26 Spanish-Language Shows on Netflix Begging to Be Binged
Yes, they all have English subtitles if you don't happen to be fluent.
If you often find yourself disappointed after you've sped through the latest buzzy Netflix show and then suddenly have nothing to watch, we've got some good news. There's a whole other world of TV shows that can fulfill your couch potato fantasies—they just so happen to be in Spanish.
Now, you may not speak the language (or think subtitles aren't your thing), but trust us, from the steamy sex scenes in Dark Desire to the high school drama of Elite, the edge-of-your-seat action of shows like Money Heist, and the delightful Sex and the City-style series Valeria, you'll soon be drawn in. Netflix also offers lush Spanish-language period dramas that will appeal to Downton Abbey fans, like Alta Mar, which takes place on a cruise liner in the '40s. If it's comedy you're after, head straight to Daughter From Another Mother, which mines humor out of a truly unusual family arrangement. Beginners learning Spanish may enjoy the Mallorca-set White Lines particularly: The show frequently switches between English and Spanish.
These Spanish-language Netflix shows are so good that in no time, you'll forget about any language barriers. So, vamos! There's a lot of TV to watch.
The Cook of Castamar
The Cook of Castamar is like the Spanish-language, suspense-filled Bridgerton you've been waiting for. The series is set within the aristocracy of1720 Madrid, where a new cook is hired within the household of a dashing and widowed duke.
Somebody Has to Die (Alguien Tiene Que Morir)
If you're looking for a quick but gripping watch, start with this three-episode mystery set in 1950s Spain, under Francisco Franco's dictatorship. After 10 years in Mexico, Gabino (Alejandro Speitzer) returns home to Spain, unaware that his parents have arranged his marriage to Cayetana (Ester Expósito of Elite). Underneath the characters' perfectly coiffed exteriors bubbles tension about who they really are—and who the conservative society doesn't allow them to be.
Daughter From Another Mother (Madre Solo hay Dos)
Normally, Mariana (Paulina Goto), a free-spirited college student, and Ana (Luwdika Paleta), never would have crossed paths—but then, their baby girls were switched at birth. Now, they have to make their unusual family arrangement work. Daughter From Another Mother is a laugh-out-loud comedy about people in a worse-case-scenario scenario. Goto and Paleta's genuine chemistry comes through, even with subtitles.
Stolen Away (Perdida)
Stolen Away is a thriller with an unusual premise: A man goes to extreme lengths with the goal of ending up in prison. Only there, in the depths of a Colombian prison, does Antonio (Daniel Grao) believe he can learn what happened to his daughter, who was kidnapped years prior.
Monarca
Fans of Queen Sugar, Empire, or even Succession are sure to enjoy the Carranza family dynamics in Monarca, a dramaabout a family at the helm of a tequila empire. Ana María (Irene Azuela) returns to Mexico to take charge of a billion-dollar business, only to fight with her two brothers over the company's direction. Betrayal, blackmail, revenge, and corruption ensue in the series, produced by Salma Hayek.
Sky Rojo
From the creator of Money Heist comes yet another Spain-set show with a high-octane plot. Coral (Verónica Sánchez), Wendy (Lali Espósito), and Gina (Yany Prado) are on the run from the strip club after nearly murdering their maniacal boss–we meant what we said about the show being "high octane." Sky Rojo's vibrant, intense half-hour episodes all end in a cliff-hanger.
High Seas (Alta Mar)
Alta Mar has everything an Agatha Christie fan could want in a series: a luxurious confined setting, glamorous clothing, and one juicy whodunnit. In Alta Mar, the passengers on an ocean liner bound for Brazil become consumed with one mystery after another, including a person thrown overboard. The show's main characters, two sisters, are stuck on that boat for weeks—and sleuthing is one way to pass the time.
Who Killed Sara
Who Killed Sara? has the central mystery embedded into the title. If you're new to the series, expect a lot of plot twists as Alex (Manolo Cardona), upon his release from prison, seeks answers from the Lazcano crime family that framed him for his own sister's murder 18 years ago.
Nailed It: Mexico
Nailed It is Netflix's baking show franchise that celebrates kitchen experimentation...and mishaps. In the series, which had a Mexican spinoff back in 2019, amateur bakers are challenged to make cakes based on elaborate designs.
Dark Desire (Oscuro Deseo)
This alluring series out of Mexico is often described as You meets 365 Days, and for good reason. Dark Desire centers on Alma (Maite Perroni—who many viewers might recognize from the cult favorite telenovela Rebelde), a married woman who enters into an affair with the mysterious hot 20-something, Darío (Alejandro Speitzer). But quickly, we learn Darío's passion for Alma is more like an obsession—and the sexy story quickly turns into a thriller with more plot twists and irresistible sex scenes than you'll be able to count.
Valeria
Even the most action-loving viewers need a lighthearted watch every once in awhile, and Valeria is exactly that. As I like to put it, this series is like if Sex and the City, Girls, and Bridget Jones had a baby...in Madrid, Spain. You'll love getting to know the titular character, Valeria, an aspiring novelist who finds her life derailed by an unexpected love triangle. And of course, there to support her are her very own Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda, although in this case, the squad is Carmen, Lola, and Nerea—each just as lovable in their own right.
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White Lines
Okay, so White Lines is actually a bilingual series that switches back and forth between English and Spanish. The latest from La Casa de Papel creator Alex Pina,this mystery is set on the Spanish island of Ibiza. Across 10 episodes, the drama dives into a decades-old case to find the killer of Axel Collins (Tom Rhys Harries), a Manchester-born D.J. who made a name for himself on Ibiza's club scene in the '90s. At the beginning of the series, we meet Alex's sister, Zoe Collins, (Laura Haddock) as she travels to Ibiza to find the truth.
Locked Up (Vis a Vis)
In 2017, Vis a Vis—or Locked Up, in English debuted on local Spanish television. Centered on Macarena, a woman who falls in love with her manipulative boss and commits crimes because of him, the series follows her journey to prison—and the other female inmates she meets. Starring Maggie Civantos and an ensemble cast including La Casa de Papel's Alba Flores, the series was picked up by Netflix and became an international hit for five seasons. Last year, a spinoff was announced: Vis a vis: El oasis (aka Locked Up), described as a "final showdown" that premiered in 2020.
Toy Boy
Toy Boy is a cult favorite, both thanks to its addicting murder mystery plotline and the eye candy its four stars offer viewers. The drama series follows group of four male strippers working in the affluent, seaside vacation city of Marbella, Spain. Nicknamed "toy boys" because they mostly work for older women. The plot centers on main character, Hugo Beltrán (played by newcomer actor Jesús Mosquera) after he's released from jail for a murder he didn't commit—and the following story about sex, love, mystery, and intrigue, all set in a glamorous beach town in Spain, is the kind of guilty pleasure that is meant for binge-watching.
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Money Heist (La Casa de Papel)
A mysterious man known as "The Professor" helps train a dozen young, money-hungry criminals to pull off the largest bank heist in history. Hooked yet? I was, especially when the series somehow managed to keep me on the edge of my seat with a show set almost entirely in one location, the Royal Mint of Spain in Madrid. But don't worry, Money Heist isn't all action, no fun: There are quite a few love stories here, and fans of Élite will notice a few familiar faces in this cast.
Élite
Ah, Elite. Just in case the darkly alluring story of a spoiled rich girl in the middle of a love triangle at an exclusive private school in Spain isn't enough for you, there's also a mysterious unsolved murder—and plenty of clutch-your-pearls sex scenes. If you do join the more than 20 million households around the world that became instant fans of Netflix's glossy teen drama, you'll be happy to know that a sixth season is on the way.
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House of Flowers (La Casa de Las Flores)
With the fast pace of TV and the internet, these days it takes a lot to make me actually LOL. But Netflix's dramedy novela centered on a Mexican family and their flower shop is the wittiest show I've seen in a long time. You'll be able to relate to the family drama (and become obsessed with matriarch Virginia de la Mora, portrayed by novela legend Verónica Castro). But you'll also laugh at the outrageousness of it all, including the dramatically slow-paced voice of eldest sister Paulina, which is so distinct—and hilarious—that Netflix asked actress Cecilia Suárez not to use her accent for any other character.
Cable Girls (Las Chicas del Cable)
After racing through my must-watch list one Saturday afternoon, I meandered through Netflix's recommendations and stumbled across this gem—and immediately wondered how I didn't know about Las Chicas del Cable sooner. Set in 1920's Spain, four young women begin working as phone operators at one of the world's first modern telecommunications companies. As some of their generation's early crops of working women, each fights for independence—one while trying to escape her dark past, all while wearing dazzling roaring twenties fashion.
Made in Mexico
Take The Real Housewives and The Hills to Mexico City, and you've got the reality show Made in Mexico. Okay, I'm using the word reality lightly here, as the show's plotlines are clearly manufactured. And the series faced plenty of backlash thanks to its lack of diversity. But if you're looking for a mindless guilty pleasure, this will do the trick—especially with characters like eternal bachelor Roby, who ends up in an epic feud with Hanna, a Blair Waldorf-wannabe with political and fashion designer aspirations. Yup, the stuff of reality TV dreams.
Narcos
Alright, so this is one I probably don't need to tell you about, because Narcos, the series based on the life of the infamous druglord Pablo Escobar was everywhere when it debuted in 2016. And there was a reason: The creators' careful balance of Escobar's horrific crimes and his personal life as a Robin Hood with a family almost makes you see his human side. (Almost.) And the story goes beyond Escobar: Season 3 introduced the Cali Cartel, who took over the Colombian drug trade after Escobar's death, and the latest season dives into Mexico in the '80s and '90s—with some appearances from a few faces you'll recognize from Escobar's era.
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