There’s something about a sexy TV series that reels you in, yet leaves you wanting more every episode. Thanks to Netflix, the streaming options are endless for shows that bring the heat, drama, and much-needed romance to the screen. Whether you’re looking for a tantalising romance series or a show where characters leave little to the imagination, these steamy picks will give you all that and more. From Netflix originals like Virgin River to primetime staples like Riverdale, here are the sexiest TV shows that you can binge right here, right now.
– With Lauren Harano, Haley Lyndes, Stacey Nguyen, Corinne Sullivan, and Kalyn Womack
Valeria
Based on the novels by Elísabet Benavent, this Spanish drama tells the story of the titular Valeria, a writer who – experiencing both writer’s block and tension with her husband – must turn to her three besties, Lola, Carmen, and Nerea, for support. Valeria’s friends, on the other hand, are caught up in a world of love, drama, relationships, unfaithfulness, and more that will keep your eyes glued to the screen.
Tiny Pretty Things
Based on the YA book series of the same name by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton, this drama is set in the world of Chicago’s only elite ballet academy, The Archer School, and the dancers of all different backgrounds who attend.
Hollywood
Created by Ryan Murphy and starring Glee‘s Darren Criss, this series follows several narratives from 1940s Hollywood, which was known as the “Golden Age of Tinseltown,” and tells the story of young and optimistic aspiring performers.
Dark Desire
This thrilling series from Mexico tells the story of Alma, a married woman who – after a passionate weekend away ends in tragedy – begins to wonder what secrets her loved ones may be hiding.
Bridgerton
Inspired by Julia Quinn’s bestselling novels, Shonda Rhimes’s first original series for Netflix takes place during England’s early-1800s Regency period, following the love affairs of a diverse group of high-society members. Though you won’t actually see her in the series, Julie Andrews plays a major part as the voice of Lady Whistledown, an anonymous gossip columnist.
Bitter Daisies
This steamy Galician-language drama centres around an investigation into the disappearance of a teen girl in a small town. After digging into the case, a Civil Guard officer finds out that there are similarities into a loss of her own.
Unstoppable
Set in Mexico City, this drama series follows three restless 20-somethings as they embark on a road trip, never expecting to pick up Marcela – a girl with a dark past and a huge debt to pay – along the way. With all its drugs, partying, and mayhem, this one is likely to give you Spring Breakers vibes, but at its core, Unstoppable is really about friendship and female empowerment.
Ingobernable
If you love political thrillers like House of Cards, Ingobernable is for you! This Mexican political drama is full of intrigue and suspense, all set against the backdrop of beautiful Mexico City.
Someone Has to Die
Created by Manolo Caro (who’s the mind behind Netflix’s The House of Flowers), this thriller is set in 1950s Spain during the Franco regime, telling the story of a man who shocks his conservative family by bringing home his new beau: a male ballet performer from Mexico.
The Naked Director
This series is based on Nobuhiro Motohashi’s book of reportage about the real-life Toru Muranishi, an innovative and provocative director of Japanese adult videos who revolutionised the adult entertainment industry during the economic boom of 1980s Japan.
Virgin River
Based on the Virgin River novels by Robyn Carr, this romantic drama series tells the story of a nurse practitioner who decides to relocate to the remote town of Virgin River, CA, hoping for a fresh start, though she soon realises small-town life isn’t as easy as she thought it might be.
Twice Upon a Time
This French romantic drama tells the story of Vincent, who – while still recovering from a breakup – receives a mysterious package that may just allow him to have a second shot with his ex, Louise.
Love Alarm
Based on the digital comic of the same name by Chon Kye-young, this South Korean drama series revolves around a mysterious developer who creates an app, which tells users if someone near them has romantic feelings for them – what could possibly go wrong?
What/If
A pair of San Francisco newlyweds are strapped on cash until an investor approaches them. His proposal? One night with him in exchange for funding. The drama only goes up from there.
Summertime
Inspired by Federico Moccia’s novel Tre Metri Sopra il Cielo and set on Italy’s Adriatic coast, this romantic Italian series follows the love story that blossoms between a street-racing motorcyclist and a woman determined to leave her small town behind and see the world.
Marvel's Luke Cage
If you’re a fan of Jessica Jones, then you need to be watching this action-packed drama that follows Luke Cage (played by Mike Colter), Jessica’s old ex, on a whole new adventure. After an experiment gone wrong, Cage became equipped with superhuman strength and unbreakable skin, allowing him to be a hero and embark on more than a handful of sexy escapades.
Elite
When an exclusive prep school in Spain accepts three working-class students into its elite program, the strife between rich and poor begins. Early on, someone gets murdered, and no one knows who is dead or who did it, but they do know that there’s a lot of tension, and most of it is sexual.
Gypsy
This Netflix original stars Naomi Watts, who plays a New York City therapist whose life seems close to perfect. Her world gets turned upside down when she starts having relationships with people who are close to her patients.
Troy: Fall of a City
This romantic (and very dramatic) series tells the epic story of everything that led up to the historic Trojan War. Hint: it involves love, secrets, temptation, sex, intrigue, and the ultimate betrayal.
Sex Education
When the son of a sex therapist, Otis (played by Asa Butterfield), decides to start an underground sex therapy clinic with one of the most well-versed girls in school, he uses his own personal knowledge to help people with their relationships and ultimately helps himself overcome his own sexual frustrations.
Marvel’s Daredevil
Lawyer by day and superhero by night, Matt Murdock (played by Charlie Cox) takes on the responsibility of fighting injustice every day in this action-packed, three-season series. He was blinded as a child but uses his heightened senses to fight off crime in the Hell’s Kitchen neighbourhood of New York City. Oh, and did we mention that there are some super sexy scenes thrown into the mix of this drama-filled show?
Wanderlust
This series looks into the lives of a married couple who must figure out whether lifelong monogamy is possible or even desirable for them anymore. It explores what makes a good relationship and how to maintain that through the ups and downs of life.
The Vampire Diaries
Two brawling vampire brothers, Stefan and Damon, fall for the mortal girl Elena in The Vampire Diaries, and racy drama ensues. Their relationships with one another take all kinds of twists and turns throughout the series’ six-season run.
Riverdale
Imagine Twin Peaks meets The O.C., and you’ll understand what this dark teen soap encompasses. When they’re not cracking the mysteries and secrets that plague their town, Archie and his friends try to figure out their own romantic drama. Riverdale definitely puts a sexy spin on the wholesome, folksy Archie comics from your childhood.
Bonding
In this short-form dark comedy series, two former high school BFFs, Pete and Tiff, reconnect years later in New York City only to discover that Pete is gay and that Tiff (who attends grad school by day) is secretly one of the city’s top dominatrices, introducing Pete to a whole new underground world of sexual secrecy and BDSM. Yes, the premise is totally crazy, but it’s crazy in a great way, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that it returns for a second season.
Easy
With a stacked cast that includes Zazie Beetz, Dave Franco, Orlando Bloom, Jake Johnson, and Emily Ratajkowski, among many others, this series revolves around beautiful people living in Chicago and navigating the complicated trappings of modern romance, and best of all, it’s coming back for a third season.
Dear White People
When they’re not standing up for what they believe in, the students of colour at this Ivy League university navigate the trials and tribulations of college life. While a satirical comedy-drama at heart, Dear White People also depicts collegiate relationships and hookups with a generous dash of sexiness.
Lovesick
When Dylan finds out he has a sexually transmitted infection, he’s forced to contact every woman he has ever been with to inform them of his diagnosis. The show follows Dylan and his friends down memory lane to relationships and flings he wishes he could forget.
Dynasty
This reboot of the primetime ’80s soap of the same name revolves around two rival families in Atlanta, the Carringtons and the Colbys, and the tension between heiress Fallon Carrington and her billionaire father’s new wife, Cristal Flores, whom she doesn’t trust. Despite being blue bloods, this crew isn’t afraid to fight dirty.
Marvel's The Defenders
When they’re not fighting the supervillain organisation The Hand, the Defenders face battles of the heart when old flames appear and stir up drama in this epic superhero mashup. You’ll know what we mean when Claire and Elektra pop up.
Shameless
Starring the beautiful Emmy Rossum and strangely sexy William H. Macy, this incredibly raunchy and hilarious series follows a woman attempting to keep her life, her relationships, and her five younger siblings together in the South Side of Chicago, while her bumbling alcoholic father continuously wreaks havoc on them all.
The Borgias
This historical-fiction drama tells the story of the titular Borgias, a family of outsiders from Spain who try to take control of 16th-century Renaissance-era Italy through the use of any means possible, including bribery, extortion, torture, and even murder. Think Game of Thrones, but perhaps even more sex, if that’s possible.
Grey's Anatomy
Full of hookups and romantic webs, Shonda Rhimes’s hit medical drama revolves around the dark and twisty Meredith Grey. Grey’s Anatomy is equal parts sentimental and sexy – the show, after all, begins with a hilariously awkward one night stand that would grow into one of the most beloved TV couples of all time.
How to Get Away With Murder
Lawyers aren’t strictly business, especially not on How To Get Away With Murder. When they’re not involved in a twisted murder cover-up, law professor Annalise Keating and her students juggle torrid affairs and messy relationships. Seriously, do these students even study?
She's Gotta Have It
Spike Lee re-imagines his critically acclaimed ’80s indie comedy in this modern, serialised remake. The show circles around the life of Nola Darling (DeWanda Wise), a fiercely independent artist with three strikingly different paramours.
Jessica Jones
Prickly P.I. Jessica Jones effortlessly kicks criminal butt with her superhuman strength as she processes her troubled past. Along the way, she develops passionate, complicated relationships with men like Luke Cage and Oscar Arocho.
House of Cards
The scandalous political series House of Cards stars Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, and Kate Mara. Set in Washington DC, lies, deceit, and betrayal happen in the White House and the bedroom.
Well-Intended Love
When an actress is diagnosed with leukemia, she enters into a secret marriage with a CEO, so she can receive a bone marrow transplant and continue her career. But she soon finds out that love and secrets get in the way.
Orange Is the New Black
Orange Is the New Black doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the existence of sex within a women’s prison. Let’s just say that the steam coming from the showers isn’t only water vapour.
The Hookup Plan
Elsa, who can’t seem to get over her ex or figure out why she’s so unlucky in love, finds herself falling for a new guy who her friends set her up with. Little does she know that he’s a male escort.
Velvet
This compelling Spanish story follows the heir to a fashion house who falls for a seamstress who works for the company. The house is home to money, drama, love, and trouble.
Jane the Virgin
This sweet telenovela follows Jane Villanueva, the daughter of a teen mother, who wants to remain chaste until marriage. When she finds out she got pregnant after a hospital slip-up, she has to decide what to do with her life next.
Love
Love, a series co-created by Judd Apatow, explores the ups and downs of present-day relationships and just how hard love can really be.
End of the F***ing World
This dark comedy-drama tells the story of 17-year-old James, who thinks he is becoming a psychopath, and Alyssa, a rebel who sees James as a chance to escape from her unfortunate home life.
Greenleaf
The Oprah Winfrey Network series Greenleaf is about a family that runs a Memphis megachurch as it hides its own sinful secrets, like greed and adultery. Oprah herself plays a recurring character named Mavis McCready.
You
This oddly addicting and fully horrifying series tells the story of Joe Goldberg, a New York bookstore manager, who falls in love with an aspiring writing named Guinevere Beck. He realises he will do anything for her love. His infatuation quickly becomes an obsession, and he strategically removes every obstacle – and person – in his way to get to her.
Beauty and the Beast
Kristin Kreuk and Jay Ryan star in Beauty and the Beast, a very sexy modern retelling of the classic fairy tale with a suspenseful twist.
If I Hadn't Met You
In this Spanish thriller, a man who loses his wife and children in a tragic accident discovers that he can travel to alternate universes, compelling him to find a world in which his family can be saved.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
When one woman can’t seem to get over a boyfriend from a long time ago, she moves from New York City to California to get him back. If you love musicals, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is a great series for you.
Doctor Foster
This mystery-drama series tells the story of Dr Gemma Foster, who suspects her husband is cheating on her. She decides to investigate, but the secrets she uncovers quickly tear her world apart.
Friends From College
Twenty years after they graduated from college, this tight-knit group of friends heads into the a new era together: their 40s. They must navigate this new time in their lives, as well as figure out what relationships are worth having.
Romance Is a Bonus Book
A gifted writer who is the youngest editor in chief ever at his publishing company gets entangled in the life of a former copywriter who is desperate for a job. They learn about work, love, and how to balance both.
The Protector
Netflix’s first Turkish original series is about the adventures of Hakan, a young shopkeeper whose world changes forever when he learns he’s connected to a secret ancient order, the Loyal Ones, and tasked with protecting Istanbul against the resurgent Immortals.
Sex/Life
A woman must confront her past when her ex-lover barges back into her life. However, her marriage and family may be in jeopardy as she tries to resist his lustful temptation.
Watch Sex/Life on Netflix now.
Hot Date
This TV comedy highlights modern-day relationships and everyday dating dilemmas as it follows a real-life married couple (Emily Axford and Brian K. Murphy). It covers dating, sex, marriage, and more.
Home For Christmas
In this Norwegian original comedy series, a young woman who’s sick of being single (or, at least, of her relatives commenting on her single status) decides to embark on a 24-day hunt to find a boyfriend to bring home for the holidays.
Outlander
This dramatic and romantic series follows two time-crossed lovers who must figure out what love really is along the way.
Gilmore Girls
This multi-generational drama revolves around the family and friendship of Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter, Rory. They experience first loves, heartbreak, and the journey along the way.
Tidelands
In this Australian series, an ex-con returns to her fishing village of Orphelin Bay to discover a decades-long conspiracy involving half-siren, half-human residents.
Soundtrack
Starring Jenna Dewan, Callie Hernandez, and Jahmil French, among many others, this musical drama traces the lives of struggling artists living in LA as they fall in and out of love and struggle to make it in the industry.
Lovesick
In the romantic comedy Lovesick, Dylan finds out he has chlamydia. He and his friends go back over Dylan’s previous relationships as he lets all his previous partners know what he has.
Cable Girls
Set in Madrid in the 1920s, this series follows the lives of four women who get jobs at a telephone company and must learn how to balance work and life in the modernising world.
45 rpm
Set in politically conservative 1960s Madrid, this romantic drama follows the love triangle that forms between music producer Guillermo and aspiring singer Robert, who launch their own rock ‘n’ roll label together and compete for the affection of a beautiful producer named Maribel.
Little Things
Kavya and Dhruv are a young couple living in the fast-paced city of Mumbai and navigating the crazy new-age world of relationships, careers, and family.
No Tomorrow
Evie Covington’s overly orderly life gets flipped upside down when she meets a free-spirited man who believes that the whole human race is soon to be wiped away by an asteroid that is bound for earth in fewer than eight months. This new relationship makes her question her old life and if she wants this to be the new normal.
Lucifer
Though it was originally cancelled after its third season, this Fox comedy series moved to Netflix for its fourth season, continuing the story of the infamous fallen angel. Though Fox had no problem pushing the envelope on its PG-13 rating, finding a new home on Netflix means that bad boy Lucifer (played by Tom Ellis) can get even sexier without censors.
Crashing
Follow the lives, relationships, and ups and downs of six 20-somethings who live together in a former hospital as property guardians.
Glee
Yet another Ryan Murphy creation, this dramedy revolves around the members of an underdog high school glee club as they find their voices and escape the harsh realities of high school within the safe confines of the choir room. From Kurt and Blaine to Brittany and Santana, the show tackles all the challenges that come with coming out in high school, when you might be accepted in the choir room but will have a much harder time being your authentic self outside of it.
Luna Nera
Based in 17th-century Italy, a teenage girl discovers that she’s destined to be a witch. However, her boyfriend’s father does not approve.
My First First Love
When a group of Yun Tae-o’s friends move into his house together, they all experience everything that comes with love, friendship, and getting older.
The Road to Love
What happens when a woman from a macho truck family is kicked out of her home after an argument with her dad? She strikes out to make it on her own as a trucker, of course, which is exactly what happens in this new romantic dramedy.
The Originals
In addition to other worldy werewolves and witches, there’s also supernatural chemistry in this spinoff of The Vampire Diaries. The Originals also doles out a generous amount of addictive and scandalous romantic drama.
Reign
This historical drama tells the story of Mary, Queen of Scots, who must try and rule the kingdom as well as the emotions in her heart.
Russian Doll
Orange Is the New Black‘s Natasha Lyonne stars in this dark comedy series about a woman caught in a Groundhog Day-type loop, repeatedly attending the same party, dying, and waking up the next day unharmed. Follow along as she tries to get her life back on track.
Spinning Out
A figure skater with a dream of going to the Olympics struggles to balance love, family, and her own mental health.
The House of Flowers
This dark comedy follows the lives of a wealthy and dysfunctional Mexican family who owns a flower shop, and the matriarch’s attempts to save face after her husband’s affair (as well as all of the family’s secrets) comes to light. This series has served as a major turning point for modern-day Mexican television, as it features not only atypical families but characters with a diverse range of sexual preferences and gender identities as well.
Pose
Created by Ryan Murphy, Pose takes on the underground ball culture world of 1980s New York City, and the series has made history by featuring the largest cast of transgender actors in series regular roles ever. Set against the background of the AIDS crisis, Pose manages to feel like a sexy queer fever dream without ever losing touch with the very real things happening outside the club.
The Innocents
Runaway teen lovers June and Harry find their love getting even more confusing when they learn that June has the ability to shapeshift. As the star-crossed lovers try to control her new power, they learn that June is not alone and there are more shifters just like her.
One Day at a Time
This clever sitcom reboot of the classic Norman Lear series revolves around a Cuban-American family as they navigate life’s challenges together following the matriarch’s divorce. The show explores a relationship between the family’s lesbian teenage daughter and her non-binary love interest, and rather than feeling like a gimmick, the relationship feels authentic and extremely sweet.
iZombie
You’d be surprised at how a lascivious a dramedy series about a zombie medical resident can become. iZombie has an entire episode called “Fifty Shades of Grey Matter” in which the protagonist consumes the brains of an erotica writer.
Tales of the City
Based on the book series by Armistead Maupin, this miniseries stars Laura Linney as Mary Ann Singleton, a woman who returns home to reunite with her family and the sex-loving residents of 28 Barbary Lane in San Francisco, 20 years after leaving her daughter (played by Ellen Page) and ex-husband behind to pursue her career. Expect to see a lot of colourful characters and a lot of ship-worthy same-sex relationships.
On My Block
This series takes a look into the lives of a group of street-savvy friends who are in the middle of navigating their way through high school, including all of the ups, downs, and new experiences they go through along the way.
The Magicians
Based on the Lev Grossman novel series, Quentin Coldwater and his friends discover the magic world they used to think was make-believe is not only real, but also dangerous. The group embark on a journey together to handle an atrocity that occurs at their secret magical institution.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
The same showrunner who brought you Riverdale has remixed Sabrina the Teenage Witch with a dark twist. As Sabrina approaches her 16th birthday, she struggles to balance her destiny to be a witch with her normal human life.
