‘Elite’ to ‘Money Heist’: 9 international shows to watch

Crash Landing on You (2019): Sure, the premise of this South Korean drama — about a wealthy South Korean business executive who ends up on the North Korean side of the region’s demilitarised zone after a paragliding outing goes awry — necessitates some suspension of disbelief. But the popular K drama (one of the highest-rated shows to ever air on South Korean cable before its arrival on Netflix) is so charming it’s easy to forget reality’s constraints and binge your way through.

Lovesick (2014): Leave it to the Brits to make a charming, quirky and romantic (seriously) comedy about a man who is forced to track down all of his sexual partners after he tests positive for chlamydia. The three-season Channel 4 import, which first premiered under a somewhat unfortunate title, is available to stream on Netflix.

Terrace House (2012): This beloved Japanese franchise is the low-and-slow version of reality’s go-to formula (X number of strangers together in an obnoxiously nice house), putting emphasis on vulnerability rather than drama. The result — available, in various iterations, on Netflix — is a singularly intimate window into the lives of the show’s cast members.

La Casa de Papel (Money Heist) (2017): Suspense oozes through this Netflix caper series about a carefully curated team of robbers — guided by an enigmatic mastermind — who attempt a stunning heist at Spain’s Royal Mint. The third season has been among the platform’s top offerings since its premiere this month.

Queen Sono (2020): This South African spy thriller, which marks Netflix’s foray into original content produced in Africa, isn’t for the faint of heart: Its titular secret agent (played by Pearl Thusi) is ruthless as she defeats foes across the African continent. Since its late February premiere, the series has earned praise for its well-paced and empowering plot, along with its charismatic lead.

The Forgotten Army (2020): This period drama has been directed by Bollywood filmmaker Kabir Khan, which is based on the real-life events about the men and women in the Indian National Army (INA) led by Subhash Chandra Bose. The Amazon Prime show flits through different timelines, while taking viewers to the metropolis of Singapore and the jungles of Burma.

Elite (2018): File this Netflix drama about the competitive and impossibly beautiful students at a Spanish prep school under teen TV that’s not exactly for teens. Each season gets more ridiculous (in the best way) as the pupils of Las Encinas scramble to conceal murder, blackmail and other crimes from a local police interrogator, and each other.

Dance Academy (2010): We can’t recommend this Australian series enough: Just prepare to become emotionally invested in the lives of Tara Webster (Xenia Goodwin) and her classmates at Sydney’s prestigious (and fictional) National Academy of Dance. The three-season series (available to stream free on Vudu) is tender and surprisingly profound right up until the end - after which, you’ll be glad to know you can also stream a delightful feature-length movie (on Netflix) that follows Tara as she pursues her ballet career in New York City.

Dark (2017): This German thriller is best described as an adult verison of ‘Stranger Things’, complete with a time travel theme, angsty teenagers and a mystery spanning 99 years. The Netflix show is two seasons in and a third one is expected to drop this summer. It may take a few episodes to get with the programme, once you start, you’re hooked.