In 2017, Spanish language crime/thrillerMoney Heistwas acquired and released by Netflix, soon reaching international fame with the adrenaline-fueled drama and fierce ensemble cast. The series phenomenon has led to related content such as immersive performances, a spin-off series calledBerlin, anda recent Korean remake.Money Heistis a successful series that brought Spanish-produced television into the limelight and opened up a new gateway for television content from Spain being made for international audiences and becoming more popular across the globe.
The range of Spanish content available covers many genres to suit various interests, with everything from historical romances to modern day comedies—and of course, more high stakes thrillers. Here are some top titles available to stream now.
15Cable Girls
Cable Girlsis a period drama set in Madrid 1920s following a group of women starting jobs at the first national telephone company. In the season one pilot, the central protagonist Alba (Blanca Suárez) cheats her way into getting her job and begins to seduce the wealthy owner of the telephone company’s son, unbeknownst to her new friends who each need work at the company for their own reasons. The show highlights women navigating their work and personal life in a time when women’s rights movements were evolving, while also including alluring romance and intense drama as we discover Alba may be in over her head in a dangerous plot where she can’t trust anybody—not even her caring new friends.
Cable Girlspremiered in 2017 and when the fifth season released in 2020, it was thelongest-running non-U.S. original Netflix seriesat the time.
14Locked Up
Fans offemale-led prison drama Orange is the New Blackmay find their next favorite series inLocked Up(previously titledVis a Vis). With a similar premise to one of Netflix’s earliest successes,Locked Upfollows the story of a woman, Macarena, who is imprisoned for embezzlement after being manipulated by her boyfriend and boss. Season One sees Macarena struggle to adjust to prison life while also trying to make sure her family on the outside stays safe. Alba Flores, who stars as Nairobi inMoney Heist, plays part of the ensemble as an antagonistic woman imprisoned for assault.
Money Heistcreator Álex Pina is also a writer on this series. Originally released on Spanish network television in 2015, Netflix acquired and distributedLocked Upin 2017 and has also distributed a spin-off series,The Oasis.
Elitecould be viewed as a Spanish version ofEuphoria,except for the murder mysteryat the center of the story. The first season begins with a group of working-class scholarship students joining an elite private school for the rich and famous. When a student is murdered, flashbacks between the past and present unravel sinister relationships, love triangles and betrayal as clashes between the students lead to devastating consequences.
Subsequent seasons also revolve around a murder and new students stirring up drama, then the series shifts away from a murder happening every school year to more everyday events between students at the school. Season One, released in 2018, was produced by Carlos Montero and Darío Madrona. Audiences can expect to see several familiar faces fromMoney Heistin the cast ofElite—including María Pedraza, Miguel Herrán and Jaime Lorente.Elitehas six seasons out on Netflix, as well as individual character spin-off short stories.
Related:Best Spanish Horror Movies of All Time, Ranked
12Unauthorized Living
Drug lord Nemo (José Coronado), posing as a respected shipping magnate, is forced to decide his successor when he is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in this suspenseful crime drama. Nemo keeps his diagnosis secret from his loved ones as the clock keeps ticking, with family pitted against one another to ensure they secure their own piece of the drug empire.
Set in the chilling gray Galician coast,Unauthorized Livingensures startling plot twists and plenty of nerve-wracking drama in a similar vein to otherfamily crime dramas such asSuccessionandOzark. First released on Spanish television in 2018, you can stream the series' two seasons on Netflix.
Toy Boyis a steamy and gritty drama/thriller about a male stripper who struggles to prove he has been framed for the murder of his ex-lover’s husband. Hugo has been in prison for seven years when the opportunity for a re-trial is announced, allowing him to use his parole to prove he has been wrongfully convicted with the help of a young top lawyer Triana (played by María Predraza fromMoney Heist).
Partially a story about tracking down a murderer,Toy Boyalso portrays the world of a male stripper with power dynamics and sexuality at the forefront. Due to Hugo’s profession, his credibility from society and battle to prove his innocence against powerful enemies proves especially difficult.Toy Boycould be described as agrittier version of popular moviesMagic MikeandHustlers.This Spanish series was brought to international recognition when acquired by Netflix in 2020, and the streaming service renewed the series for a second season.
10The Legend of El Cid
Taking place hundreds of years before most entries on this list, historical action/dramaThe Legend of El Cidstars Jaime Lorente fromMoney Heistas Ruy, the son of a small nobleman who died in battle. As Ruy is caught up in a conspiracy against King Ferdinand and relationship that makes him dangerous enemies, he is forced to choose sides. The story is based on the true story of historical legend Rodrigo Diaz—famouslymade into a film in 1961 directed by Anthony Man—butThe Legend of El Cidshows a broader scope of the people and relationships Ruy has to navigate on his journey to becoming a celebrated knight, with a tone similar to fantasy dramaGame of Thrones,if it were less intense and more grounded in a historical outlook.
Valeriais a writer struggling for inspiration in her marriage and for her next novel, turning to her three best friends for advice and adventure. She’s introduced to the handsome Adrian, who suggests she writes an erotic novel to help solve both struggles, but the growing chemistry between them threatens to further destabilize her marital relationship. This is a fun relationship drama/comedy that has the feel of a Madrid take onSex and the City, withfriendship being at the heartof an introspective and imperfect tale about romance, dating and marriage.
Valeriais based on the first book of a romance saga by Elisabet Benavent, In Valeria’s Shoes (En Los Zapatos de Valeria); the Netflix original series first released in 2020 with two seasons available to stream now.
8The Mess You Leave Behind
The Mess You Leave Behindis a Netflix original limited series produced and directed by Carlos Montero, who also produced the seriesElite. Montero describes theunique perspective the ofThe Mess You Leave Behindas a reverse ofElite.This drama/thriller revolves around a murder mystery premise, as a substitute teacher moves to her husband’s rural Galician hometown only to be confronted with hostility from her students and the tragedy that her predecessor died under suspicious circumstances.
The story flashes between the present and the past, in a similar interwoven timeline format toElite,as the protagonist and audience put together the pieces of the mystery. This series is packed with harrowing slow-burn suspense and proves to be another great Netflix book to screen adaptation elevated by a riveting cast.
Related:10 Times a Book-to-Movie Adaptation Strayed from the Source Material and Actually Made the Story Better
7The Cook of Castamar
This 2021 Netflix release follows the story of agoraphobic Clara Belmonte (Michelle Jenner) taking a position as a cook in the kitchens of the King of Spain, then suddenly being forced to step into the shoes of head cook. She soon finds herself admired by the widowed Duke and is drawn into a world of romance and plots for power in the 18th century Spanish court.The Cook of Castamaris a classic period drama told with both passion and care that is sure to capture the hearts of historical romance fans. For those interested inhistorical TV showsthat have both burning romance and intriguing subplots such asBridgertonandOutlander, this could be your next watch.
This harrowing drama, originally based off of a Turkish series popular in Spain, was first released on Spanish network television in 2020 and acquired by Netflix in 2022 when its release hit viewing charts includingmaking the Netflix Top 10 in Australia. The story follows the traumatic fallout in titular character Alba’s life after being raped by a group of men from the town’s most influential families. Admittedly, 13 one-hour long episodes do embellish the core of the moving story with some elements of soap opera. But nevertheless,Albais a powerful watch for drama fans with important messages about the aftershocks of being a survivor of assault and fighting for justice.
