Best Series With Unreliable Narrators
TL;DR — For a thriller, Mr. Robot is the essential pick. For two sides of one affair, The Affair. For a narrator who's a stalker, You. For a narrator hiding something from you, Fleabag. For mind-bending, Legion or Servant. For comedy, How I Met Your Mother, whose narrator admits he misremembers.
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Mr. Robot (USA Network, 2015-2019, 4 seasons). Rami Malek's Elliot, a lonely cybersecurity engineer, narrates to "you," his imaginary friend, as he's drawn into a hacker group's plan to wipe out consumer debt. The show trusts you to notice what he doesn't.
You (Lifetime, then Netflix, 2018-2025, 5 seasons). Penn Badgley's Joe narrates every stalking, break-in and murder as romance. The gap between what he says and what we see is the show.
Conflicting memories
The Affair (Showtime, 2014-2019, 5 seasons). An affair between a teacher (Dominic West) and a waitress (Ruth Wilson) told from both sides. Small differences in each version reveal how memory protects us. Season 1 won the Golden Globe for Best Drama.
Hiding something
Fleabag (BBC Three and Amazon, 2016-2019, 12 episodes). Phoebe Waller-Bridge jokes to the camera constantly, but the thing she most needs to say comes late. Season 2 even notices the camera.
Mind-bending
Legion (FX, 2017-2019, 3 seasons). Noah Hawley's Marvel series about David Haller (Dan Stevens), who may be mentally ill or one of the most powerful mutants alive. Wildly stylised and hard to trust.
Servant (Apple TV, 2019-2023, 4 seasons). M. Night Shyamalan's Philadelphia horror: after a tragedy, a couple hire a nanny for a lifelike doll the mother believes is her baby. Half-hour episodes of steady dread.
Comedy
How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 2005-2014, 9 seasons). Future Ted forgets details, changes stories and invents euphemisms. The famous finale divided fans.
Our verdict
Mr. Robot for the full experience, Fleabag if you want something short, You if you want to binge.
Frequently asked questions
How does The Affair use unreliable narration? Most episodes are split into two halves showing the same events from two characters' perspectives, with different clothes, dialogue and even who seduced whom.
Is How I Met Your Mother an unreliable narrator? Yes, playfully. Future Ted admits he's forgotten names, replaces smoking with 'eating sandwiches' and exaggerates for his kids.
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