Limiting yourself to watching only English-language TV shows in the age of Netflix is kind of like letting your hair air dry in the age of the Dyson Airwrap. At the end of the day, you’re just denying yourself perfectly styled air—or, in this case, perfectly entertaining television. And there’s no better example than Spanish-language shows on Netflix.
The best Spanish-language shows on Netflix don’t just come from Spain, they come from all over the Spanish-speaking world, which means a huge variety of content that covers all genres, from hilarious comedies to teen melodramas (Élite) to period dramas (Cable Girls). But don’t worry, Netflix also has an extensive catalog of telenovelas. Thank the TV Gods because, let’s be real, no collection of Spanish-language shows would be complete without the trademark Latin American soap opera, and we’ve picked out the very best for you to watch. But before you dive in, a warning: You will want to binge-watch all of these, so plan accordingly.
La Reina del Sur
This Mexican telenovela follows the chaotic life of Teresa Mendoza, a massive player in the drug trafficking business who finds herself fighting for her life and running from Mexican drug cartels. The first season originally aired in 2011, but the show returned in 2019, picking up 8 years after Season 1 when Teresa’s daughter is kidnapped, dragging her out of retirement.
Pact of Silence
Mysterious parentage, abandoned babies, elite private school drama—this telenovela has it all. The show follows Brenda Rey, a super successful influencer who was abandoned as a baby and is convinced that four women who attended private school together are responsible. She hatches an elaborate plan to get close to the women and destroy them. It’s a little bit Revenge, a little bit Pretty Little Liars, and 100% scandalous.
Élite
When three poor students enroll at a very wealthy private school, they clash with the rich kids. A classic tale, yes, but what happens next is less expected: murder!
Rebelde
What’s better than a television drama about the lives of elite high school students? A television musical about the lives of elite high school students! You get all that and more in Rebelde, a reboot of the 2004-2006 Mexican television show that follows the aspiring musicians at Elite Way School.
Cable Girls
Imagine this: It’s 1920s Spain, and the country’s first national phone company is being set up in Madrid. The show follows four women who are hired to work there as they try to balance their jobs, friends, family, and romance.
Money Heist
A group of eight robbers, led by the mysterious “Professor,” take over the Royal Mint of Spain, holding people hostage while they try to print and escape with billions of $$$.
Locked Up
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If you liked Orange Is the New Black, you’ll LOVE Locked Up. Here’s the gist: Girl falls in love with her boss. Boss asks girl to manipulate their accounting. Girl gets sent to jail for tax crimes.
Velvet
This is a star-crossed lovers story, perfect for the hopeless romantic. It follows the heir to a fashion house who falls madly in love with a lowly seamstress, much to the dismay of his whole family.
Paquita Salas
This is a hilarious mockumentary about a talent agent named Paquita Salas, whose outdated style gets her ditched by her most famous client. Now, she’s on the hunt for new talent.
Morocco: Love in Times of War
It’s 1921 and a group of nurse trainees from Madrid’s upper class is sent to Morocco to open a hospital to help Spanish soldiers. As with any good medical show, they manage to find friendship and romance between saving lives.
High Seas
This is like watching an old-timey murder mystery. A luxury ship is sailing from Spain to Rio de Janeiro when out of nowhere, people mysteriously start dying and secrets about two sisters on board begin to trickle out.
Criminal: Spain
If you consume police procedurals like they’re double chocolate chip cookies, then let me introduce you to Criminal: Spain. It’s part of Netflix’s Criminal anthology, which includes episodes set in other countries, like Germany, France, and the UK.
The Alcàsser Murders
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Where my true-crime fans at? This one’s for you. This docuseries has new interviews and analysis of the 1992 kidnapping, torture, and murder of three teenage girls who were trying to hitchhike to a nightclub in eastern Spain. It’s pretty wild and definitely upsetting.
Hache
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It’s the 1960s in Barcelona and sex worker Helena earns the love of the very dangerous heroin cartel leader. She leverages this attention to work her way up through the ranks. Pretty badass.
Three Days of Christmas
Don’t be fooled by the title—this show has its fair share of drama. It revolves around four sisters all dealing with family secrets at three different points in their lives, all on Christmas Day.
Examination of Conscience
Warning: This show is really heavy. It’s a documentary miniseries that takes a look at child abuse allegations at three Spanish Marist Brother schools in Spain. Interviews with victims, clergy members, and experts reveal just how little support there was for survivors and how the laws work against them.
Nailed It! Mexico
If you know and love the hilarious baking competition show Nailed It, then you’ll definitely love the Mexican version. Home bakers try to recreate baking masterpieces, usually with amazingly disastrous results.
45 RPM
In ’60s Madrid, disgraced music executive Guillermo Rojas teams up with his assistant Maribel Campoy to launch a new record label. This show is as dramatic as it is addicting.
The Neighbor
Things are kinda messy for Javier right now, considering he just became a full-blown superhero (with powers and everything) and his recent ex-girlfriend is on a mission to uncover his identity. It’s a fun, lighthearted superhero show for when you need a break from all the dramas.
Cathedral of the Sea
In this show, we’re going way back to the 1300s to witness a lowly serf attempt to climb his way to wealth while encountering straight-up disdain (and sometimes violence) from the noble class. It’s based on a Spanish novel of the same name.
Victim Number 8
Based on the events of the 2017 Barcelona attack, this show revolves around a jihadi bombing in Bilbao, Spain, and the police’s investigation to catch those responsible for the deadly strike.
Four Seasons in Havana
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This four-part series, based on the books The Havana Quartet, is for all you crime TV junkies. It follows Lieutenant Mario Conde and his partner Sergeant Manolo Palacios as they try to solve crimes in the heart of Cuba.
Narcos
Although Narcos isn’t entirely in Spanish, most of the dialogue is. And in case you’re not familiar with the plot, it’s all about the IRL rise of drug king Pablo Escobar and his billion-dollar cocaine empire.
Who Killed Sara?
This thriller series is all about sweet, sweet revenge. After 18 long years in prison, Álex is free and out for blood. He knows that he was framed for his sister’s murder. Now, he is hell-bent on finding out who let him take the fall, and is determined to make them feel his wrath.
Always a Witch
Carmen is totally out of her element. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that she’s a witch from the 17th century? She’s traveled centuries to present-day Cartagena to try and save the love of her life. But first she has to figure out how to get used to life in this new world, and defeat a dark presence in her midst.
Someone Has to Die
This show is set in conservative 1950s Spain, so you can expect A LOT of drama. A young man from a wealthy Spanish family returns to Mexico when he is arranged to be married to a proper young lady. But he brings a Mexican male ballet dancer with him during his homecoming. This brings up rumors about the nature of their relationship. Escandalo! Now they must face the consequences as they ruffle feathers of many townspeople.
Welcome to Eden
An exclusive party for young people on a secret remote island to launch a mysterious new drink…nothing could go wrong, right? Well, after a night-long rager, four partygoers wake up to a dangerous new reality.
Valeria
If you like Sex and the City, then you’ll probably enjoy this show based on the novels by Elísabet Benavent. With a troubled marriage and a writing career in crisis, Valeria turns to her girlfriends. After lots of quality girl time, she decides to write erotic novels as she and her friends embark on sexual adventures and misadventures of their own.
The Girl in the Mirror
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Alma loses her memories in a bizarre school bus accident that kills most of her classmates. Though she survived, something doesn’t feel quite right. She tries to unravel the truth about happened that day, and find out the truth about her identity.
Daughter from Another Mother
Two mothers realize that their baby girls were switched at birth. But not to worry, they’ve come up with a good—albeit strange—plan. They’ll raise their kids together as one peculiar family.
Laura is a NYC-based freelance writer. When she’s not binging the latest true crime docu-series, she’s obsessing over all things Harry Styles, RHONY, and John Mulaney. You can follow her on Instagram @lauraehanrahan
Writer
Jasmine Ting is a Filipino journalist based in New York City. You can spot her either at the movie theater for the latest A24 release, on the couch binge-watching the latest K-dating show, or on the 7 train listening to her latest audible obsession (be it music or a podcast). To see what she’s up to when she’s not plopped in front of a big screen, follow her on Instagram @jasminepting.
Editor
Olivia Truffaut-Wong is an editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers beauty, entertainment, and lifestyle. She loves finding and testing the best skincare products to recommend, like the best tinted sunscreens, and is always researching the best cat accessories for her fur baby. She has over 10 years of experience as an entertainment and culture writer and editor, and her work has been featured in The Cut, Refinery29, Teen Vogue, Polygon, Bustle, and more.
