The 2026 Golden Globes have come and gone, leaving audiences hungry for discussion. While some people are eager to debate the rightful wins and biggest snubs, others just want to catch up on the critically acclaimed movies and TV shows they might've missed in 2025. The wins from movies like One Battle After Another (2025) and KPop Demon Hunters (2025) probably surprised nobody, just like anyone who watched the Emmys suspected Adolescence (2025) to clean up nicely. However, like any good award show, the 2026 Golden Globes offered a few surprises.
Underdog titles like The Secret Agent likely fell under the radar for many, but that doesn't mean you should skip them. Honestly, the fact that they stood out among bigger, more prestigious choices makes them all the more compelling. Here are six underrated Golden Globe winners you might have missed in 2025, but should watch as soon as you can.
Hamnet (2025)
It's no secret that Chloé Zhao's beautifully tragic adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's novel was an award contender since its initial Telluride Film Festival debut. Despite this, Hamnet was a box-office flop. Perhaps it's relatively niche subject matter, which dramatises the life of William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes Hathaway after the untimely death of their son, that limited who was willing to dish out money to see it in theaters. After all, not everyone wants to pay to cry their eyes out in public.
Regardless, Hament is a film well worth checking out, especially if you're a fan of Shakespeare and period-set movies. The real standout here, of course, is Jessie Buckley, who took home the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama to no one's surprise. Hamnet also won the coveted Best Drama award, despite going up against favorites like Frankenstein (2025) and Sinners (2025). To say Hament was the underdog is an understatement here, which makes it all the more intriguing to check out.
The Secret Agent (2025)
The Secret Agent might have fallen under the radar in the US for two main reasons. One, it's a foreign language film. Two, it's still in the process of getting a wide release in the US after early previews rolled out in New York and Los Angeles in November and December 2025, respectively. However, if you're able to see it, you most definitely should, especially if you're a fan of political thrillers.
Set in 1970s Brazil, the movie chronicles a former professor's (Wagner Moura) struggle to flee persecution under a corrupt military dictatorship. For some, that subject matter may feel a bit heavy, but for those searching for some poignant social commentary with a gritty grindhouse flair, don't sleep on The Secret Agent. It rightly scored the win for Best Motion Picture - Non-English Language, with Wagner Moura also securing a win for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama, which is nothing to sneeze at.
Sinners (2025)
To call Sinners underrated feels a bit sacrilegious. However, while every horror fan I know saw this film in theaters two or even three times, more mainstream audiences might have missed it, despite the movie's HBO Max drop. In that sense, it's worth spotlighting, if only to get more eyes on Ryan Coogler's gorgeous period-set vampire allegory about assimilation and race relations in the historic South.
While many are considering Sinners snubbed in the Best Picture and Best Director categories, it did secure wins for Cinematic and Box-Office Achievement and Best Original Score. The former category, especially, deserves mention considering the film grossed nearly $400 million worldwide, which doesn't happen every day in the horror genre. If you're looking for a unique mash-up of supernatural suspense and crime with a historical setting, Sinners is mandatory viewing.
Sentimental Value (2025)
Similar to Hamnet in scale and The Secret Agent in terms of theatrical release limitations, Sentimental Value is an underrated movie that's widely praised by anyone who has seen it. It follows two sisters, Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), who reunite with their estranged director father (Stellan Skarsgård) upon their mother's death and get sucked into helping him with a biographical movie.
No stranger to award wins and nominations, Stellan Skarsgård walked away with a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor, which is a pretty big deal for an underdog movie like this one. If you want an authentic, emotionally gripping account of family trauma in all its big and nuanced ways, Sentimental Value is a memorable and powerful choice.
Hacks (2021-Present)
Hacks has been around since 2021, scooping up awards and heaps of critical acclaim. Yet, it remains relatively underrated and overlooked. Truthfully, it's one of my favorite new shows to release in the last five years. And while series leads Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder frequently go viral for their accomplishments or political stances, far too few people have actually watched this show.
The series, which is set to release its fifth and final season this year, focused on Deborah Vance (Smart), an aging comedian of the Joan Rivers variety, who reluctantly finds herself paired up with a more liberal millennial joke writer, Ava Daniels (Einbinder). If you want to see complicated, intergenerational female relationships done right, Hacks can't be matched. It's witty, fun, and a tad dark when it needs to be. After a plethora of nominations, Jean Smart took home the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy, marking her third Best Actress win for Hacks.
The Studio (2025)
Despite featuring a star-studded cast, The Studio remains an underrated watch, which likely has to do with it being an Apple TV exclusive. Starring and created by Seth Rogen (along with Evan Goldberg and Peter Huyck), the series offers plenty of satire about what goes on behind the scenes in Hollywood. Although there isn't anything quite like it on TV right now, consider shows like Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006) or even Entourage (2004) for a similar vibe.
This year, The Studio won Best Comedy or Musical, while Seth Rogen went home with the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy. If you like sharp satire and cringe comedy, The Studio is a delight. Honestly, Apple TV has some of the hottest shows right now, from Pluribus (2025) and Severance (2022) to the ever-loved Ted Lasso (2020), so it's not the worst streamer to invest in.
