We’ve All Been Sleeping On Netflix’s French Shows

In this time of isolation, we’re all finding ourselves streaming more. Netflix is happily updating it’s library right on schedule as we beg for the next big show. While we can all hope to see something as riveting as Tiger King come to our screens once again, I think American streamers have been missing out.

In my infinite obsession with TV, I ended up dipping my toe in the waters of international Netflix originals. Specifically, I wanted to watch French shows because I already knew a little bit of the language, and what white girl doesn’t dream of Paris? I tried to watch a few, but always lost enough interest to scroll through my phone. And, well, I don’t quite know enough French to keep up with it while multitasking.

But finally, I stumbled upon a few really true gems. These shows have proven to be just as, if not much more interesting than any of the stuff that Netflix America has put out recently.

Osmosis is a French sci-fi/romance, following a group of young adults as they go through the trial phase of the Osmosis program to, hopefully, find their soulmate. It’s not the most original premise, but the writers made it into a pretty compelling story. There’s a pretty large cast of characters, with a really diverse look into relationships. Unlike what we might see in an American remake, Osmosis doesn’t stray away from being casual about queerness, interracial love, or low self-esteem.

Outside of the romance, though, Osmosis is still a really engaging look at love and our obsession with finding the one. It shows that even if we did know who our statistically “perfect” match was, it wouldn’t be that simple. Love can’t be manufactured.

After finishing Osmosis, I kept my eyes open for more interesting French TV. Near the start of 2019, Netflix released French horror series, Marianne. I can’t begin to explain how much I love this show. It follows a young writer after she finishes her massive horror series about a girl fighting the titular demon, Marianne.

After she finishes the books, Marianne begins to haunt her real life. Honest to god, this show is one of the scariest things I’ve ever watched. The suspense is unmatched and the woman who plays Marianne gives an insanely chilling performance. It also has a lot of heart and is gut-wrenching at times. You will definitely see some things that will follow you. If you enjoyed The Haunting of Hill House, you will adore Marianne. So scary but just as touching, with a story that you will want to see all the way through.

More recently, the show Vampires dropped. I think I’d describe Vampires as a drama and coming-of-age story for the protagonist — a college student who’s cravings for blood begin after she stops taking a medication that her mother has been giving her since she could remember. It’s definitely more Interview With The Vampire than Twilight or 30 Days of Night, with its political base, social commentary, and a heaping load of personal discovery on the part of the main character. I’d recommend it for anyone who, like me, always craved a toned-down version of shows like True Blood and The Vampire Diaries. I’m actually still in the middle of it, so I can’t give a full review quite yet. But I’m enjoying it a whole lot so far and would recommend it to anyone who likes, vampires, self-discovery, and family drama.

International shows are plenty and they’re much better than American’s like to think. They might even be good enough to get you to put your phone down!