developments that don't stop until the last few frames of the series' end.

The final few minutes of the series finale—and the unorthodox (but successful) incorporation of 'found footage' interspersed throughout the series' end credits—are some of the most deeply unsettling scenes of any horror/thriller show in recent memory. Accordingly, and with career-defining acting from Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, and Chris Messina, Sharp Objects not only serves as a successful and engaging adaptation but also as a must-see series in its own right.

Alongside its merits as a show, Sharp Objects also served as a launchpad for the careers of Eliza Scanlen, Sophia Lillis, and Sydney Sweeney. For Scanlen—who has gone on to star in projects like Babyteeth, Little Women, and The Devil All the Time—Sharp Objects served as her first bonafide acting role. While Lillis had already received her breakthrough via her role as Beverley Marsh in It, she cemented herself as a rising star through her portrayal of a young Camille Preaker (whom Amy Adams plays as an adult). Sweeney had appeared in plenty of projects before Sharp Objects (including seven episodes of Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale), but she was still a year away from Euphoria taking such a firm grip on pop culture and was, thusly, still a relative unknown at the time of Sharp Objects' release in 2018.

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