(Credit: Netflix)

Be honest, when was the last time a love story actually made you feel something? Not just “aww, that’s cute” for five minutes, but the kind that sticks in the head while you are brushing your teeth or scrolling on your phone the next day. If it’s been a while, you are not alone. But you don’t need to worry, as I’ve got you a dose of Netflix.

Most romances, as we see these days, come on screen pre-packaged. Creators try to make them unique, but they are paint-by-numbers efficient in doing so, and what happens is we get identikit stories that feel out of touch with reality. But, every so often, Netflix can deliver something perfectly bruising. And somehow, it still leaves you believing it is worth the gamble. That is exactly the kind of love story worth pressing play on.

The best part? You will not find these shows on every trending list. They stay hidden in the catalogue, waiting for the right viewer. The moment you stumble on one, it stops feeling like a random pick and starts feeling like yours. They give you the feeling that you have discovered something the algorithm tried to hide but couldn’t.

So if you have been rolling your eyes at clichés and wondering why on earth people still believe in love, I have five fixes for you.

Five underrated Netflix shows to believe in love again

Easy (2016-19)

The most beautiful thing about Easy is just how real to life it is. This is best represented in the dialogue as it trails and falls into silences, while beaming at points with bristling brilliance. It is an anthology set in the city of Chicago, where each episode follows a different couple figuring out life. And by that I mean love, sex, and everything messy in between.

The show feels like a comforting reminder that everybody fumbles and no soul is safe from saying the wrong thing at the wrong time from time to time. But that hasn’t made love less meaningful for us. It actually makes it feel more human.

Dash & Lily (2020)

Dash & Lily is the kind of show that sneaks up on you with its sweetness. I am not usually someone who goes soft for Christmas romances, but this one had me giggling under the covers. Now, about the show: you see, the whole setup is about two teenagers who trade dares. And they do all that in a notebook they pass back and forth with a setting of New York City. I feel that all of us are missing whimsy in our lives, and this show is meant to bring it back for you.

What I liked most was how unapologetically sincere it is. It does not try to be ironic or clever about love. It leans into the magic of it. Do you remember the feeling you fell in love for the first time, or you thought you did? Remember all the wide-eyed wonder of meeting someone who gets you without ever being in the same room. For me, that sincerity made it impossible not to buy into the story of Lily and Dash. In the world of shows that get heavier with time, it is one of those series that leaves you lighter than you started.

Home for Christmas (2019-)

Home for Christmas starts out like it is going to be another holiday rom-com. All you need is some patience for this one. It kind of reminds you a little bit of another of Netflix’s projects, Holidate. Our protagonist Johanne is scrambling to find a date just to shut her family up. But what surprised me is how quickly it stops being about the gimmick and turns into something warmer and funnier. Do you remember the awkward dinners you have with your family where everyone has a date but you? Joanne’s failed dates and the quiet pressure of everyone around her add to the fun.

What I liked most is that it does not shy away from the sting. Some moments really hurt, and that makes the funny ones land even better. Love is not about fixing your live so it can appear perfect for others, instead, it is about finding a connection. As Joanne stumbles across the screen and into love and loss, it reminds us all that things can and will change.

From Scratch (2022)

Oh, this is a tough one. From Scratch is one of those shows that left me in pieces. Zoe Saldaña plays an American student who falls in love with a Sicilian chef while studying abroad. It brings the charm of foreign romance, which makes you want to go to another country and fall in love altogether. It is all sunshine and roses until it slowly grows into something much heavier. I went in expecting a pretty love story set in Italy. Instead, what I got was a reminder of how much real love can demand from you.

What worked for me is that nothing in the show was sugarcoated. Love here is not just about falling for someone, but about building a life with them. It involves your dreams, their dreams, the families and even their heartbreaks.

Sweet Magnolias (2020-)

There’s a comfort in watching Sweet Magnolias that might only apply to me. There aren’t a lot of shocks and twists, no major plot drops or gripping fingers on cliffhangers. It’s about three friends who lean on each other as life unfurls. I put it on one evening thinking it would be background noise, and instead I found myself three episodes in, completely wrapped up in their world.

What I loved is how patient the show is. It lets characters take time to heal and risk love again when they are ready. Watching it felt like being reminded that second chances are possible. Also, the fact that leaning on your people is okay and can make all the difference. It is not flashy, and that is exactly why it works. For me, it felt like a warm hug I did not know I needed.