5 Netflix Shows That Are Absolutely Worth the Wait

It’s a common dilemma: you start a new series, watch a few episodes, and it just doesn’t click. Do you give up or push through? We’ve all been there. This guide is for anyone looking for shows that reward your patience, featuring five fantastic series on Netflix that start slow but build into unforgettable television.

The Slow Burn: Why Some Shows Need Time

Before we dive in, it’s helpful to understand why some of the best shows don’t grab you from the very first scene. Great television often requires careful world-building and deep character development. The first few episodes are like laying the foundation for a skyscraper. It might not look like much at first, but this essential groundwork allows the story to build to incredible heights later on. These shows invest in their characters and plot, creating a richer, more meaningful experience for viewers who stick around.

Here are five shows that masterfully use a slow start to deliver a massive payoff.

1. BoJack Horseman

The Premise: In a world where humans and anthropomorphic animals live side-by-side, BoJack Horseman is a washed-up 90s sitcom star. He’s cynical, self-destructive, and trying to write a memoir to reignite his fame.

Why It Starts Slow: The first half of season one presents itself as a quirky, cynical adult cartoon focused on Hollywood satire. The jokes are there, but the tone can feel a bit one-note, and BoJack himself is initially quite unlikable. Many viewers might dismiss it as another edgy animated comedy without much substance.

How It Gets Better: Around the midpoint of the first season, particularly with the episode “The Telescope,” the show reveals its true depth. It pivots from simple satire to a profound, often heartbreaking exploration of depression, addiction, trauma, and the search for happiness. The characters, who initially seem like caricatures, evolve into some of the most complex and emotionally resonant figures in modern television. Each subsequent season goes deeper, making BoJack Horseman a masterful drama that just happens to be a cartoon. It’s a journey that becomes incredibly rewarding.

2. Breaking Bad

The Premise: Mild-mannered high school chemistry teacher Walter White is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. To secure his family’s financial future, he partners with a former student, Jesse Pinkman, to produce and sell high-quality methamphetamine.

Why It Starts Slow: While the pilot is iconic, the first season of Breaking Bad is a very deliberate and methodical character study. It spends a lot of time establishing Walter’s desperate situation and his initial, clumsy steps into the criminal underworld. The pace is much slower compared to the high-octane thriller it eventually becomes, and some viewers may find the initial episodes less gripping than they expect.

How It Gets Better: Breaking Bad is the definition of a show that builds momentum. With each episode, the stakes get higher, the moral lines get blurrier, and Walter’s transformation becomes more terrifying and compelling. The show’s creator, Vince Gilligan, famously pitched it as a story about turning “Mr. Chips into Scarface,” and the series delivers on that promise perfectly. Season two picks up the pace significantly, and by season three, it’s an unstoppable, nail-biting thriller that never lets go.

3. Schitt's Creek

The Premise: The incredibly wealthy Rose family suddenly finds themselves broke after their business manager embezzles their fortune. Their only remaining asset is a small town they once bought as a joke: Schitt’s Creek. They are forced to relocate and live in a rundown motel.

Why It Starts Slow: The humor in the first season relies heavily on the Roses being spoiled, out-of-touch, and generally unlikable. Their condescending attitude towards the town and its residents can be off-putting for some viewers. The characters feel like caricatures, and it’s hard to root for them in their early, selfish state.

How It Gets Better: This is one of the most heartwarming and satisfying examples of character development in television history. Starting in season two, the family slowly begins to shed their vanity and entitlement. They form genuine relationships with the town’s quirky residents and, more importantly, with each other. The show evolves from a fish-out-of-water comedy into a beautiful story about family, love, and finding happiness in unexpected places. The characters’ growth feels earned and authentic, making the final seasons incredibly moving and hilarious.

4. Halt and Catch Fire

The Premise: Set in the 1980s, the series chronicles the personal computer revolution through the eyes of a visionary, an engineer, and a prodigy. The first season follows their attempt to reverse-engineer an IBM PC and build their own.

Why It Starts Slow: The first season is often criticized for feeling like a “Mad Men” clone set in the tech world. The main character, Joe MacMillan, comes across as a mysterious but somewhat generic anti-hero, and the plot can feel a bit dry if you’re not invested in the early days of computing. It’s a good show, but it hasn’t quite found its unique voice yet.

How It Gets Better: In season two, the show makes a brilliant pivot, shifting its focus from the male leads to the two female protagonists, Cameron Howe and Donna Clark, as they launch their own early online gaming company. This is where the series truly comes alive. It becomes a compelling and often prescient story about the birth of online communities, human connection, and the relentless pace of technological change. The characters become richer and more relatable, and the show establishes itself as one of the best dramas of its decade.

5. Better Call Saul

The Premise: A prequel to Breaking Bad, this series follows the story of small-time lawyer Jimmy McGill and tracks his transformation into the morally compromised criminal lawyer, Saul Goodman.

Why It Starts Slow: Viewers coming directly from the high-stakes world of Breaking Bad might be surprised by the slow, deliberate pace of Better Call Saul. It is not an action-packed thriller from the start. Instead, it’s a deeply psychological character drama that meticulously details Jimmy’s legal career, his complicated relationship with his brother Chuck, and his slow descent into the criminal world.

How It Gets Better: The show’s deliberate pacing is its greatest strength. It allows for some of the best character writing on television, making Jimmy’s transformation both believable and tragic. The legal drama is fascinating, the new characters are just as compelling as the returning ones, and the tension builds slowly but surely to an almost unbearable level. By the later seasons, the show’s two storylines, one following Jimmy and the other following Mike Ehrmantraut, begin to merge in thrilling ways, creating a masterpiece of television that many fans and critics argue even surpasses its predecessor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do show creators make series with slow starts? Often, it’s a creative choice to invest in deep world-building and character development. By taking the time to establish the characters, their motivations, and the world they live in, the emotional and narrative payoffs in later seasons feel much more earned and impactful.

Are all these shows still available on Netflix? As of late 2023, all the shows listed are available on Netflix in many regions, including the United States. However, streaming rights can change, so it’s always a good idea to double-check the current library in your country.

What if I still don’t like a show after its “turning point”? That’s perfectly fine! Television is subjective, and not every show is for every person. These recommendations are based on a broad consensus from critics and audiences, but if a series doesn’t resonate with you even after it supposedly “gets good,” there are countless other great shows to discover.