There are many streaming services available to choose from for quality television, but if you’re someone who would rather save some cash, you don’t have to spend on a subscription. You can just head over the Tubi. It’s a streaming service like any other, except you don’t have to sign in, and more importantly: you don’t have to pay, since Tubi is ad-supported. Of course, since it’s free, the library won’t include the latest releases, but Tubi’s large streaming library has a treasure trove of underrated small screen classics that we listed here for you to enjoy.
20 Best TV Shows on Tubi Right Now
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20.
Ranma ½
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Genderbending isn’t a completely foreign trope for Western audiences, but it’s rare to see the shenanigans that happen in Ranma ½, which takes a genderbending water curse to form a complicated web of relationships, that starts out as a casual romance comedy (albeit with plenty of kicks) and eventually evolves into a ridiculous fighting fantasy adventure. It’s rather revolutionary for its time, in part due to Ranma’s queer gender, but also due to its precursor of the harem trope, as well as its then-new take on the tsundere in Ranma’s intended fiancée Akane Tendo. Ranma ½ is eccentric, but the chaotic comedy is also so entertaining to watch.
Our staff rating: 7/10
Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Actor: Kappei Yamaguchi, Megumi Hayashibara
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19.
The Bold Type
Given that The Bold Type is largely set in the office of a women's magazine a la Cosmopolitan and Teen Vogue, it's easy to be blinded by its flashiness at first. Cliches aren't hard to miss either, seeing as it is a show that follows three 20-something girlfriends making it big in New York City.
But this initial underestimation is the point. Right away, the show flips the script on hyper-feminine stories by also engaging in relevant political, racial, and feminist issues. It also takes journalism seriously and dives deep into the industry's complexities. The biggest surprise (and delight) comes in the form of Jacqueline Carlyle (Melora Hardin) the editor-in-chief who despite all looks and appearances isn't actually a Miranda Priestly-type but an actual mentor who is as tough and wise as she is compassionate and understanding. The series is subversive in this way, but it also manages to be entertaining and light on its feet—an impressive feat all on its own.
Our staff rating: 7.1/10
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Aisha Dee, Katie Stevens, Meghann Fahy, Melora Hardin
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18.
The Inbetweeners
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To appreciate The Inbetweeners, you’d have to understand that it was a product of its time. The British R-rated show was created in the late 2000s, back when being gay and male harassment were treated as mere jokes, as opposed to serious matters. So in that way, it can feel a bit dated. But in its own curious and funny way, The Inbetweeners is both an example and a subversion of toxic masculinity, which tends to harden at around the age the characters are in. Beneath their vulgar and perenially horny exterior, there is something softer and more vulnerable aching to be seen. At least among themselves (and us the audience), the four young lads at the heart of this show can show both parts without being judged. Yes, The Inbetweeners is crude and raunchy and unafraid to be as authentic as its teen leads, but at its core, it’s simply a come-of-age story that follows four guys figuring out their place in the world.
Our staff rating: 7.1/10
Genre: Comedy
Actor: Belinda Stewart-Wilson, Blake Harrison, David Schaal, Emily Atack, Emily Head, Greg Davies, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, James Buckley, Joe Thomas, Robin Weaver, Simon Bird
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17.
Reboot
In Reboot, a famous sitcom from the early 2000s is revived for a modern audience. While members of the cast attempt to rekindle their fame, the writers behind the show stir up endless debates about what constitutes "funny" in an age of political correctness. The hijinks and meta-humor that arise from this are admirable, but what really makes Reboot tick is its obvious love for the sitcom format. Underneath all the jokes is a commitment to TV comedies; like the most typical of them, Reboot switches from laugh-out-loud hilarity to tender moments of joy and sorrow. The only difference is that Reboot benefits from being self-aware—it's unafraid to make fun of itself and all the people and shows that came before it.
Our staff rating: 7.2/10
Genre: Comedy
Actor: Calum Worthy, Johnny Knoxville, Judy Greer, Keegan-Michael Key, Krista Marie Yu, Paul Reiser, Rachel Bloom
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16.
From Me to You: Kimi ni Todoke
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From Me to You: Kimi ni Todoke is a high school romance drama. It’s sweet, it’s wholesome, and it’s comfortingly familiar. It leans more on its romance than its comedy. It doesn’t have high stakes fantasy or action-packed battles, but it captures the high school experience in such a lovely way. Of course, the show would likely reach its romantic happy ending, but what makes the show compelling isn’t just the thrill of connecting with a crush– it’s the inspiration for Sawako to open up, and enable her to connect and have friends. The live action adaptation may not fully capture everything from the original and it speeds through the plot, but it retains the parts that make it work, even for viewers totally unfamiliar with the story.
Our staff rating: 7.2/10
Genre: Drama
Actor: Kaito Sakurai, Ouji Suzuka, Riho Nakamura, Rinka Kumada, Sara Minami
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15.
Line of Duty
Though it may be self-serious nearly to the point of parody, Line of Duty is that rare hard-boiled police show that actually works because of its commitment to being cold and clinical. As each season focuses on a new case of corruption within the police, it chooses not to focus on character but on packing as much meticulous detail as possible into its investigations. The result is a slower paced drama that may take some getting used to, but it's one whose every additional clue or revelation makes the nature of this modern police work feel that much more draining to the soul—a great change of tone from the heroic police shows we tend to see on TV.
Our staff rating: 7.3/10
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Actor: Adrian Dunbar, Claire Keelan, Craig Parkinson, Fiona Boylan, Gina McKee, Gregory Piper, Jessica Raine, Kate Ashfield, Keeley Hawes, Kelly Macdonald, Lennie James, Martin Compston, Neil Morrissey, Nigel Boyle, Owen Teale, Paul Higgins, Saffron Davies, Thandie Newton, Vicky McClure
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14.
Love Life
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Love Life, like the Prime Video show Modern Love, is an anthology series featuring all sorts of romances and relationships. But unlike the latter, which gives us wildly different characters and plotlines in each episode, Love Life dedicates an entire season to one person. It follows them from the moment they meet their first love up until they meet their forever person. We’re shown the many relationships, career opportunities, friendships, and fallouts that happen in between so that by the finale, we get a bigger picture of their growth as people. It’s breezy enough to follow, offers many nuggets of wisdom, and features some of the most charming leads to boot. My only gripe is that the length could be shorter than 10 episodes--in fact, I’m sure each season would work better as a movie--but it’s refreshing to see this deep a dive into modern romantic love. It’s a shame Max canceled the show after the second season and relegated it to streaming purgatory by erasing it from their catalog, but thankfully, the almighty Tubi has since picked it up and made it available to stream free.
Our staff rating: 7.3/10
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Chris Powell, Jessica Williams, Keith David, Punkie Johnson, William Jackson Harper
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13.
Tipping the Velvet
Before Park Chan-wook adapted her novel Fingersmith in The Handmaiden, author Sarah Waters wrote Tipping the Velvet, her debut novel that painted the life of lesbian women in Victorian London. Surprisingly, this controversial novel was produced and broadcast by the BBC in 2002, sticking faithfully to the plot, with all the racy sex scenes and relaxed depiction of lesbian life that shocked the public at the time, but over the years, the miniseries has become known as the refreshing classic that shifted the way lesbians were depicted on screen. While primarily centered on white women, Tipping the Velvet changed the way Victorian sexuality was depicted, with the joy, sensuality, and happiness in Waters’ passionate narrative.
Our staff rating: 7.4/10
Genre: Drama
Actor: Jodhi May, Keeley Hawes, Rachael Stirling
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12.
Save Me
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For the longest time, religious cults have been an untouchable subject in Korean dramas, especially with some of the crimes that occurred that still remain controversies to this day. Because of this, Save Me is quite a surprise, as it depicts the journey of a girl who moves to town being sucked into and trying to escape a religious cult. It’s an eerie thriller, but it’s one that starts by alternating between the time Im Sang-mi moved to town and the present time from the boys’ perspective, so this and the slow pacing might make it hard for people new to K-dramas to watch. However, the performances are excellent, with both acting veterans and newcomers shining in the moments that they’re given. While the ending was rushed, and they could have gone darker and deeper into the cult, Save Me was a decent attempt at depicting this controversial issue.
Our staff rating: 7.6/10
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Actor: Baek Soo-jang, Cheon Ho-jin, Esom, Han Seon-hwa, Im Ha-ryong, Jang Do-yeon, Jo Jae-yun, Kim Young-min, Oh Yeon-ah, Seo Young-hwa, Um Tae-goo, Woo Hyeon
Director: Lee Kwon
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11.
Voice
When there’s lives at stake, and there’s no one around, you know who to call. Not Ghostbusters– you call an emergency hotline. It’s exactly the high risk, high stakes job that makes for an excellent police procedural, and it’s why Korean drama Voice is so compelling– the premise necessitates that the ensemble is given a few pieces of information, have to rise up to the emergency with an actual solution, and are forced to bicker depending on what their specialized knowledge tells them. And it’s so fun seeing the veteran detective and a genius rookie voice profiler butt heads because of it, with Jang Hyuk and Lee Ha-na crafting chemistry through biting words and the urgency of the situation at hand. While certain procedures seemed a bit clunky on screen, Voice nonetheless takes an interesting peek at the crime fighters at the end of the hotline and maximizes the potential conflict that stems from a unique ability.
Our staff rating: 7.6/10
Genre: Crime, Drama
Actor: Baek Sung-hyun, Ha-na Lee, Hyuk Jang, Jang Hyuk, Kang Seung-yoon, Kim Jae-uck, Kim Joong-ki, Kim Woo-seok, Kwon Jae-hwan, Lee Ha-na, Lee Jin-uk, Lee Ju-seung, Son Eun-seo, Song Boo-gun, Song Seung-heon, Soo-Yeon Cha, Sung-Hyun Baek, Ye-sung
Director: Shin Yong Hwi
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