10 Incredible Spanish Series That Should Be On Your Netflix List

Spanish series that are so entertaining and enhance your Spanish skills

Photo by Mollie Sivaram on Unsplash

If you are a lover of series & the Spanish language then here are 10 top shows that should be on your list! These will capture your attention and help you get used to hearing the language from different Spanish speaking countries.

Netflix has a whole variety of Spanish series yet before you try any random one, you really want to give these a try as like any entertainment there’s always ones that stand out!

Be warned these are not to be viewed with children, there’s plenty of adult content in all.

If reading subtitles is not your usual choice, these are the type that will change your perspective, you may find that they get you so engrossed that you will wonder why you haven’t tuned into Spanish entertainment before!

Second warning be prepared to binge watch!

1. Locked Up (Vis a vis)— Meet Macarena, a woman who is wrongfully imprisoned and goes on a series of dramas; defending herself against the most ruthless, dangerous inmate Zulema, while questioning her own sexuality, as well as attempts to escape. This adventurous series will keep you hooked while teaching you mainland Spanish. This was the first Spanish series I watched that captured me and took me on the journey of uncovering many more amazing Spanish series. Give it a try!
2. La Doña — From a traumatic event as a young woman to a powerful, rich & dangerous woman Altagracia seeks her revenge on a violent, evil group. The first season is set mainly in Mexico and the second series is set in France. You will go through a range of emotions with the characters which is excellently conjured up through fabulous actors. Be ready to get hooked and learn Colombian phrases.
3. La Reina Del Flow — Enter the world of Yeimi, a 17 year old who loves singing and writing lyrics. Her love for Charly Flow and his envy of her talent transforms her life into a very different direction which takes her into prison… Released many years later and working as an undercover agent, Yeimi seeks her revenge. This series is set in Colombia and has a lot of catchy reggaetón​ for those who like Latin music, you may even find yourself singing the lyrics!
4. El Dragón — After a horrific loss of his parents, young Miguel Garza is sent to Japan. 20 years later he returns home to Cuidad Jimenez, Mexico to take over an illegal inherited business. His attractiveness draws a lot of women to him, yet Miguel struggles to fully commit after a tragic loss in Japan. This series has twists and turns and will capture your heart. Pick up a mixture of sophisticated and colloquial Spanish with the entertainment of martial arts.
5. Amar y Vivir — stars Irene who is a fantastic singer and is family orientated. She is fierce and stands up to local Colombian gang members, yet finds herself in the middle of a choice of whether to choose her heart or morals as she falls in love with one. You will grow to love the characters and find yourself learning Spanish particularly through the songs as they are repeated throughout.
6. La Ley Secreta — enter into the depths of risky business. La Ley Secreta is based on real-life facts of female special police forces set in Bogotá, Colombia. It highlights their courage, resilience and determination to capture different criminals while putting their lives and their loved ones’ at risk.
7. La Piloto — delves into the life of a Mexican young woman Yolanda Cadena, who wants to be a pilot and is given the opportunity to become a stewardess by her friend Zulima. Her efforts to be a pilot get thrown into the direction of getting involved with a drug lord who trains her in order to help him on his drug missions. There is betrayal and a series of twists.
8. Enimigo/Intimo — the murder of their parents sets a very different path for the siblings Roxana Rodilles and Alejandro Ferrer. Roxana is kidnapped by their parents’ killers and Alejandro is brought up by a policeman. Alejandro’s quest to find his sister and their parents’ murderers leaves him utterly shocked at who his sister has become. The series is set in Mexico and is fantastically written, season 2 has a few mainland Spanish speakers diversifying the accents.
9. Sin Senos sí hay paraíso — this series derives from the telenovela Sin tetas sí hay paraíso focussed on the lives of young women who are from poorer backgrounds who feel the only chances they have is to become call girls for drug lords. The main character Catalina finds herself thrust into the same path as her older sister Catalina ‘la grande’ who is supposedly dead. The battles, missions, plot twists, forbidden love and betrayal will leave audiences hooked each episode and without fail picking up many common phrases. El Final del paraíso is the last season, don’t don’t miss out on it!
10. Falsa Identidad — two strangers Isabel and Diego from completely different backgrounds are plunged into a desperate need to escape their enemies and take on a false identity as a married couple. Both their pasts entangle and chase them throughout the series as their falsified story begins to unravel leaving them with a desire to really be with each other.

Your Take Away

Watching these shows will help diversify your Spanish skills with the ability to recognise phrases from Colombia, Mexico and Spain. You will learn popular phrases, idioms and correct pronunciation from a range of characters such as police, politicians, singers, your average José to notorious gang members... Your love for Latin music will increase with the intro songs and main features especially in Amar y Vivir and La Reina Del Flow. Music is a great tool to enhance your language skills.

Tip: Watch these with English subtitles and then as you progress use Spanish subtitles to see how the spellings are to progress in your reading skills.

Hope you enjoy these shows and thanks for reading!