Did you know that La Casa de Papel was the most-watched non-English show in Netflix history before Squid Game came into the picture? This speaks great volumes about the popularity of Spanish-related content in the TV and streaming industry, even among non-Spanish-speaking audiences. Hence, it's not a surprise that many learners of Spanish tune into a wide range of TV shows to improve their language skills, especially their comprehension. Since all TV viewers are different, we've tried to include a variety of different types of shows according to genres, Spanish-speaking regions, and entertainment value.
Here is an overview of 15 Spanish television series recommendations to our fellow Spanish learners.
| Number | TV Shows | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Élite | Teen drama, Thriller |
| 2 | The Red Band Society | Drama |
| 3 | Vis a Vis | Crime drama, Thriller |
| 4 | Extr@ | Sitcom |
| 5 | Isabel | Historical drama |
| 6 | Gran Hotel | Period drama |
| 7 | Paquita Salas | Comedy, mokumentary |
| 8 | The Ministry of Time | Sci-Fi, Adventure, History |
| 9 | Club de Cuervos | Comedy, Sports drama |
| 10 | Mi Corazón es Tuyo | Romantic comedy, Drama |
| 11 | Luis Miguel, La Serie | Biographical, Drama |
| 12 | Fugitiva | Thriller, Drama |
| 13 | 31 Minutos | Satire, Puppetry |
| 14 | La Casa de Papel | Crime, Thriller |
| 15 | Las Chicas del Cable | Period drama, Telenovela |
1. Elite (2018)
Synopsis: Three young working-class students have received a scholarship to attend the school, Las Encinas, a prestigious school famously attended by elite students from higher social standings. Between the bullying and humiliation, one of the teenagers is killed. Who did it?
🤩Wow Factor: Intriguing characters and plot twists
🎭Story Engagement: Unique portrayal of human vulnerability
📱Rewatch Value: High if you're a teenager. May appeal to Gossip Girl fans
2. The Red Band Society (2011)
Synopsis: It covers the story of a group of teenagers living in a paediatric ward in a hospital. Together they form a six-member group with each person taking different friendship roles, navigating their sicknesses, and relationships as a patient.
🤩Wow Factor: High emotional depth as the show's creator has a similar experience (cancer survivor)
🎭Story Engagement: Focuses on young patients with a blend of tenderness and humour
📱Rewatch Value: Medium as it could be quite heavy to relive certain scenes
3. Vis a Vis (2015)
Synopsis: A young woman falls in love with her boss and is imprisoned for committing accounting crimes because of him. She ends up in the Cruz del Sur Prison where she learns how to survive life in prison alongside other female inmates while learning about each other's pasts and desires — including to escape from prison.
🤩Wow Factor: Suspense with far-fetched twists in a prison drama
🎭Story Engagement: The plot gets better with different character development in the prison community
📱Rewatch Value: High as it keeps you wondering what will happen — a bit of a mix between Orange is the New Black and Prison Break
4. Extra (2002)
Synopsis: In Extra, the main character is an Englishman named Sam who goes to live in Barcelona to learn the language, and moves into an apartment with two Spanish girls. The group is always correcting each other when chatting, and the basic content and slow speed are supposed to help people pick up the language. You can watch the series on YouTube.
🤩Wow Factor: Offers a simple and comedic flair to learn Spanish
🎭Story Engagement: Laidback characters with lighthearted conversations
📱Rewatch Value: Medium, might work for those who are into learning rather than storytelling
5. Isabel (2012)
Synopsis: The series sheds light on how Queen Isabella I of Castille had to fight for her throne, during a time when women had no place in society other than being mothers and wives. If you're interested in Spain's past, read our quick guide to Spain's history.
🤩Wow Factor: A deep dive into Spanish history and the complexity of European royal families
🎭Story Engagement: Amazing portrayal of real-life characters across generations
📱Rewatch Value: A 10/10 for history buffs — costumes, landscapes, delivery on point
6. Gran Hotel (2013)
Synopsis: Set in the early 20th century, the drama details how Julio arrives at a luxury hotel to meet his sister, head chambermaid Cristina only to discover she has disappeared. He decided to infiltrate the hotel by disguising himself as a footman to find her.
🤩Wow Factor: Fascinating period setting, believable inter-class relationships
🎭Story Engagement: Great writing of mystery and chemistry between the stars of the show
📱Rewatch Value: High, it's hard to not like a cosy hotel romance mystery
7. Paquita Salas (2016)
Synopsis: This series follows Paquita Salas's quest to transform her dying talent agency business to stay relevant in the fast-growing showbiz business in the 21st century.
🤩Wow Factor: Parody of the entertainment industry, outrageous but lovable characters
🎭Story Engagement: Witty dialogues, mixes humour and heart-filled messages
📱Rewatch Value: High, a perfect way to unwind after a hard day of work
8. The Ministry of Time (2015)
Synopsis: A secret Spanish government agency sends different agents to travel through time with specific missions to protect historical events from being altered.
🤩Wow Factor: A good reimagination of time travelling and real Spanish history
🎭Story Engagement: Creative and gripping storyline with multidimensional characters
📱Rewatch Value: High for fantasy lovers
9. Club de Cuervos (2015)
Synopsis: Sibling and gender rivalry erupts between a brother and sister as they fight for control of a professional soccer team in Mexico after their father's passing.
🤩Wow Factor: The ultimate collision of family feud and sports drama
🎭Story Engagement: The characters grow on you, alongside the sports reference
📱Rewatch Value: High if you love sports and sibling banter
10. Mi Corazón Es Tuyo (2014)
Synopsis: In this Spanish lighthearted tale, a poor exotic dancer takes on a job working as a nanny for a widower and his 7 children and of course, they fall in love.
🤩Wow Factor: Romantic comedy meets big Latino family dynamics
🎭Story Engagement: Dramatic characters and telenovela clichés
📱Rewatch Value: Medium. Can be a bit draggy towards the end
11. Luis Miguel, La Serie (2019)
Synopsis: This is a drama series about the life of Luis Miguel, a superstar from Mexico famed for his singing who launched to fame in Latin America and whose time in the spotlights and charts spanned decades in the Spanish music scene.
🤩Wow Factor: Nostalgia glimpse of a global music legend
🎭Story Engagement: Rich description of his personal struggles and music career
📱Rewatch Value: High for every Luis Miguel fan
12. Fugitiva (2018)
Synopsis: A woman who faked her own kidnap in an attempt to escape her previous life and her husband's enemies who are out to get her and thus protect her family.
🤩Wow Factor: A strong and determined female protagonist
🎭Story Engagement: High stakes, fast-paced story
📱Rewatch Value: Medium unless you're into suspense
13. 31 Minutos
Synopsis: A refreshing Chilean production and humourous take on traditional news broadcasts parody, this show features a team of quirky puppet journalists. You can watch the series on YouTube.
🤩Wow Factor: A fun and informational puppet show
🎭Story Engagement: There's always new episodes on thought-provoking topics
📱Rewatch Value: High if you just want to watch a feel-good family-friendly show
14. Money Heist (2017)
Synopsis: The Professor recruits 8 people with nothing to lose to the Royal Mint of Spain in Madrid. The challenge is that they have less than 11 days to do it and they can’t spill the blood of a single hostage.
🤩Wow Factor: Well-written characters, mind games and actions
🎭Story Engagement: High tension between the characters to build up the climax
📱Rewatch Value: Very high — Intense and binge-worthy
15. Cable Girls (2017)
Synopsis: In Madrid, in 1928, four women became operators for a telephone company. Each has their own family narrative and they’re in a growing company that’s obviously dominated by men.
🤩Wow Factor: Solid female leads with a realistic historical background
🎭Story Engagement: Steady pace with intriguing cliffhangers
📱Rewatch Value: High, despite a few cliches, it’s still quite addictive.
Spanish Language Usage in Global Media
Before diving deep into the TV shows, let's learn about the popularity of the Spanish language. Spanish is the second most spoken native language in the world after Mandarin. In fact, twenty countries across different continents use Spanish as their official language.
- Spain
- Mexico
- Colombia
- Argentina
- Peru
- Venezuela
- Chile
- Ecuador
- Guatemala
- Cuba
- Bolivia
- Dominican Republic
- Honduras
- Paraguay
- El Salvador
- Nicaragua
- Costa Rica
- Panama
- Uruguay
- Equatorial Guinea
That's why you'll notice different accents and vocabularies of Spanish media according to different regions. For instance, the top Netflix Spanish series Narcos is a Columbian production while another Netflix hit The House of Flowers is a Mexican production. Meanwhile, learn more about the most famous Spaniards!
Master Spanish With Superprof
Now that you have reviewed the 15 Spanish TV show recommendations, you might be interested in taking your interest in this language to the next level. At Superprof, you can master Spanish comprehensively regardless of your learning level (beginner, intermediate, advanced) with a tutor who is a native Spanish speaker.
As you browse through the tutors' profiles, you can learn about their teaching experience, teaching scope, teaching methodology, and hourly rates. You could also choose between physical or online Spanish lessons according to your preferences.
With the help of an experienced and qualified Spanish tutor, you're able to enjoy all sorts of Spanish media including a wide range of prime TV shows from stream sites like Amazon or Apple, Spanish films, music or even news video without relying too heavily on English subtitles. Your vocabulary, alongside your speaking, writing, and reading will improve tremendously.
Embark on an enriching language journey with Superprof! Buena suerte!
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