Gone is the time when European series were synonymous with poor quality. The television industry of the old continent has used the pull of platforms such as Netflix or HBO to show the world that good stories are not only made in the United States . If you like that dark and deep tone that emerges from the European series, take good note of this selection.
The 12 best European series today
If you are tired or tired of American, we recommend twelve European series that will not disappoint you. We also tell you where you can see them.
12. The Innocents
If the perfect series was a cocktail, it would probably havea pinch of young love, a jet of science fiction and a lot of mystery . The Innocents has all those ingredients and mixes them with that dark and disturbing atmosphere that dominates so much the Nordic series, although sometimes it is unambitious with a plot that, although it is interesting, does not quite hook us to the television.
If you like series like The End of the Fucking World or The OA, this British and Norwegian co-production is very enjoyable. Best of all, we’re predicting a great future for the two lead actors: Sorcha Groundsell as June McDaniel and Percelle Ascott as Harry Polk.
- Available in: Netflix.
11. Luther
The Wire captivated American viewers by recreating the seedy and decadent atmosphere of the underworld of Baltimore and Luther does the same with modern London. The series does not invent the wheel, and it is that it brings out the benefits as a detective of the main character, but the cases are the most varied and the antagonists, ruthless to the core.
Its third season has provoked some negative criticism, and the truth is that the creative drought is beginning to be evident. That being the case, we strongly recommend that you take a look at the first two seasons. A must for lovers of European police series.
- Available in: Netflix.
10. Dark
We were sold as the European answer to Stranger Things , but the differences are more than evident. Both are set in the 1980s and have sci-fi elements, but Dark is much darker and is built on much more complex time jumps. Beyond comparisons, you will enjoy its surprising plot twists.
- Available in: Netflix.
9. Taboo
If you’re a fan of Tom Hardy’s work, you have to watch Taboo , a period drama that revolves around the character of James Delaney, a man who returns from the dead to reclaim his father’s empire. This British series faithfully recreates the dirty London of the early nineteenth century, but allows certain historical licenses to maintain interest.
In short, a story of aristocrats, pirates, bandits and prostitutes that will catch you, especially if you liked Peaky Blinders.
- Available on: HBO.
8. Trapped
In sixth place on the list of European series we find a full-fledged Nordic noir, a detective story in the cold that is on its way to becoming a new benchmark , in the style of The Killing or Bron. A group of trapped Norwegians, macabre crimes in the fjords and a protagonist who tries to fit the puzzle while facing his own demons. The usual formula, but refined.
- Available on: Netflix and Movistar.
7. Bron (The Bridge)
Bron or The Bridge is a Swedish-Danish production that, like The Killing, managed to cross the border and pave the way for the rest of the Nordic series . As its name suggests, it takes place on the Oresund Bridge, which connects Malmo and Copenhagen, where a body is found. Two police chiefs, with diametrically opposed personalities, will be forced to work together to solve the case.
Like everything that succeeds in Europe, the series has its American equivalent. However, the sequel The Bridge was light years away from achieving the success of the original series.
- Available in: Netflix.
6. Gomorra
Before Narcos exploded on Netflix, Gomorra was the benchmark for series on drugs and drug trafficking . Based on the homonymous novel by Roberto Saviano, the series follows in the footsteps of the Neapolitan brawl with a harshness that is hard to forget. Such has been the success of the series, that Italian television is already preparing a spin-off in the form of a movie, based on the character of Ciro Di Marzio.
If you finish the three seasons and you are left wanting more, in Spain we also have another excellent series of drug traffickers like Farina.
- Available on: HBO.
5. Borgen
In fifth place we find a Danish production that (without serving as a precedent) is not about the discovery of a corpse in a frozen landscape. Borgen is for fans of The Good Wife or House of Cards, a series about political intrigues whose backbone is Birgitte Nyborg, a woman of strong convictions who becomes Prime Minister. With that simple premise, surprises are guaranteed.
- Available at: Movistar.
4. The Missing
If you liked True Detective or Broadchurch, you are taking time to see The Missing, the best series of disappearances that will parade through your retina . With just two seasons it has become a benchmark for its technical bill, its setting, and a triplet of protagonists who always measure up. Like most on this list, it’s not an easy series to watch, but it won’t be easy to forget either.
- Disponible en: The Missing.
3. Peaky Blinders
By now, there are very few series fans who aren’t familiar with Peaky Blinders, an English period drama about a Birmingham gangster family. It enjoys a very careful setting and an excellent cast, among many other virtues. Steven Knight and the other creators were based on a historic criminal gang that engaged in robbery, extortion, and organized crime in the early 20th century.
- Available in: Netflix.
2. The Killing (Forbrydelsen)
European series would not have the recognition they deserve were it not for The Killing, the forerunner of the Nordic police genre . Premiered in 2007 on BBC One, it ran for three seasons and garnered great reviews and many other awards, including a BAFTA and an International Emmy.
In 2011, the AMC chain produced a remake for American television. It was there that the general public discovered that in Europe the series had a unique personality, that dark and profound setting that so many subsequent series have tried to imitate.
- Available in: Netflix.
1. Black Mirror
In recent times we have seen an inordinate amount of European series that have raised the bar, but none have managed to dethrone (for the moment) one of the best series in history such as Black Mirror. This British production is capable of moving us and disturbing us at the same time, presenting in each chapter a different dystopian future with a common goal: to bring out the worst in human beings.
- It may interest you: The 8 best chapters of Black Mirror.
The conclusion is always the same: the advancement of technology and new forms of communication will present us with moral dilemmas that are difficult to solve . In 2012 it won an International Emmy for best miniseries, a more than deserved award for an anthology fiction.
- Available in: Netflix.
- Our recommendation of the best Netflix original series.
- A list of the best series you can watch on HBO.
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