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Bingeable Subtitled Series

Has your local teen drama–loving friend freaked out over Netflix’s soapy Spanish-language series Elite yet? If not, allow us to pitch you: think Gossip Girl meets Cruel Intentions meets Skins meets Big Little Lies. What we’re trying to say is there’s a lot of sex, drugs, and even some murder involved here. It’s glorious.

The Spanish series and Hindi-English horror offering Ghoul join the ranks of Netflix’s many foreign-language series options at time when streaming services are helping American audiences discover foreign-language shows more than ever before. (Tip: Use the English-language subtitles when you watch, not the dopey English dubbing. And make sure the Elite track you choose is the “original” or “European” Spanish option.)

And the trend is growing: Hulu announced last year that it will soon add even more international titles to its offerings, which currently include series like the Israeli drama Prisoners of War (the basis for Showtime’s Homeland), a lot of Japanese anime, and Swedish thriller Wallander (the one starring starring Krister Henriksson, not the Kenneth Branagh version, which is in English and on Netflix). Competitors Netflix and Amazon, as well as more niche services like Sundance Now, also offer programming for those looking to better their cultural horizons without leaving the couch. (All of that is on top of the British programming imported by services like Acorn TV and BritBox.)

Have a look at more subtitled TV options available on streaming sites that may be worth a binge. Note: We ranked the shows with Tomatometer scores first, and the rest of the series are listed alphabetically.

Babylon Berlin (2017)
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#1
Synopsis: Police commissioner Gereon Rath is transferred from Cologne to Berlin, the epicenter of political and social change in the Golden... [More]

Elite (2018)
93%

#2
Synopsis: When three working-class teens enroll in an exclusive private school in Spain, the clash between them and the wealthy students... [More]

Synopsis: A small eatery called Meshiya -- also referred to as the Midnight Diner -- resides in the back alley of... [More]

#4
Synopsis: Inspired by a real-life political scandal, "Suburra: Blood on Rome" features a fight over development land in a coastal town... [More]
Directed By: Michele Placido

Sacred Games (2018)
71%

#5
Synopsis: When police officer Sartaj Singh receives an anonymous tip about the location of criminal overlord Ganesh Gaitonde, he embarks on... [More]
Directed By: Erik Barmack

The Mechanism (2018)
80%

#6
Synopsis: When a police task force uncovers a widespread corruption scheme involving the Brazilian government and several prominent engineering firms, scandal... [More]

Dark (2017)
95%

#7
Synopsis: When two children go missing in a small German town, its sinful past is exposed along with the double lives... [More]

3% (2016)
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#8
Synopsis: In the distant future, most of the population lives in poverty in an area known as the Inland. There is... [More]

Ghoul (2018)
88%

#9
Synopsis: When a new prisoner arrives at a military detention center exhibiting eerie behavior, young interrogator Nida Rahim searches for the... [More]

The Rain (2018)
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#10
Synopsis: The world as we know it has come to an end, due to a rain-carried virus that wiped out nearly... [More]

Sorjonen (2016)
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#11
Synopsis: Detective Kari Sorjonen leaves the city behind to settle in a small town on the Russian border.... [More]

Cable Girls (2017)
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#12
Synopsis: It's the 1920s and Spain has just gotten its first national telephone company, located in Madrid. For four young women... [More]

El Chapo (2017)
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#13
Synopsis: Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán is notorious for being one of the biggest drug kingpins in history, but he obviously didn't... [More]

Erased (2016)
100%

#14
Synopsis: 29-year-old Satoru Fujinuma is sent back in time 18 years to prevent the events leading to his mother's death, which... [More]

Fauda (2016)
100%

#15
Synopsis: After retiring from the Israel Defense Force, Doron is working on a vineyard. He gets roped back into active duty,... [More]
Directed By: Keren Gleicher

Good Morning Call (2016)
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#16
Synopsis: A teenager has finally gotten her own apartment. The only problem is that she's sharing it with the most popular... [More]

Hibana: Spark (2016)
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#17
Synopsis: Tokunaga, a comic who is down on his luck, runs into a kind and experienced comic named Kamiya during a... [More]
Directed By: Ryuichi Hiroki

Ingobernable (2017)
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#18
Synopsis: The first lady of Mexico, a woman of conviction and ideals, must uncover the truth when she loses faith in... [More]

Money Heist (2017)
94%

#19
Synopsis: A criminal mastermind who goes by "The Professor" has a plan to pull off the biggest heist in recorded history... [More]

Okkupert (2015)
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#20
Synopsis: From a storyline conceived by best-selling author Jo Nesbø, "Occupied" focuses on political and environmental issues affecting Scandinavia. The 10-part... [More]
Directed By: Erik Skjoldbjærg

Rita (2012)
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#21
Synopsis: A teacher confronts her past when an old flame re-enters her life.... [More]

Samurai Gourmet (2017)
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#22
Synopsis: A retired man searches for delectable delights to satisfy his stomach and his inner samurai's soul.... [More]

Shadow of Truth (2016)
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#23
Synopsis: A documentary exploring the 2006 murder case of a 13-year-old girl.... [More]
Starring:

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#24

Synopsis: Kate del Castillo's account of the meeting between El Chapo, Sean Penn and herself; never-before-seen footage and exclusive details.... [More]
Starring: