10 Best Foreign Shows on Max Right Now

Disproving the notion that American animation is only for kids, the latest project from Genndy Tartakovsky (most known for Dexter’s Laboratory and Samurai Jack) is an uncompromising action epic that puts most multimillion-dollar live-action blockbusters to shame. Though Tartakovsky has stated that Primal will continue on as an anthology series, the first two seasons tell a surprisingly character-driven story about a caveman and a mother Tyrannosaurus teaming up to survive in the prehistoric wild—with nearly zero dialogue.

It’s a highly entertaining riff on the man vs. nature story that ends up creating a fleshed-out world full of monsters and magic and families destroyed by all this chaos. And this initial set-up only becomes stronger in its second season, as the warmongering nature of man becomes the real threat. It’s all wrapped up in a beautiful technical package that makes a case for traditional (2-D) animation as a vital art form.

While it’s sort of a cheesy idea for us adults, being yourself is good, but it’s not so easy, especially as a kid. This is usually the sort of message for a coming-of-age indie, but it’s a message that works well with stop-motion animated horror series Frankelda’s Book of Spooks. Instead of showing this message in day-to-day life, Frankelda instead weaves five spooky stories of kids wishing to be someone else, and gnomes, witches, sires, and the Coco monster granting their wish… but for a price. It’s the same price Frankelda herself paid as a ghostwriter, in both the literal and fantastical sense, which drives her anthology forward. Combining a Laika-esque style with Mexican folklore, and incredibly catchy tunes, Frankelda’s Book of Spooks is an underrated series for horror fans, especially those younger in age.

This wonderful Italian epic made by HBO was a huge hit in Italy but remains little-known elsewhere. It’s based on four famous books that tell the coming-of-age story of two brilliant girls who grow up in a poor suburb on Naples in the 1950s. It also has scenes from the current time where one of them mysteriously disappears. Amazing production value, acting, and story make this show so easy to get hooked to.

Most people take for granted that for the longest time, certain sectors of society had no one in their corner on screen, at least until someone bold and brilliant enough dared to meet the world on their own terms. Veneno is a series about the iconic titular trans TV personality, but it’s also a story about a trans journalist finding voice and her own gender expression through meeting La Veneno. It’s excellently structured, alternating between La Veneno’s beginnings and Valeria Vegas’ writing, and it’s just lovely to see the new faces of Spain’s trans community celebrate the woman that brought the community on screen.

The last time Junji Ito’s work was animated by a Western studio, it wasn’t terrible, but it didn’t match up to the terror of his original stories. Nevertheless, animators persisted, and Production I.G. and Adult Swim’s attempt is a mini-series adaptation of the three volume manga Uzumaki. Uzumaki: Spiral Into Horror is a peculiar horror series, one that may not be downright terrifying with its small-town tale, but it’s much scarier than other Western adaptations with its faithfulness to Ito’s black-and-white intricate line work. There’s probably no other way to depict this particular story– after all, it’s all about spirals– but director Hiroshi Nagahama adds dizzying movement and composer Colin Stetson adds eerie extended techniques that match the terror Kirie and Shuichi share as they struggle against the neverending spiral spell that takes over their town.

This sleek German drama is often referred to as “the best German television series of all time”. It’s a rare insight into the criminal underworld of Berlin, a city known for its appetite for parties and drugs, but rarely put in question about where those drugs come from.

It follows a Lebanese drug cartel and its leader, Ali “Toni” Hamady, who wants to get out of crime to protect his family.

Crime is not “cool” (kids!), but that doesn’t mean that a show about crime shouldn’t be. And 4 Blocks, in everything from atmosphere and music to its depiction of rarely-portrayed gangster nationalities, is really cool.

City of God: The Fight Rages On is a traditional sequel. It takes place years after the events of the first movie and follows some of the same characters—mainly Rocket, who is starting to doubt his calling as a photographer. “I was selling innocent blood for shit salary,” he says as we see him take part in the media exploitation of mostly Black deaths in the city. The series’ social commentary is its strongest point. It remains sharp and poignant, this time focusing as much on capital-powered unethical journalism as on political corruption and state-sanctioned violence. It’s also just as vibrant and mesmerizing as ever, capturing the diversity and passion that electrifies the city. But the series also repeats its plot, only this time it’s more cynical because we no longer see things unfold through Rocket and his friends’ then-naive eyes. The teens in this series seem equally hardened, so it’s a shame to lose that freewheeling spirit that made the film feel so compelling. Still, the series is worth watching if not for the same twists and dizzying style, then for the thoughtful social criticism it offers.

Being in your thirties seems to be different from other times in your life. Teenagers and twenty-somethings still have enough time to turn things around, but by thirty, there’s an urgency to get your life together, especially for women. Perfect Life tackles this momentous time in a way that echoes the unfiltered, naturalistic irreverence of American mumblecore, but the chemistry between the three leads and the vulnerability they show with each other makes their varied imperfect lives a bit more beautiful. Vida Perfecta is sweet, warm, and Leticia Dolera carries the show with her writing, direction, and performance.

When life gives you heartbreak, sometimes the grief can push you to do stupid things, but in The Accidental Influencer, it becomes a surprise social media sensation that changes the life of Red Ho. Based on the real life story of Taiwanese blogger Jhai Nyu Siao Hong, The Accidental Influencer isn’t afraid to get goofy with the story, turning a break-up that was devastating at the time, to something silly to laugh at, especially with Red Ho’s over-the-top imagination. While the show is a familiar story, it’s certainly a relatable one, and it’s executed in a fresh, if a bit ludicrous, way that makes it a decent pick. If, like Red, you happen to break up just before an important occasion (like this Valentine’s day), then The Accidental Influencer might be the show to watch to soothe your woes.

A man living in the countryside, going through a fairly mundane but happy life, until his violent past comes back to take it away… It’s a familiar story, one that studios keep returning to time and time again. Newcomer studio E&H Production has taken this story for Ninja Kamui, but with Jujutsu Kaisen’s director Sunghoo Park at the helm, the trope isn’t used for a safe bet– instead, it’s a great choice to showcase what the studio can offer. The action sequences feature his signature flair, with stunning detail, excellent choreography and point-of-view shots that place the viewer in the fight themselves. That being said, it’s also Park’s first time on an original work that isn’t an adaptation, or inspired by an already existing franchise. The show still needs to build up its world and the emotional stakes around Joe Higan, but so far, Ninja Kamui is a pretty decent introduction to Park’s new studio.