150 Best TV-14 Movies to Watch (Page 6)

From Sweet Tooth to The Last of Us, there’s no shortage nowadays of post-pandemic shows speculating about a virus-stricken and human-deficient world. But back in 2015, those were few and far between, making The Last Man on Earth a uniquely weird dramedy that was as existential as it was entertaining. 

But even as its novelty wore off over the years, The Last Man on Earth stands the test of time thanks to its deft balance of sadness and silliness. You could be laughing about a poop joke one moment and ruminating about the purpose of life the next—and it never feels jarring. The ensemble cast is also a notable strength of the show, with each cast member becoming more sympathetic and fleshed out every season. Even the latest additions to the crew, like Kristen Wiig’s Pamela, become fast favorites. 

If you're looking for quick laughs, you can put this show on, but expect some heartache in between as well.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Actor: Cleopatra Coleman, January Jones, Keith L. Williams, Kristen Schaal, Mary Steenburgen, Mel Rodriguez, Will Forte

Rating: TV-14

Do we need to convince you about the spectacle of half naked, handsome, buff men wrestling? Like Flowers in Sand has plenty of that, with Jang Dong-yoon at the helm, but it’s more than just eye candy. It’s a warm, down-to-earth sports drama celebrating Korea’s traditional wrestling, set in the county that is known for ssireum. It has an intricate web of relationships that realistically depict the small town friend groups of childhood. And the cast is excellent, making each ordinary slice-of-life moment still feel compelling. Like Flowers in Sand may not have the crazy fantastical premises other K-dramas are known for, but it still feels unique with its straightforward passion of ssireum.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Mystery

Actor: Jang Dong-yoon, Kim Bo-ra, Lee Jae-joon, Lee Joo-myung, Yun Jong-seok

Director: Kim Jin-woo

Rating: TV-14

The summer 2023 anime line-up easily has the most interesting titles and premises, and The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today is one of them. After Saku rescues him on a snowy night, Yukichi the cat decides to take care of her and her home. Sentient and intelligent, Yukichi, who is as big as a human (and walks and behaves like one too), does all of Saku's housekeeping: cleaning, cooking, taking out the garbage, the works! Naturally, this lends itself well to the inherent comedy of the situation. The absurdity mounts when you realize there are quite a few people aware—and unbothered—by the fact. If you're up for hijinks this summer, it's best to start here. 

Genre: Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Ai Kakuma, Ayana Taketatsu, Hiroki Yasumoto, Katsuyuki Konishi, Mao Ichimichi, Miyu Irino, Yui Ishikawa

Director: Susumu Kudou

Rating: TV-14

Starting the series off with an electric guitar scored wedding, The Buccaneers seems, at first, a vapid cousin to the hit period series Bridgerton. The modern-day scoring, period-inaccurate hairstyles, and the sorority dynamic of the five female protagonists might feel too jarring for viewers looking for a more classical feel. There are certain moments at the start that needed more emotional resonance, like after Nan’s shoe fell into the cake. However, these jarring contrasts smooth over as the series progresses, as the show reveals its melancholy at society’s hypocritical, rigid expectations, but also its care and endearment for these girls’ friendships.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Alisha Boe, Aubri Ibrag, Barney Fishwick, Christina Hendricks, Guy Remmers, Imogen Waterhouse, Josh Dylan, Josie Totah, Kristine Froseth, Matthew Broome, Mia Threapleton

Rating: TV-14

It’s not news that child actors don’t have it easy in an industry that’s more interested in exploiting than protecting them. Theirs is a story of trauma and difficult adulthoods, but it’s also often told in a sensationalist way that dehumanizes them. “Child Actor Goes Rogue” continues to be a headline favorite in tabloids, but maybe all that is set to change with the release of Quiet on the Set. This four-part documentary is by no means revolutionary—in fact, it’s as straightforward as any true-crime series out there. But it importantly lets the now-grown-up victims (or their loved ones) tell their story on their own terms. The misdeeds covered here range from degradingly misogynistic behavior in the writers’ room to outright child pedophilia and rape. Though it sometimes feels like the directors could have handled these issues more delicately, instead of jamming them all in bite-sized episodes, you still come away from it knowing and wanting to do so much more.

Genre: Crime, Documentary

Director: Emma Schwartz, Mary Robertson

Rating: TV-14

As the world becomes more globalized, it’s possible for people to form relationships with people across the world, from different countries and cultures. Crashing Eid portrays an international couple that are both Muslim, but come from different countries – Razan is from Saudi Arabia, and Sameer is born and raised in Britain, but his parents come from Pakistan – and this difference keeps their parents from agreeing to the marriage. This Romeo-Juliet romance is familiar, but Crashing Eid feels fresh with its excellent balance between humor and drama, and its commitment to sincerely depicting their respective cultures. It plays safe at certain moments, but the lighthearted show isn’t afraid to portray its challenges, and it neatly does so within just four episodes.

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Bateel Qamlo, Hamza Haq, Khalid Alharbi, Summer Shesha, Yassir Al Saggaf

Rating: TV-14

Modern dating can seem so frustrating, because it feels like there’s a set of nebulous, unwritten rules behind it, and every single player in the game has different levels of awareness and variations to each rule. Turn to Me Mukai-kun depicts this through the titular office worker, who happens to be out of the dating scene for ten years. As he tries to go back into the dating market, he’s well-meaning, but totally ignorant, so he stumbles at certain moments in his quest to cease his loneliness. It’s very relatable, and Eiji Akaso’s doe-eyed cluelessness makes Mukai seem more endearing than foolish. While there are certain moments that falter, and certain relationships that lack a spark, Turn to Me Mukai-kun is a lighthearted yet unpredictable dorama that might charm you into binge-watching the whole series.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Actor: Amane Okayama, Eiji Akaso, Erika Ikuta, Sakura Fujiwara, Shuichiro Naito

Director: Shigeyama Yoshinori, Shôgo Kusano

Rating: TV-14

With its unique viewpoint of World War II, Transatlantic places a slick, old Hollywood spin on the historical rescue network Emergency Rescue Committee (ERC). Like the novel it's based on, the miniseries takes real-life ERC members and writes them into love triangles and affairs to keep interest in the team, occasionally name dropping the famous European intellectuals helped by the committee. The glossy treatment of their wartime efforts prove to be absolutely stunning, if a bit broad. While the show can occasionally feel spread thin over its multiple storylines, the series uses classic Hollywood charm to remind viewers of the multiple refugee crises all over the world, through the one crisis everyone can recognize.

Genre: Drama, War & Politics

Actor: Corey Stoll, Cory Michael Smith, Gillian Jacobs, Lucas Englander, Ralph Amoussou

Rating: TV-14

Usually, being swallowed up by a dragon means death. However, for Rentt Faina, The Unwanted Undead Adventurer, becoming a skeleton is just a little setback in achieving his dream of becoming an defender for the kingdom. That’s because in this world, dying doesn’t mean dying– it just means that he has to kill other monsters and absorb their spirit in order to evolve into more human forms, like ghouls and vampires. It’s a strange premise, and the first episode relies on internal monologues, because, well, he doesn’t have the muscles to speak, but it's intriguing to see someone persevere despite having to start all over again. After obtaining the respect of novice adventurer Rina, the show plays out in a fairly entertaining way, with decent visuals, coherent storyline, and a more cautious protagonist we haven’t seen from previous shonen fantasy.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Ikumi Hasegawa, Mikako Komatsu, Ryota Suzuki, Sayumi Suzushiro

Rating: TV-14

Despite a particularly rocky and self-serious freshman season (not to mention a less-than-optimal finale), The Magicians overcame the budget constraints typical of a series on Syfy and found a heart and a sense of humor that only grew across its five seasons. So even if its story can get convoluted and its adventures a little corny, it anchors itself on a core cast of likable characters whom the show isn't afraid to separate, hurt, or throw into impossible situations. And once you get used to its tone, its themes become easier to appreciate—of magic being a finite resource that ultimately hurts more people than it helps.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Arjun Gupta, Hale Appleman, Jade Tailor, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Stella Maeve, Summer Bishil

Rating: TV-14