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23 Shows & Movies That Are Almost Too Dirty For Netflix

A new steamy series just dropped.

by Angelica Florio and Brad Witter
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
ARAH SHAHI as BILLIE CONNELLY and MIKE VOGEL as COOPER CONNELLY in SEX/LIFE, a show that is almost t...
Netflix

There may not be any actual porn on Netflix (there are other sites for that!), but there are several shows and movies that cut it pretty close. Sex/Life, an erotic drama series about a woman who takes a fantasy-charged trip down memory lane that leaves her torn between her husband and wild ex-boyfriend, went viral in 2021 for featuring a full-frontal scene of a character’s extremely large, uh, member. Meanwhile, the beloved (and tragically canceled) sci-fi show Sense8 features multiple orgies. Suffice it to say that there are some shows and movies that are almost too dirty to be in Netflix.

Now, there’s a new addition to the bunch: Obsession. Based on Josephine Hart’s 1991 novel Damage, the limited series follows a BDSM relationship between an ill-fated pair — a doctor and his son’s girlfriend-turned-fiancée. It’s a dangerous arrangement but also very hot to watch.

Rather than question how these projects passed the site's censors, take it as a sign to give your “Netflix and chill” nights new meaning. Whether you’re watching alone or looking to turn up the heat with a partner, these shows and movies will definitely leave you craving some sexy time — and may even give you some inspiration to try something new. Just don’t think about what they might be doing to your algorithm preferences… and maybe delete them from the queue if you happen to still be on your family’s Netflix account. Read on for the 23 sexiest shows and movies Netflix has to offer.

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1Obsession

Richard Armitage and Charlie Murphy star in this steamy thriller about a BDSM affair between a married man and his son’s girlfriend. While their secret hookups are passionate, they have devastating ramifications for the family. Fortunately, the heavy subject matter belied a much more fun behind-the-scenes experience.

“My screen partner, Charlie, made me laugh so much on set that I nearly cracked a (naked) rib,” Armitage wrote in an essay for The Telegraph. “My goal was to finish each working day, proud of what we had done, knowing that Charlie was going home feeling great about herself and her work.” He also praised intimacy coordinator Adelaide Waldrop for her work on the show — so if you’re looking for a title that’s sexy yet thoughtfully made, Obsession is worth the watch.

2Duck Butter

Frustrated by the dishonesty they’ve experienced in dating, two women – Naima (Alia Shawkat) and Sergio (Laia Costa) — decide to fast track their relationship by spending 24 hours together – and having sex every hour. Shawkat and her co-writer Miguel Arteta told Vulture that they wanted to create film that was funny and tender with “lesbians as far as the eye could see.” But the movie is also very sexy; the chemistry between Naima and Sergio is fire.

3Altered Carbon

Based on Richard K. Morgan’s 2002 novel of the same name, Altered Carbon is a cyberpunk odyssey set in a future where human consciousness can be transferred to available human bodies called “sleeves.” The show is full of action, following political operative Takeshi Kovacs as he takes on missions and searches for his long lost love Quellcrist Falconer. But there is also a lot of nudity and sex.

4Orange Is The New Black

Centering around women imprisoned at the fictional Litchfield Penitentiary in upstate New York, Orange is the New Black has been widely acclaimed for its humanizing depictions of inmates and nuanced explorations of race, sexuality, and gender. But it is also a show about a bunch of horny women stuck in an enclosed space with not much to do. Naturally, hookups ensue.

5Sense8

Hailing from Matrix directors the Wachowski sisters, Sense8 follows eight strangers who suddenly discover they’re psychically and physically connected. The sci-fi series features of plethora of complex characters of different races and countries and across the LGBTQ+ spectrum. It also includes a ton of very sexy sex; yes, this is the show with that orgy scene you’ve heard so much about.

6Amar

An intimate Spanish romantic drama, Amar traces the experiences of young couple Laura (María Pedraza) and Carlos (Pol Monen) as they fall in love for the first time. Their relationship is full of passion and sex in the beginning, but a year later find themselves in a much different place.

7Lust Stories

Hailing from prominent Indian directors, this 2018 collection of short films explores intimacy, sex, and love through the perspective of four Indian women. One confronts the fallout of a passionate affair, another discovers self-pleasure.

8Ride Or Die

This edgy Japanese film is about two childhood BFFs: Rei (Kiko Mizuhara) and Nanae (Honami Sato). After learning Nanae is in an abusive relationship with her husband, Rei, a lesbian, decides to kill him to show her love for Nanae. Nanae is horrified, but Rei feels no regret because it meant saving her friend. As the two struggle to reconcile their conflicting emotions, violence (and sexiness) ensues.

9Outlander

This period drama has so many sex scenes, there are numerous lists ranking the best ones. It’s based on Diana Gabaldon’s popular novel series of the same name and follows a World War II nurse who accidentally time travels from 1945 to 1743 — where she subsequently meets the love of her life and has lots of hot sex with him.

10Bridgerton

Speaking of sexy period dramas, we’d be remiss not to mention Bridgerton, the Shonda Rhimes-produced Netflix series that exploded in late 2020. It’s based on Julia Quinn’s bestselling romance novels and follows the eight siblings of the powerful Bridgerton family as they attempt to find love in Regency era London. Come for Regé-Jean Page’s abs, stay for the sharp writing and scandal.

11Elisa & Marcela

What’s hotter than forbidden love? Based on a true story, this 2019 romance film follows the love story of Elisa (Natalia de Molina) and Marcela (Greta Fernández), two women who meet and fall in love in 1885 but have to keep it a secret. Eventually, one of them poses as a man so that they can get legally married. It’s both incredibly romantic and very sexy.

12Newness

After meeting on a dating app, Martin (Nicholas Holt) and Gabriella (Laia Costa) begin a whirlwind relationship. They begin to test each other’s emotional and physical boundaries — including hooking up with other people — making this 2017 romance drama particularly steamy.

13Sex Education

The title says it all, doesn’t it? Netflix’s hit British comedy stars Asa Butterfield as Otis Milburn, a shy teenager who just so happens to know a ton about sex (in theory at least, less so in practice) thanks to his sex therapist mom. His crush Maeve (Emma Mackey) sees this as a smart business opportunity and convinces Otis to open a sex therapy consulting business for their fellow classmates. The show features honest conversations about discovering sex for the first time, so its portrayals of sex are more awkward than some of the other entires on this list, but there certainly are plenty of them.

14She’s Gotta Have It

Spike Lee’s work is known for being politically charged, but there are also plenty of sexy moments in this spinoff of Lee’s iconic 1986 film of the same name as Nola Darling (DeWanda Wisse) juggles three lovers.

15365 Days

This Polish erotic drama has been widely condemned for depicting a non-consensual relationship: a Sicilian man kidnaps a young woman from Warsaw and imprisons her for 365 days, hoping she’ll fall in love with him (spoiler alert: she does). If you’re willing to look past the problematic conceit of the plot, the sex scenes are insanely hot — and explicit.

16Riverdale

Riverdale puts a dark, twisty, and very adult spin on the beloved Archie comics, which were originally known for being pretty wholesome. The CW show has a reputation for being over the top, following Archie (KJ Apa), Betty (Lili Reinhart) and the gang as they track down serial killers and try to survive other dark forces lurking around their town. This is still high school, though, so there are a lot of hookups, breakups, and love triangles in between the violence and mystery-solving.

17Easy

Set in Chicago, this Netflix anthology series follows various characters throughout the city as they navigate love and life. It's a voyeuristic and honest portrait of how people navigate intimacy, and while it’s not explicitly about sex, there is a great deal of it throughout its 25 episodes.

18MILF

Three women in their 40s are dealing with life and heartbreak. While on vacation in the south of France, they begin steamy affairs with much younger men who all work at a local sailing club. The plot itself is pretty flimsy, but if you’re just looking for a light, fun, sexy watch, this should fit the bill.

19A Perfect Ending

After admitting to her two lesbian best friends that she and her husband only have sex once every six months — and she’s never had an orgasm — Rebecca (Barbara Niven) enlists the services of a high-end female escort named Paris (Jessica Clark). Rebecca’s experiences having sex with another woman — which includes plenty of onscreen nudity — helps her to finally learn the true meaning of “The Big O.”

20An Easy Girl

The winner of the 2019 Cannes Film Festival SACD Award for Best French Language Film, An Easy Girl (aka Une Fille Facile) is a sensual coming-of-age story centered on 16-year-old Naima (Mina Farid), who spends the summer with her sexually adventurous cousin Sofia (played by Zahia Dehar, a model who was involved in the 2009 underage prostitution scandal with France’s national soccer team). Just as an example: one scene shows Sofia teasing two horny teenagers by seductively caressing and discussing the softness of her entire body.

21Bonding

While moonlighting as a dominatrix to put herself through school, Tiff (Zoe Levin) enlists her best friend Pete ((Brendan Scannell) to be her assistant. His entreé into the world of BDSM is awkward and comedic, but ultimately freeing — and good fodder for his stand-up comedy career. The show is mostly a comedy about friendship, but particularly in Season 2, it helps to demystify some of the stigma surrounding sex work.

22Sex/Life

If you’ve heard anything about this steamy Netflix series, it’s probably that there’s a full-frontal shot of Adam Demos’ character’s massive penis about 20 minutes into Episode 3. There are five sex scenes in the first episode alone, plus a sex party and a scene in which Brad (Demos) eats melted chocolate off of protagonist Billie’s (Sarah Shahi) butt. Needless to say Sex/Life gives 50 Shades of Grey a run for its money.

23After

Yes, this is the movie inspired by Harry Styles fan fic. Shortly after arriving at college to start her freshman year, Tessa Young (Josephine Langford) meets a dark and mysterious boy named Hardin Scott (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) with whom she begins a torrid relationship — and has a lot of sex.

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