(Credits: Netflix)

When the weekend hits, you need something more than just noise in the background. You need a story that grabs your face and says, “You’re not moving till I’m done.” And if it also happens to come with murder, supernatural chaos, or quietly devastating monologues? Can it be any better? Don’t worry, Netflix has got you covered.

This week’s binge list is built for those who want something a little darker, a little smarter, and a lot more addictive than the usual Netflix noise. We are talking ghost detectives, haunted courthouses, and a historical drama that feels anything but dusty. Even the teen shows on this list come with emotional war wounds.

So whether you are planning to stay in bed all weekend or just need something gripping to watch while pretending to fold laundry, we have got you covered. These five series are underrated, unusual, and seriously bingeable.

And no, you probably have not seen them all yet. So, let’s fix that.

The five perfect series to binge on Netflix

Dead Boy Detectives (Multiple directors, 2024)

Imagine if The Sandman universe threw a haunted murder mystery sleepover but made it funny. Sprinkle some heartbreak and just the right amount of weird, and you have got yourself Dead Boy Detectives. The show follows two teenage ghosts who have decided to skip the afterlife and open a supernatural detective agency instead. Joined by a psychic girl and a cat who is definitely not just a cat. These ghosts help other lost souls while also wrestling with the lives (and deaths) they left behind.

It is visually rich, emotionally smart, and surprisingly warm despite all the ghosts and gore. Every episode feels like a standalone comic book. It is spooky, stylish, and bittersweet. And while it is a fantasy show on paper, Dead Boy Detectives is really about friendship, grief, and finding your place in the world… even if you are dead. Sadly, the show was cancelled after one season. However, that’s a win for you, as that makes it a perfect binge for the weekend without it being carried over.

The Empress (Multiple directors, 2022-)

Forget stiff royal dramas, it’s time for something new. The Empress brings rebellious energy, political intrigue, and messy romance to the Austrian court of the 1800s. It follows the rise of Elisabeth “Sisi,” a wild-hearted duchess who accidentally marries into power and finds herself trapped in a golden cage. What starts as a fairy-tale wedding quickly unravels into a battle between personal freedom and dynastic pressure.

This Netflix show is breathtaking to look at, but never lets style overpower substance. Beneath the corsets and candlelight is a complex, bold woman trying to survive a world run by men, rules, and dangerous secrets. If you liked Bridgerton but wished it had more edge, The Empress is your next royal obsession.

Everything Now (Multiple directors, 2023)

Mia is 17, newly discharged from an eating disorder clinic, and armed with a checklist of “normal teenage experiences” she feels she has missed. But life is not as easy as ticking boxes. Everything Now is a sharply written British dramedy that captures the awkwardness of returning to the world when everything and everyone has moved on without you.

It is funny in a raw and sort of uncomfortable way. Think Skins with more therapy. The cast is outstanding, the writing is fearless, and the show never reduces Mia to a sob story. Instead, it treats her like a full, chaotic person, one who is trying (and often failing) to be okay in a world that rewards pretending. You will laugh, cringe, and maybe even text your teenage self an apology.

The Twelve (Kaat Beels and Wouter Bouvijn, 2019-2023)

On the surface, it is just another jury trial. A woman stands accused of two murders, and twelve strangers are called in to decide her fate. But The Twelve quickly flips the courtroom drama inside out. This Belgian series follows the jurors just as closely as the accused, revealing their secrets, traumas, and the quiet biases they carry into the deliberation room.

It is intense, slow-burning, and deeply human. No character is innocent. Every relationship is messy. And as the lines between justice and judgement blur, you are forced to question not just who is guilty but what it even means to be “fair.” If you are into psychological thrillers on Netflix that actually make you think, The Twelve is a must-watch.

The Chestnut Man (Kasper Barfoed and Mikkel Serup, 2021-)

A dead body is found. A handmade chestnut doll is left at the crime scene. And just like that, we are back in the eerie, snow-drenched world of Nordic noir. The Chestnut Man is a Danish crime drama at its best, chilly, methodical, and quietly terrifying. A duo of detectives dig through a case that keeps getting darker, and at the heart of it is a missing child, a political scandal, and a killer who is always one step ahead.

It is not a show you can half-watch. The plot is dense, the pace is deliberate, and the payoff is worth it. Every shot is cold and sharp, every silence loaded with tension. And if you like your murder mysteries with a side of folklore and psychological trauma, this one will live rent-free in your head long after the credits roll.