5 Shows To Stream Instead of Insatiable

Netflix's high school-set comedy Insatiable was billed as an acid-tongued look at what happens when a fat girl becomes super thin and hot. In a seemingly classic revenge tale, Patty (Debby Ryan) is out to prove all her haters wrong with the help of Bob Armstrong (Dallas Roberts), a lawyer turned pageant coach, as they power toward a crown that will prove, once and for all, that Patty is a worthwhile human.

In another time period -- perhaps circa the heady days of Paris Hilton's New BFFor Mean Girls -- this show might have been considered irreverent and funny, a look at what girls really think of each other. But in 2018, in an age of body positivity, self-care, and intersectional feminism, Insatiable simply feels like arrested development. From the gross way Patty's weight is talked about and the wildly inappropriate romantic relationships between adults and teens to the show's incredibly problematic understanding of bisexuality, the whole thing is such a scrambled mess that you're left wondering why Netflix ordered it to series in the first place once The CW passed on the pilot.

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Honestly, just skip Insatiable altogether. If you're in the mood for something that's actually cheeky and irreverent, stream these shows on Netflix instead.

1. Riverdale

A Gothic twist on a comic classic, Riverdale spins out the story of Archie (KJ Apa), Veronica (Camila Mendes), Betty (Lili Reinhart) and Jughead (Cole Sprouse) as modern day teens solving -- and sometimes potentially causing -- murders in the formerly very sleepy town of Riverdale. It's a must-watch series for the fashion alone, but the catty quips and enduring friendships will keep you coming back for more.

2. American Vandal

Perhaps the best Netflix original of 2017, American Vandal blew every other show out of the water as the true crime parody investigated the greatest crime of the 21st century: Who drew the dicks!?!?! It's a show that can only be described as a high art, and it's worth watching the entire season just for "Nana's Party," which is basically the show's version of the Mona Lisa.

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3. The Carrie Diaries

Regardless of whether you loved or hated Sex and the City, the show's fresh and interesting look into the life of a teenaged Carrie Bradshaw (AnnaSophia Robb) is not only a hilarious takedown of the '80s NYC fashion world, but it also gives the iconic character an earnestness that makes her sincerely likable. If that's not a massive nod in its favor, then let me just take a moment to remind you that Freema Agyeman of Doctor Who fame plays Carrie's mentor.

4. The End Of The F***ing World

Truly the darkest show on this list, The End of the F***ing World is also the shortest. With just eight episodes that clock in around 20 minutes each, the show follows a teenage psychopath who falls, if not in love, then certainly in curious lust with a fairly normal girl from his school. In a simple and surprisingly sweet story, they run away together as he plans what he hopes is his first murder. Naturally, things take quite an unexpected turn toward the end.

5. Big Mouth

There is no quirkier comedy than the animated treasure trove that is Big Mouth. Just like puberty, it's a wild, overly emotional ride as the story follows a group of pre-teen friends who are making their way through what is universally know as the worst stage of life. But the best thing of all? Puberty isn't just an abstract concept or an awkward life stage on the show, it's personified by puberty monsters voiced by some of the funniest comedians on the planet (shout-out to Maya Rudolph, an incandescent queen).