The 15 Sexiest TV Shows To Stream On Netflix

There are few streaming services that are better at making even the mundane seem sexy than Netflix. HBO Max does okay in that regard every now and again — after all, you’re not a fan of television if you haven’t been exposed in some way to “Heated Rivalry,” whose first season has swept romantics off their feet since its premiere last winter.

But since it started producing original series and housing acquired content, Netflix has rivaled the likes of HBO and Showtime with the amount of television series on the platform that are, to put it gently, not safe for work. More so than that, even the most risqué of Netflix series cover the entire spectrum of television genres, from situation comedy to crime thriller, and even period piece drama. Here are 15 of the streamer’s naughtiest offerings.

As far as hit Netflix series go, “The Hunting Wives” is a recent success story. Its first season premiered in July 2025 and was quickly renewed for a Season 2 following its domination of the platform’s viewership. Much like “Heated Rivalry,” “The Hunting Wives” is a surprisingly progressive take on an LGBTQ+ storyline set against the backdrop of unfamiliar territory: the lives of an elite social circle of women who live in rural Texas, and their involvement in a local murder that threatens to reveal secrets each of them are hiding.

At the center of the story is Brittany Snow’s Sophie, a newcomer to town who befriends Malin Akerman’s Margo, the de facto leader of the titular social circle. Over the course of the first season’s eight episodes, Sophie and Margo’s relationship turns sexual, resulting in some pretty hot and heavy moments well performed by Snow and Akerman. Of course, there’s an underlying suspense to the show’s romantic subplot, given how high the stakes are, but critics seemed to love not only these sexy lead characters, but how melodramatic the story gets. 

One of Netflix’s bigger hits in recent years, “Sex Education” came to the streamer from England in 2019, chronicling the sexual mishaps of secondary school students after the introverted Otis (Asa Butterfield) is coerced by the irreverent Maeve (Emma Mackey) to use the knowledge he has from his sex therapist mother (Gillian Anderson) to aid students in their pubescent troubles. Filling out the rest of the cast includes now-icons like Aimee Lou Wood, Ncuti Gatwa, and Hannah Waddingham.  

Though it’s a lot more of a cringe comedy than some of the other shows on this list, that doesn’t stop “‘Sex Education” from having a lot of genuinely steamy moments. Even the most painfully awkward moments in the show give off an air of sexiness just by virtue of being incredibly realistic, which is something that can’t be said for most sex-centric shows on TV. Throughout its four-season run, “Sex Education” proved itself to be one of the best teen dramedies of all time, touching on hot-button social issues all while showcasing that sex is a lot funnier than it gets credit for. 

“Minx” is the first series on this list that isn’t a Netflix original, having its first season debut on HBO Max while its second season moved to Starz. Though it ended up canceled at Starz with no Season 3, “Minx” currently has a home on Netflix, where it will hopefully stay for new fans to discover it. The series takes place in 1970s Los Angeles, following the creation of the first adult magazine targeted towards women, spearheaded by the outspoken Joyce (Ophelia Lovibond) and the sleazy Doug (Jake Johnson).

Like the magazine at the show’s center, “Minx” is quite bold in its depiction of nudity, particularly of the male variety. While maintaining the sexiness promised in the show’s premise, it’s also whip-smart and funny, somehow able to blend its more esteemed feminist themes with promiscuous visuals appropriate to its ’70s timeframe. More than anything, it’s a thrill to watch a buttoned-up, liberal feminist become ensconced in the world of pornography, a dramatic match made in heaven. 

“Love” was an early addition to the Netflix original series canon, premiering in 2016 and airing for a total of three seasons. Though it never took off on the level of Netflix homegrown projects of the era like “Stranger Things” or “Orange is the New Black,” the Judd Apatow-produced series delivered a consistently fascinating exploration of dating and sex in the modern day. 

The series stars Paul Rust (who also co-created and co-writes the show) and Gillian Jacobs as Gus and Mickey, two strangers whose chance meeting in a convenience store sparks a relationship that slowly forces them both to let go of their toxic patterns. Between Mickey’s battles with alcohol and Gus’ tendency to lash out at others and act selfishly, the show still finds time to blend awkwardly sweet comedy with truly steamy romance. “Love” is as much about seeing two unlikely lovebirds get their happily-ever after as it is about showcasing all the weirdness that comes with modern romance, aided by supporting performers like Claudia O’Doherty, Mike Mitchell, and Andy Dick, who help round out the respective social circles of both Gus and Mickey. 

Before Netflix had the psychological thriller series “You” starring Penn Badgley, there was “Gypsy,” which aired for a single season in 2017. Though the show was cancelled by Netflix shortly after premiering for poor critical reception, it definitely deserved way more flowers for how much of a thrilling and sexy drama it is.

In “Gypsy,” Naomi Watts plays Jean Holloway, a therapist who, despite having a thriving personal life with her husband (played by Watts’ future real-life husband Billy Crudup), crosses boundaries at her job to infiltrate the personal lives of her clients, starting with a patient’s ex-lover who she becomes sexually involved with. Though “Gypsy” might definitely not be the show for people who are sick of TV anti-heroes, Watts’ alluring performance is enough to keep you watching until the end. 

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that “The Witcher” gets hot and heavy — even the video game series it’s based on includes sex scenes. Still, as Netflix’s answer to “Game of Thrones,” the show is as steamy as it is violent. For the first three seasons, Henry Cavill stars as Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter in a fictional medieval continent who, along with his companion Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) becomes the protector of a princess named Ciri (Freya Allan) to prevent her divine blood from being used by nefarious sorcerers. 

Though the most recent fourth season, in which Cavill is replaced with Liam Hemsworth, saw criticism for straying from its source material, there are still bright spots even in the show’s complicated (yet controversial) romances. Still, those first few seasons do an incredible job of establishing this medieval fantasy world whilst keeping you glued to the TV with enough scenes that’ll make you sweat even in cold weather. 

No one argued that chess is a sexy sport, at least, not until Netflix’s “The Queen’s Gambit” made it sexy when it took TV audiences by storm in 2020. Anya Taylor-Joy stars as Beth Harmon, an orphaned chess prodigy who rises the rank in competitive chess whilst also battling a fixation with drugs spawned from her orphanage’s suspicious ways of making children “behave.” It’s an incredibly gripping character study, and not just because Taylor-Joy’s performance makes it one, but because all cylinders are firing to make this one of the best on-screen portrayals of chess we’ve ever seen.

It’s not just Beth’s seductive stares at the chess board that makes this a particularly steamy show, because as a coming-of-age story, it also chronicles Beth’s first experiences with sex and romance with fellow chess champions. Supporting actors like Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Harry Melling help turn this from a simple period piece drama into something you can’t take your eyes off of. Even without showing explicit nudity or sex, the tension that rides through the whole series will make you look at chess a completely different way.

Another show that’s not a Netflix original, “Shameless” originally aired on Showtime as one of the cable network’s premier series for eleven seasons. The show follows the misadventures of the Gallagher family, consisting of alcoholic single father Frank (William H. Macy) and his six children, most notably eldest daughter and de facto caretaker of the family Fiona (Emmy Rossum) and misfit eldest son Lip (Jeremy Allen White). Like the British series it’s adapted from, “Shameless” takes full advantage of Showtime’s explicit content. 

As many critics expressed throughout the show’s run, Rossum’s portrayal of Fiona is like watching a firecracker come to life. Among the character’s relationship mishaps and struggle to keep the Gallagher family together, there’s a fair number of romantic scenes featuring her character. As salacious as “Shameless” may have been, getting to see Rossum shine as performer of the week season after season (for the first nine seasons, anyway) made this series worth the decade-long investment. 

Though it’s not often mentioned among Netflix’s best original series of all time, more people should be tipping their caps to “Easy,” an anthology comedy series that aired between 2016 and 2019. Set in Chicago, “Easy” follows a collection of recurring characters, who fill the protagonist role for one episode each season as they deal with interpersonal problems, awkward experiences with love, and of course, sex. Among the ensemble cast includes Dave Franco, Zazie Beetz, Marc Maron, and Kate Micucci, with guest stars including Aubrey Plaza, Orlando Bloom, Melanie Lynskey, and Judy Greer.

Among our favorites in the recurring storylines of “Easy” (and easily the sexiest) includes Micucci’s storylines, in which she is wooed into a threesome with a married couple (Bloom and Malin Akerman), contemplates having a baby, and tries to reconfigure her approach to dating by saying yes to everyone who asks her out. The show is as insightful into the trials and tribulations of modern dating as it is able to blend the realistic awkwardness of sex with some genuinely breath-taking on-screen lovemaking. It’s the kind of show that, each episode, finds brand new ways to make you blush. 

“Valeria” aired its fourth and final season in 2025, and yet many native English Netflix users may have never even watched it. Now that TV shows like “Heated Rivalry” and fellow Netflix title “Dark” have proven that Americans can definitely fall in love with shows that feature non-English dialogue, maybe “Valeria” still has an opportunity to find its audience overseas. However, if you’re not convinced to watch this Madrid-set series exploring a woman’s personal exploration of love, then maybe you’ll be convinced to watch when you hear just how mouth-watering its romantic scenes are.

Diana Gómez stars as the titular Valeria, a writer stuck in an unhappy marriage. She’s basically the show’s equivalent to Hannah in “Girls” or Carrie in “Sex and the City.” Though it might not be the most ground-breaking thing on Netflix’s platform, it’s a remarkably mature depiction of love and sex with likable characters that grow and evolve in ways that won’t make you throw your remote at the screen in anger like some other shows about romance. Give it a watch if you’re in the mood for a steamy, feel-good show with a great cast, and even better characters. 

Netflix’s “Obsession” is one of the best limited TV series you need to watch, and it’s a quick binge too with only four episodes that all released in 2023. Compared to the other entries on this list, “Obsession” is a full-on thriller, albeit it doesn’t skimp on the sexiness. Charlie Murphy stars as Anna, who begins sleeping with her fiancé’s father, William, played by Richard Armitage. However, William’s initially physical and then subsequently personal interest in Anna borders on obsession (roll credits) as the two’s sexual affair treads into bondage territory.

Though it’s very much not for the faint of heart or the modest audience member, “Obsession” manages to keep you on the edge of your seat not just with its sultry love scenes between Anna and William, but with the stakes of their trysts raised to levels that would make even the most diehard fan of “Fifty Shades of Grey” shiver. 

“Sirens” is a recent addition to Netflix’s catalog, launching on the platform in May 2025 for five episodes. Meghann Fahy stars as Devon, a young woman who discovers that her younger sister Simone (Milly Alcock) has become embroiled in a cultish new job working under the enigmatic and sinister Michaela (Julianne Moore), with her attempts to free her sister from this powerful but alluring figure putting them both in peril. While some critics felt that “Sirens” was a jumbled soap that goes nowhere, it can be an addicting binge watch with some sensual themes to boot.

Although it’s not as explicit as other shows on this list, “Sirens” gets a lot of mileage out of restraint. A fair share of moments are, against all odds, very sexually charged, such as Alcock and Moore sharing the same piece of gum.

“Elite” is another non-English show, debuting on Netflix in 2018 and airing for a total of eight seasons, just recently dropping its final episodes in 2024. The Spanish series is similar to “Sex Education” in premise, centering on an ensemble of students at a prep school called Las Encinas, mainly three students who are accepted into the rich kids’ school on scholarships and become embroiled in the high-stakes world of romance, crime, and drug abuse that lingers underneath the surface.

It’s definitely a lot more explicit in its depiction of nudity and sex than “Sex Education,” but with the added layer of melodrama that’ll keep you hooked for each and every season. Several seasons have the rare 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, showcasing just how much of a crowd pleaser it is beyond the risqué themes and TV-MA material. The only thing inconsistent about “Elite” is its cast, which changes throughout the seasons, keeping the show feeling fresh even though we sorely miss the presence of Danna Paola’s Lu and Ester Expósito’s Carla in later episodes.

“GLOW” takes its name and inspiration from a real-life television series in the 1980s, a program featuring female wrestlers as kooky characters in flashy outfits going face-to-face in the ring. The fictionalized Netflix series, which premiered in 2017, stars Alison Brie as struggling actress Ruth, who auditions and makes it onto the cast of misfit performers alongside her ex-best friend, Betty Gilpin’s new mom Debbie. Rounding out the cast are stand-out performers like Marc Maron, who plays the show’s curmudgeon director Sam, Jackie Tohn, who plays the foul-mouthed performer Melrose, and Gayle Rankin, an oddball wrestler who identifies as a wolf. 

Though “GLOW” was sadly canceled after Netflix reversed their Season 4 renewal, those three seasons are not only packed to the brim with fascinating drama and character work, but some really blush-inducing scenes featuring Brie, Gilpin, Tohn, and other actors. Season 3 especially goes really over the top as the performers take up a Las Vegas residency, engaging in debauchery only befitting its neon-tinged time period. Yes, there’s also a lot of beautiful ladies wrestling, if that gets you to watch it quicker. Hopefully if enough people re-watch “GLOW,” Netflix can revive it someday. 

Did you think we were going to get to the end of this list without mentioning the Netflix show that’s had everyone drooling since it started? Since it premiered on the streamer in 2020, “Bridgerton” has been the latest obsession for everyone who loves period romance, exploring the marital hierarchy of the titular London family, each season centering on a different family member’s romantic pursuit. Season 1 stunned audiences with the slow burn romance between Phoebe Dynevor’s Daphne and Regé-Jean Page’s Simon, whilst future seasons have transformed actors like Jonathan Bailey, Nicola Coughlan, and Yerin Ha into everyone’s celebrity crushes.

Netflix is releasing “Bridgerton” Season 4 in two parts, with the second slated to air in late February 2026. If you have yet to start watching “Bridgerton,” you’re missing out on easily one of the sexiest shows on TV right now. It’s not just the “Pride & Prejudice”-level yearning, either, but the explicit and famously intimacy coordinator-approved depiction of sex that, for a Regency-era period piece like this, is a lot less buttoned-up than you might expect.