There are shows you binge and forget. And then there are shows that hit so deep, you carry them with you. The kind where you find yourself thinking about a character while making tea, or tearing up at a random memory of a scene. These are the OTT shows that hit you right in the feels.
They don’t need explosions or shocking cliffhangers. What they give you is truth. The kind that hurts sometimes, but also heals. Here’s a list of such shows-where to watch them, their IMDb ratings, and why they deserve space in your watchlist.
This is US
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IMDb Rating : 8.6/10
Star Cast :
Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown
Release Year : 2016-2022
OTT Platform : Amazon Prime Video
This show feels like sitting with your own family photo album. The Pearsons aren’t perfect. Their lives are messy, their fights are brutal, and their love is complicated. But maybe that’s why it works-it feels real.
Every season reminds you of the weight of choices, the ache of loss, and the quiet beauty of everyday life.
Why Watch :
This is one of those OTT shows that hit you right in the feels because it never pretends. It just shows life as it is.
Fleabag
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IMDb Rating : 8.7/10
Star Cast :
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Andrew Scott
Release Year : 2016-2019
OTT Platform : Amazon Prime Video
Messy, dark, funny, heartbreaking-Fleabag is all of it at once. On the surface, it’s sharp comedy. But when you peel back the layers, it’s about guilt, loneliness, and the pain no one else sees. The moments when Fleabag looks into the camera? It feels like she’s talking only to you.
Why Watch :
Because few OTT shows that hit you right in the feels capture loneliness with such brutal honesty.
After Life
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IMDb Rating : 8.4/10
Star Cast :
Ricky Gervais, Diane Morgan, Tom Basden
Release Year : 2019-2022
OTT Platform : Netflix
Ricky Gervais takes grief and shows it without filters. Tony loses his wife, and with her, his will to live. What follows is a story that’s equal parts devastating and strangely funny.
It’s not neat, it’s not easy, but that’s why it works. Because that’s what grief actually feels like.
Why Watch :
It’s one of the OTT shows that hit you right in the feels because it makes you laugh in one scene and break in the next.
Maid
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IMDb Rating : 8.4/10
Star Cast :
Margaret Qualley, Andie MacDowell, Nick Robinson
Release Year : 2021
OTT Platform : Netflix
Maid is the story of survival. A young mother leaves an abusive home and starts from scratch with nothing but determination to give her daughter a better life. It’s frustrating to watch at times-because it feels too real. The endless struggle, the broken systems, the exhaustion. But it’s also powerful.
Why Watch :
This is one of those OTT shows that hit you right in the feels because it’s not just drama-it’s truth.
The Haunting of Hill House
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IMDb Rating : 8.6/10
Star Cast :
Michiel Huisman, Carla Gugino, Victoria Pedretti
Release Year : 2018
OTT Platform : Netflix
People expect horror from Hill House. But what it really delivers is heartbreak. It’s about family trauma, regrets, and the pain of growing up in a broken home.
Yes, the ghosts will scare you. But the real terror is the grief the characters carry.
Why Watch :
This is one of the most unexpected OTT shows that hit you right in the feels, because it sneaks up on you with emotions you didn’t see coming.
Atypical
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IMDb Rating : 8.2/10
Star Cast :
Keir Gilchrist, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Brigette Lundy-Paine
Release Year : 2017-2021
OTT Platform : Netflix
Atypical doesn’t try too hard. It just tells the story of Sam, a teenager on the autism spectrum, trying to live an ordinary life. It’s sweet, awkward, and surprisingly emotional. You find yourself rooting for Sam, but also for his family as they learn to grow with him.
Why Watch :
Because it’s one of the OTT shows that hit you right in the feels with warmth instead of sadness.
Normal People
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IMDb Rating : 8.4/10
Star Cast :
Daisy Edgar-Jones, Paul Mescal
Release Year : 2020
OTT Platform : Hulu
Few shows capture the messiness of first love the way Normal People does. Marianne and Connell’s story isn’t dramatic. It’s quiet, awkward, sometimes frustrating-but that’s what makes it real. It feels less like watching a show and more like remembering someone you once loved.
Why Watch :
Because it’s one of those OTT shows that hit you right in the feels, the kind that lingers long after you’re done.
Conclusion
There are thousands of shows out there. Most you’ll watch, enjoy, and forget. But then there are a handful that stay. The ones that pull something out of you you didn’t expect. These are the OTT shows that hit you right in the feels. Not because of big twists, but because they hold up a mirror. To your family, your heartbreaks, your grief, your first love.
If you want more recommendations, check out our guide on Dark OTT shows you can’t stop watching or take a look at IMDb’s Top Rated TV Shows.