50 Best Spanish TV Shows on Netflix (2020)
Getting hooked on a binge-worthy Spanish TV show is a great way to practice vocabulary and listening skills. You also learn about other cultures and gain exposure to different accents and slang.
If you are an intermediate or advanced learner, I recommend watching with Spanish subtitles as studies show it enhances language learning. I also jot down any interesting new vocabulary and add it to my Anki flashcards later.
Here are 50 recommended Spanish-language TV series on Netflix streaming in the US as of January 3, 2020. If you’re not in the US, just click the title to check if the show is available in your country. (If it’s not available, it’ll display an error or redirect to Netflix’s home page.)
Netflix originals will stick around, but watch the rest while you can, because content disappears as licensing agreements expire.
Also, don’t miss my Netflix lists of top Spanish movies and Mexican films, as well as Amazon Prime Spanish TV shows and movies!
1. La Casa de Papel (Money Heist)
Addictive, entertaining thriller from Spain. A clever take on the bank heist formula reminiscent of Reservoir Dogs. A crowd-pleaser with lots of twists and turns, some of which push the limits of suspension of disbelief.
Season 3 now available.
Accent: European Spanish
2. La Casa de las Flores (The House Of Flowers)
In this satirical telenovela, the seemingly perfect De La Mora household deals with the dark secrets uncovered by the sudden death of the patriarch’s mistress, while learning that their flower shop shares its name with a cabaret secretly owned by the father of the family.
Accent: Mexican
3. Vis a Vis (Locked Up)
If you like Orange is the New Black, don’t miss this smash TV hit from Spain.
Macarena is condemned to serve time in a women’s prison because of the married man she loves. When she faces a seven-year sentence, her parents are ready to do anything to obtain their daughter’s freedom.
Accent: European Spanish
4. Luis Miguel, La Serie
This Netflix/Telemundo biopic about Mexican superstar singer Luis Miguel was a smash hit in Latin America; it’s finally been released on US Netflix.
Accent: Mexican
5. Ingobernable
Kate del Castillo kicks butt in this binge-worthy suspenseful thriller. Lots of Mexican slang, especially the chilanguismos spoken in Mexico City, and great location shots of the capital.
Interestingly, del Castillo’s parts had to be filmed in San Diego, because the actress risked arrest in her home country. She is wanted by authorities for having met with drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán while he was on the run in 2015. Real life meets narconovela!
Accent: Mexican, some European Spanish
6. Tiempos de guerra (Morocco: Love in Times of War)
Historical drama from the producers of Gran Hotel, Velvet, and Cable Girls, with some of the same actors. Revolves around the adventures and romantic entanglements of upper-class Spanish volunteer nurses in war-torn Spanish Morocco in the 1920s. Ridiculously melodramatic and predictable, but still manages to be a lot of fun.
Accent: European Spanish
7. Élite
If you liked 13 Reasons Why, check out this teen thriller set at a Spanish boarding school. The story follows three working-class teens who enroll in an exclusive private school in Spain. Eventually, the clash between them and the wealthy students leads to murder.
Accent: European Spanish, except for Mexican actress Danna Paola (Lu) and Chilean actor Jorge López (Valerio)
8. La Reina del Flow (The Queen of Flow)
Fans of Latin music will love this Colombian novela with 82 episodes that tells the revenge story of Yeimy Montoya, a talented songwriter who is wrongfully imprisoned. When she is released 17 years later, Yeimy’s only desire is to seek justice against the men who destroyed her life, starting with Charly Flow, a famous reggaeton singer.
Well-written and acted, with authentic attention to detail on the music production side and guest appearances by several well-known reggaeton singers.
Accent: Colombian
9. Fugitiva
Suspenseful series set in both Mexico and Spain. Spanish actress Paz Vega stars as a domestic abuse survivor who orchestrates an elaborate deception to protect her children from her powerfully wealthy husband and his vindictive enemies.
Accents: Mexican, European Spanish
10. Enemigo Íntimo
If you liked El Señor de los Cielos, check out this action-packed Telemundo novela that shares some of the same cast. The suspenseful story follows two siblings separated as children who no longer recognize each other and are pitted against each other in a war involving drugs, crime, and betrayal.
Accent: Mexican
11. El Chapo
To be honest, I find the real-life cartel kingpin El Chapo repugnant and didn’t want to watch anything glorifying his sociopathic exploits. But I started this gripping crime series on my Spanish teacher’s recommendation and me enganchó de volada – I was hooked straight away. The complete three seasons of this Netflix-Univision co-production are now on Netflix.
Accents: Mexican, Colombian
12. La Catedral del Mar (Cathedral of the Sea)
Tap the photo to watch the trailer on Netflix
Inspirational, intense story of a serf’s flight from abusive nobles to medieval Barcelona in search of wealth and freedom. Based on the historical fiction novel by the same name by Ildefonso Falcones, one of Spain’s most popular works of literature.
Accent: European Spanish
13. Cuatro Estaciones en La Habana
Click the photo to watch the trailer on Netflix
Wonderfully written and acted adaptation of a legendary noir detective series. Fall in love with the melodic Cuban accent and the stunning city of Havana in this riveting four-part crime thriller.
Accent: Cuban
14. Gran Hotel
This fan favorite is back on Netflix Instant by popular demand. Juicy Spanish period soap with plenty of romance, murder, blackmail, betrayal, and comedy. A Spanish Downton Abbey meets Hercule Poirot. The plot twists are definitely preposterous but this highly addictive show never fails to entertain.
Accent: European Spanish
15. La Niña
Click the photo to watch the trailer on Netflix
Captivating and moving series about a former Colombian guerrilla fighter kidnapped as a child as she struggles to overcome her brutal past and reintegrate into society. An inspiring tale of resilience and courage. Well-written script with lots of Colombian colloquialisms.
Accent: Colombian
16. El Ministerio del Tiempo
Spanish fantasy series chronicling the adventures of three members of a secret agency who guard Spain’s past from time-traveling intruders.
Accent: European Spanish
17. El Barco
This sci-fi adventure series follows the gorgeous, skimpily clad crew of a Spanish training vessel as they struggle to survive after a global cataclysm. Highly entertaining despite an absurd plot.
Accent: European Spanish, some Colombian
18. Juana Inés
Click the photo to watch the trailer on Netflix
If you are seeking a meticulously researched PBS-style documentary about the life of this extraordinary scholar, philosopher, and poet, this isn’t it. However, if you are in the mood for an entertaining melodrama “inspired by actual events” featuring forbidden lesbian love, sneering villains, and bad Spanish accents, then this could be just the ticket. And despite the drama’s soapiness, Sor Juana’s incredible story still inspires and fascinates.
Accents: Mexican, bad European Spanish
19. Mar de Plástico
Murder melodrama set in southern Spain. Suffers from plot holes and poor acting, but offers fascinating insights into contemporary Spanish culture such as the ethnic tension between the locals and the town’s communities of African immigrant workers, gypsies, and Russians. The arid Andalusian landscapes are depicted with wonderful cinematography.
Accent: European Spanish
20. El Marginal
Gritty, suspenseful drama set in an Argentinian prison. Fascinating introduction to Lunfardo, the unique slang native to Buenos Aires. Fortunately, Spanish subtitles are in standard Spanish to help you translate.
Accent: Argentinian
21. La Reina del Sur
Kate del Castillo kicks butt again in this insanely popular telenovela. Del Castillo plays a young Mexican woman who becomes the most powerful drug trafficker in southern Spain.
Gorgeous locations in Morocco, Mexico, Spain, and Colombia. This narconovela probably glamorizes the drug trade, but I loved the powerful female characters.
Great for Spanish practice due to the wide diversity of accents provided by an international cast. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Spanish author Arturo Pérez-Reverte.
Accents: Mexican, Colombian, European Spanish, and even Moroccan
22. El Señor de los Cielos
I’m slightly embarrassed to admit my affinity for this narconovela, but if you can get past the violence and machismo it’s a suspenseful and highly addictive show that will keep you watching back-to-back episodes (and there are a lot of them, in traditional telenovela style).
Great casting and dialogue in Season 1; however, in my opinion Season 2 went downhill fast.
23. Velvet
A steamy love story set in the glamorous fashion world of 1950s Madrid. A big favorite with Spanish learners!
Accent: European Spanish
24. Velvet Colección
Fans of Velvet won’t want to miss this spin-off, in which Ana Rivera returns from New York to launch a store and design school in Barcelona. Second season to come.
Accent: European Spanish
25. Made in Mexico
This fun reality peeks into the lives of nine wealthy Mexico City socialites. The show’s makers were excited to present a cool, glamorous side of Mexico divorced from the usual media focus on drugs, violence, and poverty.
It’s perturbing, however, how white-skinned this universe is, with the only people of color being the household staff who make occasional appearances.
Note that two of the cast are American, so there is some English dialogue (in addition to the English phrases frequently dropped by the fresas — upper-class Mexicans).
Accent: Mexican
26. Las Chicas del Cable (Cable Girls)
Click the photo to watch the trailer on Netflix
Soapy melodrama about four women working as operators for a phone company in 1920s Madrid. The unique storyline is loaded with twists and intrigue, and Gran Hotel’s Yon González is always un bombón (easy on the eyes). 😀
Beautiful production values but some jarring anachronisms like the modern soundtrack. From the creators of Gran Hotel, Velvet, and Tiempos de Guerra; however, many fans consider it the weakest of the four.
Accent: European Spanish
27. The Day I Met El Chapo
In this fascinating docuseries, Mexican actress Kate del Castillo presents her side of the now-infamous meeting between notorious drug trafficker El Chapo, Sean Penn, and herself.
I’ve always admired del Castillo for her strong convictions and badass female roles, but here her ambition and naïveté get her into deep trouble. Sean Penn outs himself as a total slimebag, and Kate becomes a convenient scapegoat for the corrupt Mexican government.
Interesting insights into Mexican culture (the influence of Televisa and telenovelas, Mexicans’ deep distrust of their own government) and lots of colloquial Mexican Spanish.
Accent: Mexican
28. Narcos and Narcos: Mexico
OK, Narcos and its companion series Narcos: Mexico are partially in English, but they still make compulsive viewing and a fun way to practice Spanish from the comfort of your couch.
Accents: Colombian, Mexican (Note: Some of the Colombian accents in the original series are notoriously fake as the cast was drawn from across Latin America and Spain. Brazilian actor Warner Moura’s portrayal of Escobar was particularly ridiculed.)
29. Pablo Escobar, el Patrón del Mal
This Colombian version of the Escobar saga is much more detailed and authentic than Narcos, and Andrés Parra’s portrayal of the narcotraficante is vastly superior. The intermingling of graphic period footage adds to the realism.
Parra spent days studying Escobar’s voice, expressions, and body language, and his impersonation is thoroughly convincing. In contrast to Brazilian actor Wagner Moura’s bizarre Portuguese-accented Spanish in Narcos, Parra’s Paisa accent is spot-on.
(In Moura’s defense, he only had a few months to learn Spanish. Parra was offered the role of Escobar in Narcos but turned it down because he did not want to be typecast, and because he found it psychologically exhausting to play such an evil character.)
Note: Despite its high quality, I did not finish this series as Escobar’s unmitigated evil was too hard for me to watch. Stronger stomachs than mine should check it out though. 😉
Accent: Colombian
30. Surviving Escobar -- Alias JJ
Tap the photo to watch the trailer on Netflix
Jonesing for another quality drug drama fix? Try this suspenseful Colombian series based on the memoirs of John Jairo (JJ) Velásquez, Pablo Escobar’s main hitman. As the Medellín Cartel crumbles, JJ struggles to survive and gain respect in the prison hierarchy.
Accent: Colombian
31. Bala Loca
A Chilean journalist investigating corruption stumbles on a big story when a fellow reporter dies suspiciously. Ten-episode political thriller that garnered rave reviews in its native Chile.
Accent: Chilean
32. La Esclava Blanca
Excellent Colombian novela that tells the story of Victoria, a white girl saved and raised by slaves in the Colombian Caribbean who later returns to fight for the freedom of her adopted family.
Accent: Colombian
33. Club de Cuervos
This witty Mexican drama, Netflix’s first Spanish-
The international cast reflects the soccer world’s diversity, with actors from Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Spain, and Mexico. The variety of accents coupled with lots of Mexican vernacular make this an excellent choice for Spanish learners.
Accents: Mexican, Peruvian, Argentinian, European Spanish, and even Brazilian
34. Club de Cuervos Presents: The Ballad of Hugo Sánchez
Tap the photo to watch trailer on Netflix
This charming spin-off of Club de Cuervos focuses on meek personal assistant Hugo Sánchez, who is tasked with babysitting the Cuervos in Nicaragua and leading them to victory — that is, if his mom would let him.
Accents: Like Club de Cuervos, a diversity of accents including Mexican, Nicaraguan, and Argentinian
35. Lady, la Vendedora de Rosas
The poignant real-life story of Colombian child-star Lady Tabares, who was plucked off the streets of one of Medellin’s poorest neighborhoods to star in a film and quickly rose to fame.
Accent: Colombian
36. Edha
Netflix’s first original Argentinian production is an erotic thriller set in the glamorous fashion scene of Buenos Aires. The life of a successful designer and single mother turns upside down when she meets a mysterious man. A soapy mixture of revenge, passion, and dark secrets!
Accent: Argentinian
37. Apaches
Set in a working-class neighborhood of Madrid, this series based on the novel by Miguel Sáez Carral follows a young journalist who is forced into a life of crime to save his family.
Accent: European Spanish
38. Fariña (Cocaine Coast)
Tap the photo to watch the trailer on Netflix
Suspenseful crime drama set in 1980s Galicia, Spain about the rise to power of a young fisherman seduced into becoming a prosperous cocaine smuggler. Based on journalist Nacho Carretero’s controversial nonfiction book of the same name.
Accent: European Spanish (Galician), some Latin American
39. Vivir sin permiso (Unauthorized Living)
Note: No English subtitles available for YouTube trailer -- tap to watch trailer on Netflix
Another narcotrafficking thriller set in Galicia, this time in the present.
When a Galician shipper and drug lord hiding his Alzheimer’s reveals plans to retire, his second-in-command plots to steal the empire from the heir.
This critically acclaimed series is based on a story by Galician writer Manuel Rivas.
Accent: European Spanish; some dialogue in Galician
40. Diablero
Netflix Original horror fantasy thriller filmed completely in Mexico City. Before the angels abandoned Mexico City, there was a balance between good and evil.
Now that they have left, its citizens have fallen in hands of the demons. Fortunately, a group of demon-hunters, or diableros, have emerged to protect them. Adapted from the Mexican novel “El Diablo me obligó” by F.G. Haghenbeck.
Accent: Mexican
41. Siempre bruja (Always a Witch)
In this fun young adult sci-fi fantasy, a young 17th-century witch time-travels to the future to save the man she loves, but first must adjust to present-day Cartagena and defeat a dark rival.
Based on the novel “Yo, Bruja” by Costa Rican author Isidora Chacón.
Accent: Colombian
42. Colosio (The Candidate)
This thriller based on true events takes place in 1994, when Mexican presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio’s assassination sends his dying widow racing to uncover who did it.
Accent: Mexican
43. Alta Mar (High Seas)
In this glamorous Spanish murder mystery, two sisters discover disturbing family secrets after a string of mysterious deaths occur on a luxury ship traveling from Spain to Brazil in the 1940s.
The cast includes many familiar faces from Velvet, Morocco: Love in Times of War, and Gran Hotel.
Accent: European Spanish
44. Monarca
Note: No English subtitles available for YouTube trailer -- tap to watch trailer on Netflix
This telenovela-like series executive-produced by Salma Hayek features gorgeous cinematography and tequila, traición, y mucho drama.
After 20 years in Los Angeles, Ana María returns to Mexico and vies for control of her family’s tequila empire as it threatens to crumble under corruption and secrets.
Accent: Mexican
45. La ley secreta (Undercover Law)
Compelling 60-episode Colombian drama that’s part telenovela, part crime thriller.
The female-centered story follows Sandra, Amelia, and Tatiana, secret agents who risk their lives infiltrating a Colombian drug cartel. Meanwhile, Alejandra, a drug mule, becomes an informant in order to avoid going to jail.
Accent: Colombian
46. Hache
No English subtitles available for YouTube trailer -- tap to watch trailer on Netflix
Inspired by true events, Hache is the suspenseful story of Helena, a prostitute catapulted to the ranks of a heroin trafficking cartel in 1960s Barcelona. Starring El tiempo entre costuras‘s Adriana Ugarte.
Accent: European Spanish
47. El reemplazante (The Substitute)
Note: No English subtitles available for YouTube trailer -- tap to watch trailer on Vimeo
This Chilean production filmed in Santiago tells the story of Charly, a high-flying financial exec who has it all: women, prestige, and money.
After he throws it all away with a risky financial transaction that lands him in prison, upon being paroled Charly starts a tough job as a substitute teacher at a school for at-risk youth. A story of second chances.
The plot was partially motivated by the Chilean student protests of 2011.
Accent: Chilean
48. Vientos de agua
Note: No English subtitles available for trailer
Netflix has brought back this beloved 2006 Argentine-Spanish miniseries.
The drama traces an Asturian miner’s emigration to Argentina from Spain in 1934, and his son’s return to Spain in 2001 after Argentina’s economic collapse. The well-made production contrasts the two immigration stories by narrating them in parallel.
Accents: European Spanish, Argentinian
49. Los Briceño, una familia todo terreno (The Road to Love)
Tap the photo to watch trailer on Netflix
This Colombian comedy novela follows Chiqui, the youngest daughter from a family of muleros (truck drivers). When she’s kicked out of her home after an argument with her dad, Chiqui must find her own way in the macho world of trucking.
Accent: Colombian
50. Paquita Salas
Netflix picked up this popular Spanish web series, a tongue-in-cheek parody of the entertainment industry. Middle-aged Paquita, played by actor Brays Efe in drag, was one of Spain’s top talent agents in the ’90s, but finds herself in dire straits after losing her biggest client.
Lots of cameos of Spanish celebrities, slang, and pop culture references.
Accent: European Spanish
More Netflix Spanish TV Suggestions
Even more shows that haven’t made it on the list yet:
- Merlí -- It’s in Catalán, not Spanish, but this wonderful series about an unconventional high school philosophy teacher is a fun watch, especially if you’re interested in the diverse cultures and languages of Spain. Watch the trailer (Note: Unfortunately, this badly dubbed trailer is the only one available. As always, I recommend watching this show in its original language, Catalán).
- La Piloto -- This Mexican series tells the story of Yolanda, a young flight attendant with dreams of becoming a pilot who is thrust into a drug smuggling operation. Watch the trailer.
- Welcome to the Family -- Another Catalán offering from Netflix. This dysfunctional family comedy follows single mom Àngela as she tries to support her family by covering up her estranged father’s death after learning they’ve been written out of his will. Watch the trailer on Netflix.
You may also like:
Ingrid retired early from software engineering at 43 to devote herself to language learning and travel. Her goal is to learn a new language to fluency every two years. Currently, she speaks English, German, and Spanish, and is learning Portuguese.
Super fun post to read – thanks! Makes me want to learn Spanish… 😉
Thanks, Rainier! I’ve found Spanish to be really easy and rewarding, as there are so many opportunities to practice it online and in my travels. With your flair for languages I’m sure you’d pick it up quickly. 😉
Me too 😀
Thanks for this great summary. The only one of these I’ve seen is Tiempo Entre Costuras, which I loved. Another series that I loved was Las chicas del cable. I watched El guardián invisible the other night, which includes some Basque as well as Spanish. I haven’t published a review of the last one yet, but it’s coming.
Hi Virginia, it’s great to hear from you! I definitely have Las Chicas del Cable on my list… looks great. Have you seen Velvet? I have that one on my list too. Just added El Guardián Invisible to watch before my upcoming trip to Spain, thanks! Basque is so fascinating.
Lanina. How could you miss this one?
Do you mean La Niña? Got it in my queue but haven’t watched it yet.
Does anyone know why La Niña is not shown en UK? Appreciate a response please Emilia
Hi Emilia, that’s a shame! Unfortunately, Netflix does not always have global licensing rights for all of its series. You can submit content requests to Netflix here, though: https://help.netflix.com/en/titlerequest.
Another great one that I couldn’t stop watching was Velvet. Typical telenovela but set in the 1950s fashion world.
Thanks for the recommendation, Julie! I definitely have Velvet in my queue to watch before my next visit to Spain. I may just add it to this list before then since several other people have also recommended it. 🙂
Love love Velvet
I am getting crazy about Ana, and Alberto
I want to see them more
I loved the setting it was truly amazing.
Velvet was very additive but I did not care for the ending. La casa de papel is also a very good.
Hi Maria, La Casa de Papel is new to Netflix and I haven’t had the chance to check it out yet, but I definitely will soon. Thanks for the recommendation!
You should watch an Argentinian show called Historia de un Clan which is based on a true story in the 70s where the family and friends of a rising rugby star began to kidnap individuals for money. I found it very interesting!!!
Thanks so much for the recommendation, Sydney… I’ll check it out!
To those don’t mind violence and vulgar words, I suggest to watch Narcos which season 1&2 showing about pablo escobar and season 3 showing about cali cartel.
I just finished watching el chapo season 1 & 2, season 1 quite boring but season 2 more of action packed war amongst cartel dealers with el chapo leads the war mostly. most of el chapo’s advantage came from government liason don sol that support him internally especially the army of entire season 2. Worth to watch and better than season 1 for sure!
Agree, Season 2 is awesome! Can’t wait for Season 3 already. 🙂
Mar de Plastico (2016, 2017; crime drama; murder mystery; European Spanish)
Hi Charles, thanks for the suggestion! I watched a couple of eps of Mar de Plástico and enjoyed it, but hadn’t gotten back to it yet… I was planning to do so before my next visit to Spain. I should add it to the list!
Hi Ingrid, you’re welcome. I also liked “Estocolmo”; it’s another Argentinian crime thriller set in the more swanky but seedier news- and boardrooms of Buenos Aires. Another in the same genre is “La Bala Loca” set in Santiago, Chile. Enjoy!
Gracias, Charles, I’ll check those out, especially La Bala Loca… we don’t have any other Chilean series in the list right now!
My favorites are El internado, el tiempo entre costuras and velver, of course El gran hotel was awesome too. I need to watch the other ones
Agree, and thank you for reminding me El Gran Hotel is back! I need to add it.
Oh my gosh, “Club de cuervos” is hilarious! I love it. Give it another go.
Thanks for the encouragement! So many people love it that now I feel like I have to give it another try. 😉
Pablo Escobar – El Patron del Mal; this would have to be up there. 7 seasons worth and the characters they create in the series are top notch.
Hi Sean, you’re right, I should add it. I watched a couple of episodes but didn’t continue because I found it hard to watch the unmitigated evil of the main character. I do think the portrayal of Escobar is vastly superior to the one in Narcos. Thanks for the suggestion!
I’ve just started watching another v. similar to the one I mentioned before, Surviving Escobar. Again it’s like 70 episodes and follows the story of the last remaining member of the Medellin Cartel after all the other Inextritables have perished. The protagonist, JJ, or John Jairo, plays an awesome role as a street smart wheeler and dealer, and I find the whole show equally well made as Pablo Escobar.
I have an affinity with the Colombian Spanish I think.
I’m only 6 episodes in but am settling in for a marathon!!!
Thanks for the suggestion, Sean! Looks like a high-quality show. I will add it. And agree, the Colombian accent is very easy on the ears!
Thank you for noting what accent is on the show. Makes it more fun when searching for a new country of origin to pick shows from when one is used to watching the same thing all the time.
So glad you found it useful! I try to provide shows from a diversity of Spanish-speaking countries.
Rebelde is not available on netflix.
Hi Jaye, it’s available on US Netflix (I’m currently watching it), but may not be in other countries.
You forgot Según Roxi!!!!
Sarah, that sounds awesome, but it’s not on Netflix USA! What are you using to watch it?
What about turkish series in spanish CC ?
Hi Luisa, I know those are really popular in Latin America, but I haven’t watched any yet. Do you have any recommendations?
I watched the protector it was my first Turkish series
Thanks, Maria! That’s really cool that Netflix is now producing original series in Turkish.
dont forget sin senos yo hay pariso…..it was awesome….so was centaur’s woman..the first season….
Thanks for the recommendation, Tammy! Looks like Centauro’s Woman (La querida del Centauro) isn’t on Netflix yet but it is on Youtube!
Lady, la vendedora de rosas. And I really wish they’d bring back the Disney series, Soy Luna.
Thanks for the suggestion, Vallarie, I should add Lady. And Soy Luna looks great… I hope they bring it back too.
Thanks for this great list! I just finished Ministry of Time (one of the best shows ever IMO) so this list will help a lot in picking my next few Spanish series to watch. I was actually looking for both “Isabel” and “Águila Roja” but sadly neither are on Netflix, Hulu or AmazonPrime. I found a few episodes on youtube but without English subs. RTVE site seems to possibly have all the episodes of each but doesnt allow views outside of Spain. I could try using a VPN to circumvent, but I suspect they still won’t have English subs. You don’t happen to know where these can be view do you? Also, once thing I noted in Ministry of Time is that many words with “S” have it pronounced like the English “Th”. Is this a European Spanish thing? Because I never noticed this before but most of the other Spanish language shows/movies I have watched were probably Mexican or Colombian.
Hi, Jim, thanks for the recommendations! I’ve been wanting to watch Isabel myself, but have not found it anywhere. Hopefully those RTVE shows will come to Netflix at some point. Agree that they won’t have English subtitles if you watch them on the RTVE website.
As you may know, in Castilian Spanish (considered the standard European Spanish) the letters “c” and “z” are pronounced “th,” and in some parts of Andalucía even the letter “s” is pronounced “th,” so maybe that’s the sound you’re hearing.
Let me know how you like the next shows you watch, and if you discover any new ones!
Ah yes that makes sense about the European Spanish pronunciations… just sounds strange after watching mostly Latin American language shows before lol. And frankly, it’s even more noticeable in “Mar del Plastico”, which makes sense given your comments about that region. I am 3 episodes away from the end of season 1 on that and definately agree with your review. The plot holes are notable but not the worst I’ve seen… some of the acting is less than stellar but I really like Rodolfo Sancho and think he does a great job along with a few others in this series. I find it pretty intriguing, though i may jump to another series (possibly La Nina or El Barco) before starting series 2.
For me Andalusian Spanish is some of the most difficult to understand. What I loved about Mar de Plástico was the unique mix of cultures in southern Spain… the Spanish locals, the Roma, the Russians, and the Africans. La Niña is probably a better more serious and well-made production than El Barco, but both are good for entertainment and for practicing Spanish… Let me know what you think!
I agree about the cultural mix aspect… very fascinating to see those tensions and realize that horrible things like that occur across the globe, not just in the US as many closed-minded people would like to think. But to be clear, it’s sad that they occur anywhere, just really interesting to see another country’s perspective on it. I did go ahead and finish the 2nd season and i couldn’t stand not to after that cliff-hangar at the end of S1!
After that, I opted to go with La Nina and am now totally addicted to that lol! Very well done production, and although a little too bit “telanovela-y) for my taste at times, the strong characters and acting, as well as the riveting story line, have got me almost through half of the ~80 episodes already.
I also wanted to mention something about “Isabel” that i just discovered today, as I know you and probably others here are interested in that series. Still no word on Netflix availability but I found that Amazon Prime Video now has full season 1 & 3 (and strangely only ep.1 of season 2). I was thrilled to see this but was quickly disappointed that there were only Spanish and Portuguese subs available. However, a work-around for some that require English subs is to watch through Google’s Chrome browser and enable “auto-translating” of non-English web pages. I use this feature a lot while browsing but never realized it would work on translating subs! What i found was that the original Spanish subs show up very briefly but are then instantly translated to English! The only downside is that a few times, the English subs were not on screen long enough to read. I need to concentrate on watching a full episode to see if that is really going to be an issue, but hopefully this will be a decent work around for most people.
Jim, you rock! Thank you so much for sharing that, as well as your workaround for English subs. I’m going to add it to the Amazon Prime section. Hopefully Amazon will add the full Season 2 soon.
And glad you’re enjoying La Niña! The Colombian accent is famous for being one of the most beautiful Latin accents and is one of my favorites.
I enjoyed the way modern characters in Ministry of Time would explain idiomatic expressions to the characters from the past, that helped me to pick up a few expressions that went over my head. They also had fun with accents and pronouns used across centuries and countries, especially in comparing modern Argentinian, older Spanish Spanish, and Italian.
Tierra de Reyes was super good. Couldn’t stop watching. I will highly recommend. Filled with love, intrigue, suspense, thriller and a super cast.
Thanks for the recommendation… looks like a very fun and juicy show! 😉 Unfortunately, it’s not available here for streaming in the US, but hopefully readers from other countries can check it out.
Looking forward to watch Pasion De Gavilanes on Netflix Hongkong soon
Looks like a good Colombian novela, Mai… I hope you get it soon. By the way, I just read that Tierra de Reyes is a remake of Pasión de Gavilanes – had no idea!
I’m not finding most of these when I’m trying to search on Netflix. I’m in the US and I’ve tried searching with Spanish and English titles any ideas why?
Hi Jen, that’s odd. Try clicking just on the title of the show – it should take you directly to the page on Netflix. Let me know if that doesn’t work!
That worked, thank you! I’ve really enjoyed Grand Hotel and Velvet. I’m excited to try these others.
Great! Let me know what your new favorites are. 🙂
Looking forward to watch Pasion de Gavilanes and Tierra de Reyes on Netflix Hongkong
Let us know which you prefer!
Great blog post! I appreciate you putting it together. I just finished watching La Niña, which I really enjoyed. I also watched Cuatro estaciones en la Habana when it came out, which gives much more authentic exposure to Cuban Spanish than the Celia Cruz series, as most of the actors on that show aren’t even Cuban. I never finished it, but I might go back if only just for Aymee Nuviola, who is a totally legit Cuban singer in her own right, recognized for her ability for controversias, which is essentially the Cuban singing equivalent of a freestyle rap battle. There’s some fantastic footage of her performing that stuff on YouTube. But I digress. The end point is that for authentic Cuban Spanish, Cuatro estaciones en la Habana is the way to go.
Hi Eric, glad you found it helpful. Totally agree that the Cuban Spanish in Cuatro Estaciones en la Habana is much more authentic. And thanks for the Aymee Nuviola YouTube recommendations – she is amazing! Hopefully TV production in Cuba will pick up, and we’ll see more Cuban series on Netflix in future.
Another recommendation, if you like social conflict, would be “Alli abajo”, which is a comedy showing the differences between Andalusians and Basques (which are famous for not getting along).
Hey, that sounds great! It looks like it’s only available on Netflix in Spain right now, so hopefully language learners there can take advantage of it.
El barco was the best to me, so far. It was not supposed to be serious, it was a science fiction movie and perfectly done. IT was also super funny and super sad at times. Yes the cast was gorgeous and the beautiful European Spanish was also extremely nice to hear. I love the th sound in English and love it in Spanish. It gives the language a nice respite from the constant s sounds that occur with Latin American accents of Spanish and also gives it that majestic, royal, powerful, and elegant sound, that is so unique to CAstilian proper….It is GORGEOUS!!!. Also, there is a Colombian in it who has the most elegant of the Latin American accents (because it is the one that is the most like European Spanish). But honestly, those of you who cannot listen to Isabel and understand Isabel in Spanish, well, I am really sorry. ISabel was so good that there are no words for it. Everything about it was superb, everything. Then in addition to the gorgeous, elegant, European sound, you have the expressions that they used in the sixteenth century, which are so poetic, elegant, beautiful. Honestly, Isabel is something that you could just have in the background and you would think you were in heaven (just from the sheer beauty of the sounds). On top of that, if you like history, oh my god, and Spanish history of that time was absolutely fascinating and I mean for anyone. Isabel was one of the first European queens who actually had power. I think she may have been the first. Castilian women were a little more respected by their men than in other parts of Spain and the world and that is why she could rule there. IT IS FASCINATING and really goes into Castllian culture as well. The sequel, Carlos Rey Emperador is also superb. Honestly it is worth learning Spanish just to be able to follow this one. It is cruel not to have an English translation, it is cruel…..seriously…..because the world deserves to know this history…When Isabel died, I cried for days afterwards, so you will get into it in ways that I cannot describe especially if you like history.
Hi Laura, thanks so much for the thoughtful comment, and for the reminder that Colombian actor Juan Pablo Shuk is in El Barco… just added that to my accent notes. (By the way, I loved him in Narcos too).
Where were you able to watch Carlos Rey Emperador? Looks like it’s on Prime but not currently available for streaming or purchase. Hopefully they’ll add it as they did Isabel.
Hi Ingrid,
Thanks so much for this list! I studied Spanish from the 6th grade until my junior year of undergrad (I’m now in my first year of grad school), and have been looking for ways to keep learning and exposing myself to the language since I don’t get to interact much with other hispanohablantes! I had started El Internado on Netflix last year, but I’m sure you know they recently removed it. This list gives me a GREAT arsenal of series to get started on. Hopefully none of these disappear soon 🙂
Hi Kaelah, so glad you’re finding it helpful! Yes, such a bummer that Netflix removed El Internado! As I’m sure you know, the selection is constantly changing, which is why I update this list at least once a month. Enjoy watching, and let me know any suggestions you have! 🙂
El Internado is back on Netflix in the US!! Great show!
Thanks so much, Debbie, I’ve added it back in! =)
Hello Ingrid, nice to meet you.
I’m Spanish so I can recommend you many good series. Of course, the most famous Spanish series in the world are La Casa de Papel (House of Paper) also called Money Heist which many people think is the best ever Spanish series (the new season in 2019 is going to be even more spectacular) and Élite.
The most awared show in Spain are El Ministerio del Tiempo because you can learn a lot about the history of Spain with this time travel series and Fariña (Cocaine Coast) which is like Narcos but in Spain based in a true story about the income of drugs in Spain.
About the new ones, I highly recommend Estoy Vivo (from TVE) and Presunto Culpable (from Antena 3).
See you.
Hola, muchas gracias por tu comentario y las sugerencias desde tu punto de vista español! Seguro serán útiles para los estudiantes enfocados en el español europeo.
Esperemos que las otras series que mencionaste también lleguen a Netflix o Amazon Prime para nosotros en los EEUU. Gracias y un saludo!
Check out the series Queen of Flow on Netflix. it is a great series.
Looks like a fun watch! Thanks, I’ve added it. 🙂
Ha, While I was watching Queen of Flow, I googled around for lists of good Spanish shows on Netflix, and found this one. My Spanish is still weak, and I find that the talking pace in some shows is too fast for me to track. But I recently discovered How to Get Over a Break Up on Netflix which is a comedic chick flick that was filmed in Lima. I can’t distinguish between Latin American accents yet, but I suspect the cast was international. The only actor I recognized was Arturo Castro from Broad City, and he’s Venezuelan. It was cool to see a movie with a hip young cast set in Lima. Plus the accents were so clear and the story so simple (but good light fun) that I was able to track most of the dialogue, which was a first for me. 🙂 Thanks for posting your list of faves! I hope you keep updating the list.
Correction: the actor Arturo Castro is Guatemalan. His character on Broad City is Venezuelan.
Hi Susanna, thanks so much for the recommendation. I do have How to Get Over a Break Up in my list of Spanish movies, but I haven’t had a chance to watch it yet personally. I think I need to move it up in my queue! Especially since, as a blogger, I’m intrigued by the story. 😉 Enjoy, and let us know if you find any other gems!
Thank you for the idea, Susanna. I have had the same problem – talking pace is fast, and I keep trying to find indoor scenes to avoid too much background noise. Makes me wonder if there are any shows from the 60s or 70s – when the sets were much quieter.
Cheers!
So, I came here to recommend adding La Reina del Flow, but I see that has already been done 🙂 I very highly recommend this series, especially if you like Spanish music (especially Reggaeton, but other genres pop up as well)! I actually didn’t think any series could top La Nina for me but this one just edged it out, probably mainly due to the fact that i am a music lover. This series is extremely well written and acted, and dare I say, one of the best looking casts of any show you will ever see! I also really appreciated the attention to detail on the music-producing side… they actually used real equipment, right down to the midi-controllers and DAWs (music production software). It really bugs me when shows/movies fake certain aspects like this and get it blatantly wrong, so nice to see they made the extra effort here. They also had guest appearances by several well known reggaeton singers, which was also a nice touch. I got so addicted I ended up binging all 82 episodes in about 16-17 days!
Jim, thank you so much for your detailed review. Because of yours (and others’) feedback, I’ve moved it up in the list, and also edited the review to add your comments. It’s good to hear they got things right on the music production side. Que sigas disfrutando, and do let us know your recommendations in future! 🙂
I’m so glad Netflix has so many Spanish-language shows, and also that there is the option to watch without subtitles (I’m in the UK). I watched a few series so far, my favourites are probably Money Heist, Elite and Diablero. I actually really loved Diablero, such a great cast, hoping there will be another series! In the UK we are also lucky because one of the big TV channels, Channel 4, has a section dedicated to international shows, which they call Walter Presents. Mostly these shows are just available on the website, but some show on TV too. The best Spanish-language ones I’ve seen on there are Vis a Vis (Spain) and Prófugos (Chile). No option to turn off the subtitles, but to be honest I needed them with Prófugos as I find the Chilean accent a little tricky!
Thanks, Hannah, that’s a great tip for UK readers. Prófugos looks really good… hopefully it’ll come to Amazon Prime or Netflix in the US. And yes, the Chilean accent is the most difficult one for me!
Highly recommend Vis A Vis AKA Locked Up on Netflix!
Thanks so much Lars, saw it just came to Netflix US. Just added it! 🙂
Also – I just looked for El Barco and it doesn’t seem to be available here in the UK. I used to watch the first season when I was doing my study abroad year in Córdoba but I had to leave for the second part of my year abroad in Lisbon before the season finished, so I never saw how it concluded. Would have loved to catch up! I had a huge crush on Mario Casas at the time!
Another show I watched recently on Netflix was El Recluso, set in a Mexican prison. I recommend that too, though it’s a little implausible! I needed subtitles for the prison slang though, so not sure it’s the best for Spanish learners!
I hate when you leave a country and can’t finish a series!
Haven’t seen El Recluso, although I’ve watched El Marginal, the show it’s based on. Sadly, El Recluso hasn’t come to US Netflix yet, I’m guessing because it’s a production of US Spanish-language network Telemundo, and they are hanging onto the rights for their own video-on-demand service.
Maybe I should try El Marginal next…I’m at a loose end at the moment! I do love that it is so easy to watch international shows. Although there aren’t enough Portuguese language ones, but at least there are lots in Spanish.
My Mexican friend said he really enjoyed both… it would be interesting to compare them.
I’m pretty focused on Portuguese right now, and am lamenting the lack of content on Netflix! There are no Brazilian TV shows on Amazon Prime, although there are a lot of good movies and documentaries, if you hunt for them. It could be worse though… I could be learning Croatian like a friend of mine. 😉
If you’re interested in a Portuguese show, I saw one called 3% on Netflix that is pretty good.
Obrigada, Jeff! I had started that one but need to go back and finish it.
Does anyone know if or when Netflix will release La Piloto season 2? I can’t get enough of Yolanda, John and Dave love triangle! So addicting
Monica, I can’t find any information about a release date, but hopefully soon!
How can we get Netflix to include “Cafe con aroma de mujer”, an oldie but excellent Colombian soap? The Netflix feed from Brazil had it a couple of years ago
I’ve heard great things about that series. You can submit content requests to Netflix here: https://help.netflix.com/en/titlerequest
one more, for the film i recommended durante la tormenta/mirage, and for the series i prefer jugar con fuego/playing with fire
I can’t find Edha and Lady, la Vendedora de Rosas my netflix area, i’m from Indonesia. Anybody know why?
Hi Uyun, I believe it all has to do with licensing agreements. Here is a great site for checking which shows are available in which countries: http://unogs.com/video/?v=80112916
Thanks for the recommendations, Uyun. If you haven’t seen it yet, check out my list of Spanish-language movies, which includes Mirage as well as others: https://www.secondhalftravels.com/spanish-movies-netflix/. Unfortunately it looks like Playing with Fire hasn’t been released on US Netflix yet!
I’ve watched Elite before and I can’t wait to watch more spanish movies/series! And I also wanna suggest you to watch ‘baby’ it can also be found on netflix and I’m sure you’re all gonna love it!
Yes, Baby looks similar to Élite! Makes me want to start learning Italian.
When does season 2 of la niña come out i watched season 1 twice love it!
Unfortunately from what I have read there are no plans to add new episodes or seasons.
Any preference with regards to production quality, story lines, accent, etc., etc., between Mexican, Spanish, Columbian, Chilean, or Argentinian shows? Which tend to be the best produced?
You can find quality shows from any country, but Mexico is considered the media powerhouse of Spanish-speaking Latin America.
In fact, Netflix is expanding big time in Mexico, where it will produce 50 TV shows and films over the next two years. Netflix also recently opened its first European production hub in Madrid, so look for more Original series from Spain.
I’m currently watching “Vientos de agua,” very well made.
Thanks so much for that recommendation… it looks great! I’ve added it.
Has nobody watched The Club yet? i loved it! Elite was amazing too. so great. Subtitle are definitely needed. They talk super fast.
Thanks for the recommendation! I’ll check it out for the list.
Hello Ingrid, great list, but if I could suggest a correction, under Élite you mention “Danna Paola, who struggles to capture the Spanish accent and slang”, but in the show her character is from Mexico and seems to have grown up there, this is why she has Mexican contacts for the adoption For her teacher, and she talks multiple times about her family in Mexico. She wouldn’t have a Spanish accent because that would be weird, additionally she drops a lot of US English phrases again confirming she’s from Mexico since American English would have greater influence in Mexico than in Spain where given its close proximity to Britain the English phrases people say take on more of a British accent. Besides that great list!
Hey, that’s a great point that her character is supposed to be Mexican. I read that Danna Paola spent 6 months living in Spain to learn the accent for the show. In fact, her Mexican fans have criticized her for abandoning her Latin Spanish. She speaks kind of a mix of both. My description was confusing, though, and I’ve updated it. I’d also neglected to mention actor Jorge López (Valerio)’s subtle Chilean accent. Muchas gracias!
Amazing info. Thank you for the help with picking my next show!
Another series you missed to enlist is ” Los Briceños or The Road To Love in English”
Series from colombia very addictive series which have lot of drama and comedy.
Love from India!!
Thank you for the recommendation… I’ll check it out! 🙂
when it returns rebelde to the Netflix of the United States?
It’s such a bummer! Be sure to let Netflix know you want it back: https://help.netflix.com/en/titlerequest
Alternatively, you can find all the episodes on YouTube.