Shubhabrata Dutta
Sex is something that can be fun to watch, but for filmmakers, it is not always easy to pull off. If every aspect of an intimate scene in a movie is not executed properly, it may even come off as funny or too graphic. There is no perfect way of doing it, and filmmakers experiment with new ways to portray sex all the time. Only a few are able to hit a sweet spot that goes well with the storyline of the film or show and manage to portray the chemistry between the characters perfectly.
Sex, a lot of times, is even used for promotional purposes in films and a lot of TV shows. They are used to lure the audience, but most of the time, they add to the plot. There are several films and series with really graphic and realistic sex scenes that are available on Netflix to catch the viewer’s fancy while furthering the plot.
40. Mea Culpa (2024)
Erotic thrillers usually make for a compelling watch, and you can add ‘Mea Culpa’ to the list. Written and directed by Tyler Perry, it follows the story of a criminal defense attorney, Mea Harper, who is approached by a famous painter, Zyair Molloy, to represent him. He is accused of brutally killing his ex, but he claims that he had nothing to do with her death and is being framed for it. Despite her inhibitions, Mea takes the case, and as she digs deeper, she is compelled not just by the case but also by Zyair. The problems in her marriage push her towards her client, as he, too, tries to seduce her. This leads to a seductive sex scene between the duo, which exhibits Mea finally sensing a bit of freedom from her increasingly claustrophobic marriage. To find out what happens between her and Zyair, you can watch the movie here.
39. The Decameron (2024)
Recreating the horror of living through a plague and a quarantine, ‘The Decameron’ presents the story of a group of people in the fourteenth century who arrive at a villa secluded from the city. At first, it seems to be a ploy to escape the city and save themselves from being infected and dying. Slowly, however, it becomes clear that each character has something different at play. For two characters, at least, the quarantine is about finding a good match. For almost everyone, it is about exploring their sexuality. Each sex scene in the show adds to the development of the characters in question. Their sexual awakening becomes a device that advances the plot. You can watch the series here.
38. The Tearsmith (2024)
Nothing creates more tension in a story than a forbidden romance. The desire to have something increases tenfold if you are told you can’t have it. Something similar lays the foundation of Netflix’s teen romance, ‘The Tearsmith.’ It follows the story of two kids at an orphanage who grow to have an antagonistic relationship, which becomes more complicated as they step into teenage. When they are both adopted by the same family, living under the same roof with a freedom they never had before leads them to explore all sorts of dark feelings for each other. You can find out where this romance takes them by watching the film here.
37. One Day (2024)
We often tend to ignore the things right in front of us while we go around the world looking for happiness. For Dexter Mayhew, this revelation changes everything, but it takes a lot of time for him to get there. The story begins with him meeting Emma Morley on the last day of college. They become friends, and over the years, as their feelings for each other go through a considerable arc, we follow one day in each of those years to find where they are at. Eventually, when Emma and Dexter do come around to admitting their feelings for each other, it is a sight to behold. You can watch the show here.
36. Griselda (2024)
Based on the life of Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco, this show takes us through the remarkable and often bloody turn of events that marked Griselda’s life. The hunger for power and money taints every move she makes, and as things get more dangerous, her drive for survival takes over. It is this shift in power that appears throughout the sex scenes of the show. The tension in the lives of the characters is reflected in their bedrooms, and these scenes become important in figuring out their current state of mind. You can watch the series here.
35. The Perfect Find (2023)
Starring Gabrielle Union, ‘The Perfect Find‘ follows the story of a woman named Jenna whose life takes a turn for the worse when she loses her relationship and her job around the same time. She is dumped by her long-time boyfriend, and her career takes a hit too. For a fresh start, she moves to New York, but things get even more dramatic here as she falls for a much younger guy. The romance is passionate and makes Jenna’s heart flutter like never before. The problem, however, is that the young guy is her new boss’s son. You can watch the film here to find out whether their romance ends or blossoms into something more.
34. Burning Betrayal (2023)
As the name suggests, ‘Burning Betrayal’ starts with a betrayal, and throughout the film, more revelations about lies and dishonesty come to light. It all begins with Babi finding out that her fiancé has been cheating on her. To move on from him, Babi decides to start her life anew and embarks on a romance with a mysterious stranger, who seems to be quite dangerous. At the same time, another man in her life turns out to be a darker figure than she’d imagined. In between all this, Babi goes through a sexual awakening and finds herself at a crossroads by the end of the film. You can watch ‘Burning Betrayal’ here.
33. Fair Play (2023)
Starring Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich, ‘Fair Play’ follows the story of Emily and Luke, who are colleagues and, secretly, a couple. Everything was going well between them, and they were engaged to be married, but then a sudden firing in the office opens up the opportunity for promotion, which creates tension between the couple. The movie focuses on this tug-of-war for power, with sex thrown in the mix as a way to manipulate and control each other. The sex scenes in the film are well-planned and show the power imbalance between the couple, giving more meaning to the story. You can watch ‘Fair Play’ here.
32. Sexify (2021-)
‘Sexify’ follows the story of a girl named Natalia who wants to create something that will set her apart from everyone else. Owing to her sexual inexperience, she decides to create an app that will help its users, especially women, to explore their sexuality. This leads her and her friends on an exciting journey of self-exploration and pleasure. On the surface, the show seems to be about young adults having fun, but it deals with much deeper and more relevant issues, like female sexuality. You can watch ‘Sexify’ here.
31. Love and Leashes (2022)
This Korean romantic comedy follows the story of two people who are brought together under unpredictable circumstances and discover that they might not be as different from each other as they initially believed. Ji-hoo is known by everyone around him as a perfect man. His spotless reputation gives him a lot of favor, but no one knows that he likes to indulge in BDSM. He doesn’t want anyone to find out about it, but when his Ji-woo, his ambitious co-worker, finds out about it, everything changes between them. You may watch the film here.
30. Love and Anarchy (2020-2022)
‘Love and Anarchy’ is a Swedish rom-com series that follows the story of Sofie, a married woman with two children. She works as a consultant and is hired to help restructure a publishing house. There, she meets a younger co-worker, Max. Things begin on a flirty note for them, but soon, they find each other in a competition where they try to outdo each other’s flirtations. What begins as a game soon gets out of hand, and things become much more complicated than they’d imagined. Feel free to check out the series here.
29. The Witcher (2019 -)
Created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, ‘The Witcher‘ is a fantasy drama streaming television series that is inspired by Andrzej Sapkowski’s book of the same name. The show follows Geralt, a mutated monster hunter who is struggling to find a purpose in life as the wickedness of the people continues to make him question whether they are any better than the beasts. It has made it to this list because of the passionate public sex scene between Yennefer and Istredd. While the show also has other steamy moments, the aforementioned is undoubtedly the one that stands out. You can watch ‘The Witcher’ here.
28. Happy Ending (2023)
In ‘Happy Ending,’ we follow the story of a happy couple, Luna and Mink. It has been a year since they got together, but there is one thing that has been bothering Luna for the entire year. She has been faking her orgasms all this while, and the fact that she hasn’t had a real one yet with Mink is troublesome. On the advice of a friend, she decides to spice up the relationship by inviting another person into their bed. However, it also makes things more complicated for the couple. You may watch the movie here.
27. Through My Window (2022)
‘Through My Window’ follows the story of Raquel and Ares. Raquel has harbored a crush on Ares for a very long time. Her crush has turned into an obsession, so much so that she knows everything about his likes and dislikes and even has his name as her password. Despite her feelings, Raquel has never said a word of it to Ares, who one day, by accident, finds out about it. What’s more shocking is that he seems to reciprocate Raquel’s feelings, but trouble arises when both of them start fighting for control because both want to be in charge of the relationship. You may watch ‘Through My Window’ here.
26. You (2018 -)
‘You’ is a psychological thriller that follows a bookstore manager who is infatuated with an aspiring writer. Unfortunately, the obsession with getting closer to his crush soon becomes a mania for the manager, who takes questionable steps to ensure that he has her all to himself. While the series can be disturbing, when it comes to sexually provocative content, ‘You’ has its fair share of hot moments. However, none of them comes closer to the intense lovemaking scenes between Joe and Love when the latter takes control of her partner on the bed as the two passionately indulge in their deepest desires. You can watch the series here.
25. Bodyguard (2018)
‘Bodyguard’ features an attractive-looking veteran who has to protect a hot politician who is described as a self-centered sociopath by her colleagues. The show also focuses on some other points like terrorism, politics, and women empowerment, but more than everything else, it is about two very horny people who just can’t get enough of each other. Some sexual tension build-up starts from the first episode itself, and the best follows in the second one. As for the two of them, they start questioning their professional and personal beliefs because of their objectionable relationship. You may watch the series here.
24. Ginny & Georgia (2021 -)
The comedy-drama television series follows the family of the titular deuteragonists as they try to settle in a picturesque New England town. Georgia has had an uncertain early life, and now she wants to offer her family nothing but security and opportunities to flourish. While the show has a lot to offer, it also features one of the most realistic sex scenes that you will probably come across. Ginny, who is a virgin, copulates with her neighbor, who is completely clueless that it is her first time. While the scene at certain points is clumsy and strange, the build-up for the moment is so wonderfully executed that one can’t help but watch the drama unfold with bated breaths. Feel free to check out the show here.
23. White Girl (2016)
Set up in New York City, ‘White Girl’ is about a girl named Leah who falls in love with a drug addict she just met. She spends an entire night partying, going wild on the streets of New York, and doing every possible thing that’s wrong, looking for pleasures to fulfill her lust. She does find happiness but also finds an equal amount of sorrow along the way. Many of the characters in the film are stereotypes, and the film tries hard to touch the topic of women’s safety by introducing aspects of the male gaze and sexual assault.
Overall, the film fails to send out a particular message and becomes just another drama with lots of sex. The best scene would probably be the one where she sleeps with the drug addict. It is the only scene where you can see some real connection between the characters and not just bland, dull sex. A simple warning, though, is that the film has numerous depictions of sexual assault that can be disturbing for most people. You can check it out here.
22. Sex/Life (2021-2023)
Created by Stacy Rukeyser, ‘Sex/Life‘ is a drama series that stars Sarah Shahi, Mike Vogel, and Adam Demos. The show revolves around Billie Connelly, a married middle-aged woman going through a mid-life crisis. However, her not-so-exciting life is changed radically by the arrival of her ex-boyfriend, Brad, who is determined to win her back. The show captures the raw emotions that transpire as the former lovers reunite in a way, and almost every other episode features an intense sex scene that offers insight into Billie’s conflicted state. You can watch ‘Sex/Life’ here.
21. Dark Desire (2020-)
Netflix Mexico’s ‘Dark Desire’ revolves around a law professor named Alma (Maite Perroni), who is married to a highly respected judge, Leonardo (Jorge Poza). The passion between them has dried out in recent years, with Alma suspecting her husband of infidelity. Her life takes a sudden exhilarating turn after she meets Dario (Alejandro Speitzer) at a nightclub. One thing leads to another, and they end up having sex. Feeling deeply guilty, she returns home, believing that she and Dario have parted ways for good. She soon realizes how wrong she was when he enrolls in her class. You may watch the series here.
20. Supersex (2024)
‘Supersex’ follows the story of porn star Rocco Siffredi and has quite a handful of sex scenes throughout its eight-episode season. This is why the show appears twice on this list. For this entry, the focus is on the scenes that take place in the second episode of the season. At this point, Rocco is 20 years old, and while he dreams of being in porn, he is still a virgin. The episode focuses on him losing his virginity and then exploring his sexuality while also coming to terms with the power dynamics associated with sex. These scenes are riveting for the depth they add to the story and Rocco’s character. You can watch the show here.
19. Easy (2016-19)
Created by Joe Swanberg, Netflix’s ‘Easy’ is a heart-warming anthology series about love, sex, relationships, insecurities, and mutual understanding. The stories that appear in the show are about urban couples living in Chicago. Although most of these stories are not connected, sometimes the showrunners take their audiences for a visit to the homes of the old favorites to show how they are faring. Following its premiere, the show received widespread critical acclaim and ran for three seasons. In the course of its runtime, numerous Hollywood stars have joined the ensemble cast, including Malin Åkerman, Jane Adams, Andrew Bachelor, and Orlando Bloom. You may watch ‘Easy’ here.
18. Sex Education (2019-2023)
Sex can be cringy a lot of times when it is portrayed on the screen, but ‘Sex Education‘ manages to make it fun and educational. It revolves around the life of a socially awkward teenager named Otis, who starts a sex therapy clinic in an abandoned washroom of his school to help those who are in need. The show has everything from blowjob tutorials on bananas to public pool boners to a scandalous relationship of a cougar with her plumber. But the scene that gets everyone off-guard is the one between a black gay character named Eric and the high school principal’s son Adam. This one is not all that graphic, but if you have been following the show, you’ll know that this one was the least expected. You can watch the series here.
17. Lady Chatterley’s Lover (2022)
Starring Emma Corrin and Jack O’Connell in the lead roles, ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ is a period romance drama based on the novel of the same name by D. H. Lawrence. Set in the aftermath of World War I, the movie follows the story of Connie Reid, who is caught in a passionless marriage, as her husband seems to have lost interest in her since his return from war. This pushes her into the arms of his estate’s gamekeeper, Oliver Mellors, a reclusive man who finds a kindred soul in Connie. Their passionate affair turns into something deeper as they fall in love with each other, but there are many hurdles in their path, and infidelity is not the least of them. You may watch the film here.
16. Elite (2018-)
‘Elite’ is a coming-of-age show about the lives of some teenagers in high school. This TV show starts early when it comes to sex, and right from the first episode, it features two pairings where one couple tries the school shower, and another one invites a third person to join them for a threesome. The show is mostly about crime and drama, where crime is linked with the clash between the rich and the poor in the school, and the drama has a lot to do with straight and gay relationships, STDs, teen pregnancies, and teenagers being extremely horny. This show is more or less like ‘Sex Education’ with a slightly dull undertone and less entertaining. But overall, with a decent plot that can even be educational, the show rises above its sex scenes. Feel free to check out the series here.
15. Obsession (2023)
Starring Richard Armitage in the lead role, ‘Obsession’ is a series that follows the story of a celebrated doctor whose life takes a turn for the worse when he finds himself attracted to his son’s girlfriend. It turns out that she is also interested in him and even initiates their affair, which further complicates things. However, it all gets more mind-bending when it turns out that the girlfriend is keeping a few secrets of her own. You can check out the series here.
14. Sense8 (2015-18)
In this sci-fi series, eight strangers get connected to each other in the aftermath of violent visions. They are now able to feel each other’s presence all around them, even though they are all in very different parts of the world. With their actions that are an outcome of these connections, the eight strangers try to unravel the mystery behind this strange connection. Meanwhile, an organization tries to hunt them down and kill them. This fast-paced thriller has a lot of sex scenes, but the one that completely stands out is the last scene which is an orgy and brings an end to the show. But this is no ordinary orgy, and to make sense of it, you’ll have to watch the entire two seasons of this. The orgy puts an end to the series in a very significant way and might just need an explainer of its own. You can watch ‘Sense8’ here.
13. She’s Gotta Have It (2017-2019)
Created by the acclaimed director Spike Lee, ‘She’s Gotta Have It‘ is a series based on his film of the same name. The show centers around a young African-American girl called Nola Darling. She lives in Brooklyn and is an artist by profession. Nola is fiercely independent and is someone who always wants to stay true to her own wants and desires more than anything else. We follow her as she balances her work, her love life, and her friendships.
Someone who is against getting attached to any one person or place, Nola simultaneously dates three different men, and her adventures while managing these relationships become a major part of the storyline of the series. Lee not only created this show but has also directed all the episodes as well. It must be said that ‘She’s Gotta Have It’ is one of the most socio-culturally important shows about African-Americans alongside ‘Atlanta‘ and ‘Dear White People‘. The characters are well-written, and the performances also do justice to Lee’s vision. Sex scenes in this series are aplenty, with both heterosexual and homosexual sex scenes being depicted in quite an explicit manner. You may watch it here.
12. House Of Cards (2013-2018)
‘House Of Cards‘ does not boast as many sex scenes as the other titles on this list, but the ones that are there are effective and serve as major turning points in the plot. Frank Underwood is the series’ central character who starts as the Majority Whip for the ruling Democratic Party and then rises to the most powerful position on Earth via his mental acumen, strong will, charisma, and deceit. Along with him is his equally ambitious wife, Claire, who becomes more and more of an important character as the story progresses. Because power is the name of the game in this world, sex here is an ultimate tool. It signifies trust, intimacy, and honesty in this otherwise two-faced crowd.
Frank uses sex to gain the confidence of a journalist, only to use her to make his way to the top smoother. Details about his sexuality are always kept under the shadows and are only hinted at until the later parts of the series. Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright are magnanimous in their characters, and it can well be said that this series is probably one of the best-cast Netflix original shows of all time. You may watch ‘House Of Cards’ here.
11. Lady Voyeur (2023)
‘Lady Voyeur’ follows the story of Miranda. She is a voyeur and is so obsessed with it that it has become an inherent part of her life. The fact that she is a great hacker makes things much easier for her. She uses it to break into any place and see anything she wants. But things take a turn when a man enters her life. He is everything she has ever wanted in a partner, but then, he appears too good to be true. As she becomes more involved with him and his secrets start to come to light, she realizes she is in too deep waters. You can watch the series here.
10. Duck Butter (2018)
This 2018 movie kicks off with a rather interesting premise. The story revolves around two women- Naima and Sergio- who met after both of them were betrayed multiple times in their romantic relationships. Devasted and not willing to go through the same drill again, they decide to do something to spice up their lives. They plan to spend 24 hours together, and in that period of time, they will have sex every single hour. The plan does start well, but soon enough, the duo realizes that things are not going to be as smooth as they might look at the outset. The film is bold in its depiction of lesbian sex and the female body and can be said to be an important addition to the canon of LGBT films to have been released in 2018. You may watch the film here.
9. Gypsy (2017)
The whole concept of ‘Gypsy’ revolves around the promiscuous relationships of a therapist (Naomi Watts) with her patients as she lives a life that has no boundaries between her profession and her personal fantasies. So, for obvious reasons, this one has a lot of illicit and intimate scenes throughout. The show did not really live up to its expectations, but it did get a lot of hype for its sex scenes, and one of them is totally off the hook. The first time Jean and Sidney get together, their chemistry is beyond an “Oh my!”. But all these unethical sexual acts later have some very destructive consequences for the therapist. This may not be Oscar nominee Naomi Watts’s best work, but it sure is worth watching if you want to watch a 40-something woman get into trouble for indulging in something that’s forbidden. Feel free to check out the series here.
8. Tonight You Are Sleeping With Me (2023)
‘Tonight You Are Sleeping With Me’ follows the story of Nina. Things were great between her and her husband when they got married, but over time, the banality set in, and now, Nina feels like there is no passion left between them. Her husband cares for her, but he has become emotionally and physically distant over the years. She is forced to reflect on their marriage when her ex-boyfriend reenters her life, which makes her reconsider her feelings and actions. You can check out the film here.
7. Orange Is the New Black (2013-17)
‘Orange is the New Black‘ is a show about the life of a woman named Piper locked up in a women’s prison where she encounters her old lesbian lover, Alex. The show has a lot of nudity and intimate scenes throughout, but one that stands out is when Alex and Piper have angry sex all over the library of the prison. In an interview, the actresses who played out the roles of Alex and Piper confessed that the whole scene got so intense that one of them ended up getting a cut on her face while filming it. If that doesn’t tell you how steamy this one is, then we don’t know what will. You can watch ‘Orange Is the New Black’ here.
6. Black Mirror (2016)
‘Black Mirror‘ is an anthology series that has a very diverse set of stories in each episode. Some episodes are found to be disturbingly good and interesting, while some have been forgotten already because of a lack of proper execution. There is just one episode that is not all that disturbing and has a positive ending to it. This one is about how the lives of two women change when they meet each other in the party town of San Junipero. The purity of the scene where two women make love to each other is incredible, and the chemistry between them feels surreal. This is one episode anyone would fall in love with. You may watch it here.
5. Diary of a Gigolo (2022)
‘Diary of a Gigolo’ follows the story of Emanuel, a sought-after escort who has no trouble keeping his personal and professional lives separate. He gets into a complicated mess when one of his clients employs him to seduce her daughter, Julia. It turns out that Julia is shy and has self-esteem issues. Her mother believes that getting the attention of an attractive man might help push her in the right direction by increasing her self-esteem. Emanuel accepts the job and succeeds in seducing Julia, but in return, he starts falling for her, too, and that’s when the problem starts. You may watch ‘Diary of a Gigolo’ here.
4. The After Series (2020-2023)
Based on the book series of the same name by Anna Todd, the ‘After’ films follow the story of Tessa and Hardin. Netflix has three parts of the series (second, third, and fourth), which focus on the ups and downs in the couple’s relationship. Arguably considered the teen version of the ’50 Shades’ movies, this film series features the steamy, if often toxic, relationship of the couple. With every chapter of the story, new trouble arises for Tessa and Hardin, and they discover things about each other they never knew before. But no matter what problems stand in their path, they always find their way back to each other. You can watch the movies here.
3. Supersex (2024)
Based on the life of a pornstar, ‘Supersex’ employs the opportunity to use its many sex scenes to add to the layers of Rocco Siffredi‘s story. A lot of scenes recreate the scenes from his porn films, where violence is a part of the package. But it’s the scenes before he makes it into the adult industry that capture the essence of his character. The scene, in particular, being talked about here is the audition scene. The audition for Rocco takes place in two stages, and in both cases, he sees a significant transformation. This makes us add his audition scenes in Episodes 2 and 3 to this list. You can watch the show here.
2. 365 Days Series (2020-2022)
Based on the book series of the same name by Blanka Lipinska, ‘365 Days’ follows the story of Laura, who goes to Sicily for vacation with her boyfriend to spend her twenty-ninth birthday. Things get interesting when she is kidnapped by Massimo Toricelli, the head of a powerful Sicilian crime family, who claims to be in love with her. He plans to keep her captive for 365 days, during which he will make her fall in love with him without him forcing her into it. You may watch the movies here.
1. Bridgerton (2020-)
One of Netflix’s most popular TV shows, ‘Bridgerton’ is a period romance drama series that follows the story of the Bridgerton family. Every season focuses on the love story of one of eight Bridgerton siblings. The show’s success also led to the conception of the spin-off, ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgeton Story,’ which is another feather in Netflix’s cap. Over two seasons of the parent series and one season of its spinoff, the show delivers captivating romance stories while also delivering some of the steamiest scenes on TV. Feel free to check out the series here.
Read More: Most Sexually Graphic Movies on Netflix
