A carefully crafted, creative plot and characters with depth and dimension are important in a good TV show. But honestly? So is good old-fashioned smut. Sexual tension keeps us engaged and entertained! Whatever sort of smutty TV series you’re looking for, we’ve got you covered … or should I say uncovered? Whether you enjoy a steamy make-out session, close-up sexy shots of undulating body parts, or plain old erotic eye contact, there is a show on this list for you. From the raunchy fairy tales of Bridgerton to the erotically charged and slightly murderous vacations of White Lotus, here are 42 smutty TV shows you can stream now on various platforms.
1.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (2023)
Much like Bridgerton (see below), this prequel does a lot of things well, including casting very beautiful people who have amazing chemistry, specifically the young Queen Charlotte (India Ria Amarteifio) and King George (Corey Mylchreest). The series also explores female desire more vividly than it has in any other Bridgerton season — when a young Lady Danbury (Arsema Thomas) begins a spicy affair with a married man, you’ll see what I mean.
Stream on Netflix.
2.
Bridgerton (2020–present)
Inspired by Julia Quinn’s historical-romance novels, the series follows the eight aristocratic Bridgerton siblings as they try to find love in 1800s London high society. The first season follows the eldest daughter, Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), and her love story with the extremely attractive Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page). Plenty of castle sex ensues, and some spoons are even licked … sensually. While season two has far less sex, it features my favorite romance trope of all: a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers arc between Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate (Simone Ashley) that I found plenty sexy, even without the spoon play.
Stream on Netflix.
3.
A League of Their Own (2022–present)
Based on the film of the same name, the series retells the classic tale of a 1940s professional women’s baseball team with a few notable twists — like there are lots of lesbians (thank God) and, therefore, lots of sneaking and fooling around between the closeted players on the Rockford Peaches.
Stream on Amazon Prime.
4.
Normal People (2020)
Where to even begin? The BBC adaptation of Sally Rooney’s best seller left viewers weak and obsessed, even inspiring a 22-minute edit of the sex scenes for all of us to watch and rewatch. The series follows Irish couple Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal) as they weave in and out of each other’s lives from high school through college and touches on topics of abuse, mental illness, and class.
Stream on Hulu.
5.
P-Valley (2020–present)
If you liked Hustlers or Zola, this is the show for you. Adapted from a play by Katori Hall, the show revolves around a Mississippi strip club called the Pynk and the workers who make a living there. The first two seasons highlight Black artists and destigmatizes sex work, all while featuring some steamy scenes. Multitasking!
Stream on Starz.
6.
Vida (2018–20)
Two Mexican American sisters (Mishel Prada and Melissa Barrera) return home after the death of their mother only to find out that … maybe they didn’t know their mom as well as they thought. (Turns out, among other secrets, she married a woman and the family business was in dire trouble.) Directed and produced by a Latinx cast, the show is an earnest portrayal of queer identity and relationships (and even some ass eating). It features one of my many celebrity crushes, Roberta Colindrez, who plays a laid-back bartender and love interest.
7.
Sex/Life (2021–present)
Suburban mom Billie (Sarah Shahi) starts daydreaming and journaling about her sexy ex while her husband and child linger over her shoulder and her conscience. Filled with plenty of steamy scenes, the show focuses on female desire and lots of sex.
Stream on Netflix.
8.
The Sex Lives of College Girls (2021-present)
With scenes that will make you cringe and want to redownload Tinder, Mindy Kaling’s The Sex Lives of College Girls is young love at its best. Centering around four college freshmen, the series shows how the girls (Reneé Rapp, Pauline Chalamet, Amrit Kaur, and Alyah Chanelle Scott) quickly learn what they can about sex, relationships, and surviving on their own.
Stream on Max.
9.
Minx (2022–23)
Say hello to the first (fictional) erotic women’s magazine. It’s 1970 in Los Angeles, and feminist writer Joyce (Ophelia Lovibond) reluctantly partners with a porn publisher, Doug (Jake Johnson), to create a thoughtful — yet still very sexy — magazine for feminists everywhere. That means lots of full-frontal penises, but don’t fret, it’s all about the female gaze.
Stream on Starz or the Roku Channel.
10.
Outlander (2014–present)
A historical drama that has been compared to Game of Thrones, this show follows a woman who’s transported back in time in Scotland from 1945 to 1743. Forced to adapt, she marries and falls in love with a rebel warrior. Consider this your go-to if you have a time-travel kink or have always had a thing for Jon Snow.
Stream on Netflix.
11.
Elite (2018–present)
In this Spanish spin on Gossip Girl, a trio of working-class teenagers enroll in a prestigious private school in Madrid and have their lives turned upside down. Featuring mystery, some throuples, and lots! of! sex!, the show does everything right. Plus, its seventh season is set to air in October, and it might be the most seductive one yet.
Stream on Netflix.
12.
Industry (2020–present)
What can only be described as a hornier, Gen-Z version of Succession, Industry follows a group of recent college graduates as they start their jobs in a prestigious investment bank in London. Their new lives are full of pressure, but that means they have to learn how to properly blow off some steam.
Stream on Max.
13.
House of the Dragon (2022–present)
Some shows that are not sexy overall have a few very sexy scenes that make them worth it. In the fourth episode of this Game of Thrones prequel, a young Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) sneaks away to a brothel with her uncle, and the two make out (though it’s incestuous, it’s still steamy; say what you will!). It might make some people’s skin crawl, but her uncle, the handsome Matt Smith, does a great job at making you want to forget they’re related.
Stream on Max.
14.
Virgin River (2019–present)
Looking for a fresh start, a nurse (Alexandra Breckenridge) moves to a remote town in Northern California to become a midwife. While adapting to small-town life, she’s challenged to forget her past and find new love. I think of this as the Nicholas Spark–esque series on the list.
Stream on Netflix.
15.
The Cook of Castamar (2021)
In this sexy period drama, a widowed Spanish duke finally remarries, only to fall in love with his chef. Originally from Spain, this show has the very thing we adore the most: forbidden love.
Stream on Netflix.
16.
Obsession (2023)
This limited series about a London surgeon having an affair with his son’s fiancée is only four episodes long and is best described by one review that called it “one ‘adult’ scene after another with minimal plot in between.” While it may not be the most aesthetic and complex show to grace your screen, it does the whole erotic-thriller thing pretty well.
Stream on Netflix.
17.
Fleabag (2016–19)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge rose to fame with her raunchy comedy about a woman on a journey of love, sex, and self-discovery, all while breaking the fourth wall. Did we mention that there is a hot priest and a provocative church scene that I think about almost every day?
Stream on Amazon Prime.
18.
The L Word: Generation Q (2019–present)
Set ten years after the original series, this sequel follows a group of lesbian and bisexual women in Los Angeles. With some reprised roles and plenty of new characters, it explores relationships and love within the LGBTQ+ community.
Purchase on Amazon Prime.
19.
Shameless (2011–21)
This one’s for all the Jeremy Allen White fans out there. While we never really get to see his character get it on in The Bear, the Gallaghers — siblings abandoned by an alcoholic father in Chicago — sure do have a lot of sex, including White’s character, Lip. You’re welcome.
Stream on Netflix.
20.
The Great (2020–present)
I’m a huge fan of a good satirical drama, and The Great makes 18th-century Russia not only interesting but sexy. The chemistry between Catherine (Elle Fanning) and Peter (Nicholas Hoult) is palpable even as the married couple spends most of the show as political enemies, often debating whether or not to kill each other. Or, you know, having sex.
Stream on Hulu.
21.
I Love Dick (2016)
Based on the novel by Chris Kraus, the show follows Chris (Kathryn Hahn), an unsuccessful artist from New York, who begins obsessing over her husband’s art-fellowship sponsor (named Dick, fittingly) when they move to a remote part of Texas. Chris begins to write Dick (Kevin Bacon) erotic, explicit, and confessional letters, though their interactions in real life remain frustrating, which of course ends up impacting her whole life.
Stream on Amazon Prime.
22.
True Blood (2008–14)
Vampires are famously sexy, and True Blood was one of the first shows to kick off the undead obsession of the 2010s. It’s set in small-town Louisiana, and the tenacity with which the actors tackle their exaggerated Southern drawls is matched only by the passion of the many, many sex scenes.
Stream on Hulu.
23.
Vampire Diaries (2009–17)
Another early-2010s horny-vampire show, but the twisted story of Damon, Stefan, and Elena is slightly more PG-13. It’s all about the buildup, and it’s still smutty enough for GIFs from the show to have been plastered all over Tumblr.
24.
Interview With the Vampire (2022–present)
This vampire show is based on an Anne Rice novel, so it has an actual plot. But it also has a gay vampire sex scene in which actual levitation occurs, so do with that information what you will.
Stream on AMC+.
25.
Fellow Travelers (2023)
Fellow Travelers centers on the 1950s-era romance between Hawk Fuller (Matt Bomer) and Tim Laughlin (Jonathan Bailey), two closeted government employees working for and with Senator Joseph McCarthy at the height of McCarthyism. It comes highly recommended by Appointment Viewing columnist Michel Ghanem, who writes, “Fellow Travelers makes it clear within the first ten minutes: This will be a raunchy ride. These are some of the most explicit gay sex scenes I’ve seen on television.”
Stream on Paramount+.
26.
Good Trouble (2019–24)
This soapy spinoff of The Fosters follows adoptive sisters Callie and Mariana’s move to Los Angeles, where they take up residence in what can only be described as a commune in a possibly condemned building that formerly housed a movie theater and for some reason has a swimming pool (the reason is sexy swimming scenes). It’s very bingeable and rife with slow-burn sexual tension, alongside plenty of actual sex.
Stream on Hulu.
27.
Skins (2007–13)
This iconic British classic needs no introduction, but in case you’re unfamiliar, just know that in 2008, an ad for the show was banned in the U.K. for its depiction of nudity and sex and its implication that an orgy was taking place. It’s a dark depiction of the lives of teenagers, centering on a new crew every two seasons, and known for ending each one with a gruesome death. But before that death … there’s a lot of sex.
Stream on Hulu.
28.
Misfits (2009–13)
This slightly lesser-known but equally horny (and in many ways hornier) British show is about a group of juvenile offenders who are doing required community service work when a freak lightning storm gives them each a superpower. One character’s “superpower” is that everyone who touches her immediately becomes desperate to have sex with her, which results in a romance that involves a lot of mutual masturbation and steamy eye contact and no actual touching. And that’s just the tip of the smutty iceberg.
Stream on Peacock.
29.
Sex Education (2019–23)
This Netflix hit is actually a lot less horny than the title implies, but it does begin nearly every episode with a sex scene and therefore must be included here. It’s about Otis and Maeve, a pair of high-schoolers who band together to provide sex therapy to the masses (their high-school population) — for a fee, of course — and fall in love in the process. Their will-they-won’t-they relationship actually may be the least exciting one in the series, but it serves as a grounding force.
Stream on Netflix.
30.
Let’s Talk About Chu (2024–present)
This Taiwanese Netflix original is about Chu Ai, a wax technician and hopeful vlogger who runs a channel called “Let’s Talk About Sex” where she posts educational content. In her personal life, she’s torn between a friend-with-benefits situation and an ex she’s still in love with, and both she and her friends and family get into all sorts of steamy situations. It’s a juicy watch.
Stream on Netflix.
31.
Sex and the City (1998–2004)
One of the most-watched shows of the late ’90s and early aughts has found a new home at Netflix, and in addition to watching the gals discuss their sexual exploits and shenanigans over brunch, you can also enjoy the exploits themselves, which usually feature a hot guest star — Justin Theroux famously guest starred twice.
Stream on Netflix.
32.
Supersex (2024–present)
This semi-surrealist Italian series is based on the life of porn star Rocco Siffredi, a.k.a the Italian Stallion (which has now become the nickname of every man of Italian origin that enters the Love Island U.K. villa — his impact!). And while it goes deep on family dynamics and the concept of masculinity, the nature of the protagonist’s job means there is also plenty of pure smut.
Stream on Netflix.
33.
Lady Voyeur (2023)
The erotic-thriller vibes in this Brazilian miniseries are strong. Our protagonist, Miranda, is a hot but lonely hacker (classic) who spends her spare time observing the sexual exploits of her neighbor Cléo, an equally hot sex worker (also classic). After a dog-sitting snafu results in Miranda having mind-blowing sex with one of Cléo’s clients — and then being assaulted by another — the more murderous elements of the plot kick into gear. But it’s pretty steamy the whole way through.
Stream on Netflix.
34.
Dark Desire (2020–22)
In this Mexican erotic thriller, a professor named Alma spends a weekend away from her probably cheating husband, with whom she shares a dismal sex life, and is encouraged by her recently divorced friend to cheat on him. She does, by way of passionate sex up with an extremely hot man named Dario. Murder follows, obviously.
Stream on Netflix.
35.
Fatal Seduction (2023–present)
This South African series has an almost identical setup to Dark Desire, right down to the younger man that Nandi, the professor-protagonist, cheated on her husband with showing up at a lecture she’s giving on femicide, and the first episode also ends with a dramatic bathtub murder. It goes even harder on the sex scenes, though, opening on a shot of her underwear being removed and a monologue that begins, “Sex. Fornication. Fucking. It’s a compulsion.”
Stream on Netflix.
36.
Easy (2016–19)
This anthology series set in Chicago follows the love and sex lives of some very recognizable faces, with episodes starring Zazie Beetz, Aya Cash, Dave Franco, Marc Maron, Jake Johnson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Kate Berlant, Aubrey Plaza, and Sophia Bush, to name a few. The sex often feels real and natural, as does the show itself, and is sometimes more silly than sexy. Which is often hotter than the passionate stuff, honestly. It’s a good time!
Stream on Netflix.
37.
You Me Her (2016–20)
A sitcom about a suburban couple trying out polyamory. It’s light on the sexy stuff and heavy on the silly stuff, but it’s an interesting investigation of why and how we get horny.
Stream on Amazon Prime or Tubi.
38.
The Witcher (2019–present)
Think of The Witcher like the slowest of slow-burn fanfics. You won’t get a sex scene in every episode, but you will get a brooding Henry Cavill and a ton of lingering horny eye contact. And when the smut does come along … well, it really comes along.
Stream on Netflix.
39.
Love Me (2021)
As heartfelt as it is horny, this Australian series follows two siblings and their father leading up to and after the loss of their mother. This one is great if you want to watch people get hot and heavy but also root for their personal growth.
Stream on Hulu.
40.
Good Behavior (2016–17)
Starring Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery as a recovering meth addict and casual con woman from the South. If you’re looking for something pulpy, dangerous, and a little bit slutty, this is the show for you.
Stream on Max.
41.
Control (2021)
The episodes in this Polish miniseries are extremely short, ranging from six minutes to 16 minutes each. Even if you were to binge all four seasons in one go, you’d be done in less than a day. But what’s truly incredible is how much sexual tension is packed into these supershort episodes; the show tells the store of ex-lovers Majka and Natalia, beginning when they have an erotic run-in at airport security.
Stream on Max.
42.
The White Lotus (2022-present)
It’s not just the juicy murder mystery or the light class commentary or the all-star casts that attract viewers to this anthology series — it’s the raw, horny energy that emanates from every episode. There aren’t very many explicit sex scenes, but the sexual tension is consistently out the wazoo, and every season seems to tackle a new taboo in one way or another.
Stream the first two seasons on Max, and watch season three weekly on HBO.