10 best Dutch TV shows of all time

Whether it’s after a long hard day at work or during a rainy weekend, sometimes all you need is to shut off your mind, sit in front of the television and enjoy some great shows. Here are some of the best Dutch TV shows to do just that - and you may just effortlessly add to your Dutch vocabulary and knowledge while you’re at it!

Must-see Dutch TV shows

Whether it’s reality TV or a show filled with drama or comedy, television in the Netherlands has a lot on offer to keep you entertained. Look out for the following Dutch TV series the next time you’re scrolling through a streaming platform looking for something to binge-watch!

Undercover

This Dutch-Belgian crime drama series possesses a hint of dark comedy. The plot of Undercover is inspired by real events involving a drug kingpin in Limburg on the Dutch-Belgian border. The Belgian Federal Police track down a Dutch criminal who spends his weekends in a humble chalet on a campsite and is so elusive that the Belgian and Dutch police team up. They send their top agents to go undercover as a couple of holidaymakers at the campsite, to infiltrate the criminal activity.

Video: YouTube / Netflix

De Luizenmoeder

Looking for a series that is the perfect length to binge and full of laughs? While De Luizenmoeder (The Lice Mother) is just two seasons long, it is chock full of comedic exploits and awkward humour. The Dutch TV show follows a divorced mother who enrols her daughter at a new school and has to embrace its schoolyard rules, strict birthday protocols and parent council with the lowly role of head lice checker. 

Video: YouTube / NPO Start

Gooische Vrouwen

If you enjoy watching American drama series like Desperate Housewives and Sex and the City, you’ll probably like what is considered the Dutch version: Gooische Vrouwen. It follows four women who are friends living in Het Gooi, a Dutch region where rich people live. Full of drama and comedy, the series shows how the friends live with their luxury cars, beautiful houses and children in expensive schools, while also showing the negative yet comical side of their affluent lifestyles.

Video: YouTube / Videoland

Flikken Maastricht

One of the longest-running Dutch drama series, Flikken Maastricht has been gracing Dutch TV screens for nearly 20 years. Fictional police officers and detectives solve crimes, from minor cases to life-threatening action-packed scenarios, all, of course, set in Maastricht. 

Video: YouTube / AVROTROS

Flodder

Considered an iconic piece of Dutch TV, Flodder is a comedy series from the 1990s that almost everyone who grew up in the Netherlands has seen. An antisocial, dysfunctional family moves to an upscale suburban neighbourhood where they don’t quite fit in. They get into all sorts of trouble, making for some hilarious TV moments. The unique humour and memorable characters make it what an IMDb reviewer has called “one of the finest comedic series ever produced in the Netherlands”.

Video: YouTube / Oude TV 

Ares

Ares is a horror fiction series about a university student who has her goals set on becoming a member of the Amsterdam elite. The ambitious medical student joins a university society in Amsterdam only to discover that there is something darker going on than meets the eye. This show is recommended for those who like the horror genre, and more specifically, the supernatural and occult variety.

Video: YouTube / Netflix Nederland & België

Maxima

If you love watching series about the royal family and want to get an inside look at the Dutch monarchy, Maxima is the show for you. Named after the wife of King Willem-Alexander, the television series is based on the early life of Máxima Zorreguieta in Argentina and the beginnings of her relationship with the then Prince of the Netherlands. 

Video: YouTube / Millstreet Films

Anne+

Anne+ is a drama series about the love life of a lesbian in her 20s living in Amsterdam. Throughout the series, she reflects on how her various relationships have moulded her into the person she is today. This LGBTQI+ show was such a hit, it was even made into a movie.

Video: YouTube / Topic

Heel Holland Bakt

Now for some reality TV: Heel Holland Bakt is the Dutch version of the British TV show The Great British Bake Off. 10 candidates compete for the title of “best home baker in the Netherlands” over eight weeks, completing three challenges in each episode to bake all sorts of delicious foods. 

Video: YouTube / Omroep MAX

Wie is de mol? 

Wie is de mol? (Who is the mole?) is a reality game show in which 10 famous Dutch people complete challenges to add money to the pot. However, one of the contestants is the “mole” who secretly sabotages the other participants, with the goal of leaving as little money in the pot as possible. Will they discover who the mole is before the end? You’ll have to watch for yourself to find out!

Video: YouTube / NPO Start

Learn about the Netherlands while watching TV

There is a large variety of Dutch shows that can provide you with hours of entertainment. You’ll be surprised just how much you can learn about the Dutch language and culture while thoroughly enjoying yourself at the same time. If you’re looking for more options to watch and learn Dutch at the same time, check out our article on the best Dutch films on Netflix.