The top 20 Netflix series you must watch.There are few noises as delightful to a TV addict’s ear as the sound of their favorite streaming service loading, but once you’ve got past the log-in screen, how do you know which Netflix show to watch?
After all, Netflix offers quite literally hundreds of movies, shows, and even games now. Well, I’m going to be blunt with you. While Netflix films are good, very few will ever end up on our list of the best movies. Their TV shows, however, are pretty damn good. In fact, I’d go so far as to say they’re excellent (that’s why so many ended up on our best TV shows list).
That presents another problem: how do you know which show to watch? Well, that’s where we come in. Our screen-obsessed TV & Movies team has been through the Netflix library to work out exactly which shows are worth your time so you don’t waste your life watching rubbish like Fubar (I’m sorry, Arnie, you sh*t the bed on this one).
So why not peruse our list of the best Netflix shows before starting your next binge and impress your housemates or partner with your sophisticated TV tastes… or put Fubar on and risk looking like an idiot.
20. Ripley
- Release date: April 4, 2024
- Genre: Thriller
- Cast: Andrew Scott, Dakota Fanning, Johnny Flynn
- How long is it? 1 season (8 episodes)
What it’s about: Based on Patricia Highsmith’s crime novel, The Talented Mr. Ripley, this show follows Tom Ripley, a down-and-out conman who’s hired to track down the son of a wealthy industrialist.
Why we like it: Smart, stylish, and subtle, Ripley was a beguiling reinterpretation of the infamous Tom Ripley’s story that, like the titular conman, had an easy appeal and hidden darkness. While the show is gorgeous, Robert Elswit’s black-and-white cinematography is the perfect metaphor for Ripley’s own twisted morality (and it makes Italy look even more beautiful).
What really makes this series stand out is Andrew Scott’s performance. Scott makes Ripley as likable as he is loathable without ever putting a foot wrong, and you’ll find yourself as charmed by him as poor Dickie was.
Words by Tom Percival
19. Ozark
- Release date: July 21, 2017
- Genre: Thriller
- Cast: Jason Bateman, Laura Linney
- How long is it? 4 seasons (44 episodes)
What it’s about: Marty Byrde, a financial advisor and money launderer for the Mexican cartels, moves his family to the Ozark Lakes and quickly finds himself at odds with local gangsters who want a slice of his delicious criminal pie.
Why we like it: While Ozark is very much set from the same cloth as other “family man is secretly a crime lord” TV shows, it was deliberately more straight-laced than its contemporaries. Unlike The Sopranos or Breaking Bad then, which enjoyed the juxtaposition of its antihero’s careers with the mundanity of typical suburban life, Ozark has a dourness that makes it stand out. This could have made Ozark unrelentingly grim, but you’ll be too engrossed in Jason Bateman and Laura Linney’s impeccable performances to notice how horrible things are.
Words by Tom Percival
18. The Gentlemen
- Release date: March 7, 2024
- Genre: Action
- Cast: Theo James, Kaya Scodelario, Daniel Ings
- How long is it? 1 season (8 episodes)
What it’s about: When Edward “Eddie” Horniman, the 14th Duke of Halstead, returns to his ancestral home to find his estate has become the center of a huge drug empire, he’s forced to navigate the scary criminal underworld.
Why we like it: The Gentlemen is a Ritchie-rich feast, a deliciously nasty, potty-mouthed sojourn into the underbelly of all sorts of criminal shenanigans without any flotsam or jetsam. Lean and mean, with a tremendous cast (Theo James and Kaya Scodelario are a killer pairing), it’s a brilliant follow-up to the filmmaker’s 2019 movie of the same name. To borrow Fletcher’s words, it’s beautiful, beautiful… TV.
Words by Cameron Frew
17. Cobra Kai
- Release date: January 1, 2021
- Genre: Action
- Cast: Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Courtney Henggeler, Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan
- How long is it? 6 seasons (60 episodes)
What it’s about: A sequel to the original The Karate Kid movies, Cobra Kai is set 34 years after Daniel LaRusso won the 1984 All-Valley Karate Tournament and poor Johnny Lawrence isn’t doing very well. However, after saving his neighbor from a thug, Johnny reopens the old Cobra Kai dojo and sets about putting his life in order.
Why we like it: Do you like punching and kicking? Did you study Karate after watching Daniel San kick Johnny’s ass? Do you love subversive stories of redemption that’ll have you reevaluate how you feel about movie villains of yesteryear? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you need to watch Cobra Kai. Glib rhetorical questioning aside, Cobra Kai is a fun romp that will delight those watching it through a nostalgic lens and is well-written enough to win over a new legion of karate-obsessed fans.
Words by Tom Percival
16. Bridgerton
- Release date: December 25, 2020
- Genre: Historical drama
- Cast: Nicola Coughlan, Luke Thompson, Ruth Gemmell
- How long is it? 3 seasons (24 episodes)
What it’s about: Set during the elegant Regency era, this Netflix series follows the Bridgerton family as they try to navigate high society.
Why we like it: Scandalous, melodramatic, and spirited, Bridgerton is a winning mix of modern storytelling, lush production design, and spine-chilling needle drops. Yes, I know it’s basically Coronation Street (Days of Our Lives for our American readers) with a bigger budget and better wardrobe department, but honestly, we love these pulpy and scurrilous tales of high-class shagging, backstabbing, and dancing.
Words by Tom Percival
15. Bojack Horseman
- Release date: August 22, 2014
- Genre: Comedy
- Cast: Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins, Aaron Paul
- How long is it? 6 seasons (76 episodes)
What it’s about: Washed-up former TV star Bojack Horseman is a depressed alcoholic, and his life is a mess. When his agent forces him to get a ghostwriter for his autobiography, however, Bojack very slowly becomes less of an assh*le… and when we say very slowly, we mean his progress makes glaciers look like The Flash.
Why we like it: A dark comedy about a talking horse having a seemingly endless midlife crisis might seem like an absurd idea for a show, but Bojack is so much more than its concept. This cartoon is a meditation on what it means to be happy, our inclination to self-destruct, and relationships.
Yes, it can all get a bit heavy, but there are enough great gags to break through the existential dread, it’s not as smug in nihilism as other shows in the genre (Wubalubbadubdub…), and you’ll find yourself oddly attached to Bojack, as terrible as he is, and his friends.
Words by Tom Percival
14. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
- Release date: September 13, 2022
- Genre: Anime
- Cast: Kenn, Aoi Yūki, Hiroki Tōchi, Michiko Kaiden
- How long is it? 1 season (10 episodes)
What it’s about: Deep within Night City, a technology and body modification-obsessed city of the future, a street kid does whatever he can to survive. With everything to lose, he stays alive by becoming an edgerunner – a mercenary outlaw also known as a cyberpunk.
Why we like it: Years on from the bungled launch of Cyberpunk 2077, the best thing to come out of CD Projekt Red’s franchise isn’t the (vastly improved) game: it’s Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, a truly brilliant series that builds upon the alluring, dangerous appeal of Night City and stands alone as the stylish peak of Netflix’s anime efforts.
Words by Cameron Frew
13. Wednesday
- Release date: November 23, 2022
- Genre: Horror comedy
- Cast: Jenna Ortega, Emma Myers, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán
- How long is it? 1 season (8 episodes)
What it’s about: Smart, sarcastic, and a little dead inside, Wednesday Addams investigates a murder spree while making new friends – and foes – at Nevermore Academy.
Why we like it: Let’s be honest, a Gen Z reboot of The Addams Family sounded like a terrible idea. However, Wednesday moonwalked over everyone’s expectations with a deadpan stare and cello in hand, with Ortega bringing an ice-cold charisma that somehow feels completely modern without ever betraying the gothic weirdness of the source material.
You can totally feel Tim Burton’s fingerprints all over this show, which delivers a twisty enough story to be considered a solid binge-watch. Most importantly, it gives us characters to root for. It’s sharp, stylish, and oddly sincere, and as for that dance scene set to The Cramps’ ‘Goo Goo Muck’? 10/10.
Wednesday Season 2 will be released on August 6, with Part 2 streaming on September 3.
Words by Daisy Phillipson
12. Nobody Wants This
- Release date: September 26, 2024
- Genre: Comedy
- Cast: Kristen Bell, Adam Brody, Justine Lupe, Timothy Simons
- How long is it? 1 season (10 episodes)
What it’s about: After Jane begins a romance with rabbi Noah, the couple must navigate the difficult realization that they both come from very different worlds.
Why we like it: Warm and funny, Nobody Wants This is a warm bath of a show. The type of thing you start watching on a Friday night and accidentally binge all ten episodes (yes, I’m talking from experience) in one sitting. The secret to its incredible addictiveness? Kristen Bell and Adam Brody’s astonishing chemistry.
Words by Tom Percival
11. Heartstopper
- Release date: April 22, 2022
- Genre: LGBTQ+
- Cast: Kit Connor, Joe Locke, William Gao
- How long is it? 3 seasons (24 episodes)
What it’s about: Based on the graphic novel of the same name, Heartstopper follows Charlie Spring and his classmate Nick Nelson as they slowly fall in love.
Why we like it: A sensitive story about love and self-discovery, Heartstopper is an irresistible coming-of-age series that beautifully captures the highs and lows of teenage romance through a queer lens with heartfelt storytelling and charming performances. It’s been accused of being a bit schmaltzy and lacking the edge of other similar shows, but the world is a hard enough place, and sometimes you just want to get caught up in the comfort of a well-told love story, and Heartsopper offers that escape.
Words by Tom Percival
10. The Haunting of Hill House
- Release date: October 12, 2018
- Genre: Horror
- Cast: Michiel Huisman, Elizabeth Reaser, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Kate Siegel, Victoria Pedretti
- How long is it? 1 season (10 episodes)
What it’s about: The Crain family, who once lived in the haunted Hill House, reunite as adults to confront the lingering trauma and supernatural forces that tormented them in childhood. Flashing between past and present, the show reveals the dark secrets and tragedies that haunt both the family and the house.
Why we like it: Flanagan’s first The Haunting entry is one of his best, with Hill House proving to be a masterful blend of psychological horror and family drama. It’s also the most rewatchable, with the series packed full of Easter eggs and hidden ghosts (as many as 43, according to some estimates). All of this is anchored by powerful performances and its gothic setting, making it a bone-chilling watch from start to finish.
Words by Jessica Cullen
9. Beef
- Release date: April 6, 2023
- Genre: Comedy-drama
- Cast: Steven Yeun, Ali Wong, Joseph Lee
- How long is it? 1 season (10 episodes)
What it’s about: When Danny and Amy are involved in a road rage incident, the pair begin an escalating game of petty one-upmanship that threatens to destroy everything they hold dear.
Why we like it: Genuinely shocking and surprisingly funny (in a bleak kind of way), Beef blindsided me when I first watched it. I was expecting a fun farce with ever-escalating stakes, and what I got was a rather disturbing reminder that an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. However, as dark as the show can be, it’s worth saying that despite their characters’ dark deeds, Steven Yeun and Ali Wong (with help from the creator Lee Sung Jin’s fabulous script) keep their characters likable and, more importantly, sympathetic.
Words by Tom Percival
8. Arcane
- Release date: November 6, 2021
- Genre: Action/fantasy
- Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, Kevin Alejandro, Katie Leung
- How long is it? 2 seasons (18 episodes)
What it’s about: Amid the stark discord of twin cities Piltover and Zaun, two sisters – Jinx and Vi – fight on rival sides of a war between magic technologies and clashing convictions.
Why we like it: From the outside, Arcane seems impenetrable: a TV show based on League of Legends, an enormous yet niche top-down video with incredibly dense lore. And, yet, it’s one of the most staggeringly dazzling and emotional shows in Netflix’s canon; it may even be the best-edited series it’s ever produced. Forget The Last of Us and Fallout – this is the best video game adaptation.
Words by Cameron Frew
7. Mindhunter
- Release date: October 13, 2017
- Genre: Crime
- Cast: Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Anna Torv
- How long is it? 2 seasons (19 episodes)
What it’s about: Mindhunter follows FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench as they, with the help of psychologist Wendy Carr, interview imprisoned serial killers with the hopes of solving ongoing investigations.
Why we like it: A chilling and ambitious show, Mindhunter is an astoundingly well-crafted (and scary) Netflix series. From the meticulous direction to the well-drawn characters and gripping storylines, it’s remarkable how well-put-together Manhunter is. Arguably, though, the show’s greatest strength is its characters. In the hands of lesser actors, they’d risk seeming clichéd, but the cast is so good at making these performances seem authentic despite being drawn from well-worn archetypes.
Words by Tom Percival
6. Adolescence
- Release date: March 13, 2025
- Genre: Psychological drama
- Cast: Stephen Graham, Owen Cooper, Ashley Walters, Faye Marsay
- How long is it? 1 season (4 episodes)
What it’s about: Adolescence starts with a 13-year-old boy being arrested on suspicion of a classmate’s murder, and follows his journey, as well as the stories of detectives investigating the crime, a child psychologist assigned to the case, and the effect the tragedy has on his family.
Why we like it: Adolescence is an incredible piece of television. Largely because it’s shot in four single continuous takes that play out over four hours, making the show a jaw-dropping technical feat. But also because it’s anchored by career-best performances from the likes of Stephen Graham, Ashley Walters, and Erin Doherty, as well as remarkable newcomer Owen Cooper. The result is tough to watch, but also one of the best TV shows of the year.
Words by Chris Tilly
5. Baby Reindeer
- Release date: April 11, 2024
- Genre: Crime-thriller
- Cast: Richard Gadd, Jessica Gunning, Nava Mau, Tom Goodman-Hill
- How long is it? 1 season (7 episodes)
What it’s about: Struggling comedian Donny Dunn’s life is changed forever when he takes pity on the seemingly harmless Martha.
Why we like it: A harrowing exploration of the way stalking ruins lives and the dehumanizing nature of abuse, Baby Reindeer will have you glued to your screens no matter how desperate you may be to turn the horrors off. Richard Gadd’s nuanced script offers a fascinating insight into the terrors he endured (Baby Reindeer is partly based on his experiences) at the hands of his own stalker.
Yet, I’d argue that Gadd’s unvarnished depiction of himself makes this such a powerful series; it’s a performance without an ego that lays his soul bare. To say more would spoil things, but let’s just say Martha isn’t Donny’s only problem.
4. Squid Game
- Release date: September 17, 2021
- Genre: Thriller
- Cast: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon, Lee Byung-hun
- How long is it? 2 seasons (16 episodes)
What it’s about: Gambling addict Seong Gi-hun is given the chance to pay off all his debts by taking part in a series of children’s games. The only catch? The games are deadly.
Why we like it: A wry critique of capitalism, Squid Game asks the question, what would you be willing to do for a quick buck? Would you let a man slap you? Would you throw away food? Would you kill your best friend?
That escalation might seem absurd, but Hwang Dong-hyuk’s razor-sharp script and sensational performances will make you a conspirator in the chaos, glued to the edge of your seat as you see friends and family quite literally stab each other in the back for the chance to strike it big. If you’re worried this sounds a bit on the nose, don’t. The show is smart enough to mask its satire in gunsmoke and gore, but once you’ve played the games, you’ll never be the same again.
3. Better Call Saul
- Release date: February 8, 2015
- Genre: Crime-drama
- Cast: Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorn
- How long is it? 6 seasons (63 episodes)
What it’s about: A prequel to Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul tells the tale of Jimmy McGill and reveals how he went from a hopeful aspiring attorney to the loathsome ambulance chaser Saul Goodman.
Why we like it: To paraphrase Samuel Johnson, “the road to Hell is paved with good intentions,” and few series prove the wisdom of that quite like Better Call Saul. A tragic character study, this is a show about consequences and how a failure to hold yourself accountable will ultimately be your undoing.
I know that sounds a bit doom and gloom, but creator Vince Gilligan keeps things light by introducing a parade of quirky characters and trusting in Bob Odenkirk’s well-honed comedic instincts. As a result, while the show deals with some pretty dark themes, it never feels depressing (with some exceptions). Instead, it deliberately puts you on Saul’s side, letting you feel the same cathartic thrill he does when he gets one over on his “betters” before ultimately pulling the rug from under you and reminding the viewer that Saul is not a good man.
Words by Tom Percival
2. Stranger Things
- Release date: July 15, 2016
- Genre: Sci-fi
- Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Winona Ryder, David Harbour
- How long is it? 4 seasons (34 episodes)
What it’s about: After Will Buyers goes missing, his friends are drawn into a strange conspiracy involving telekinetic pre-teens, alternate dimensions, and horrifying monsters.
Why we like it: A throwback to Amblin’s glory days, Stranger Things is one of Netflix’s heavy hitters, and it’s easy to see why. Boasting a lovable cast of characters, an engaging mystery, and gorgeous special effects, it has all the ingredients to be the perfect TV series.
The special sauce on this particular scoop of ice cream, though, is its setting. There’s just something about the ’80s that makes it the perfect decade to set a show like this: a time before mobile phones, when kids would play out all night, and when Cold War paranoia convinced us all that monsters were hiding among us. The show’s only problem? How long it takes to make!
The first volume of Stranger Things Season 5 premieres on Netflix on November 26.
Words by Tom Percival
1. Breaking Bad
- Release date: January 20, 2008
- Genre: Crime-drama
- Cast: Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, Aaron Paul, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt
- How long is it? 5 seasons (62 episodes)
What it’s about: When Walter White is given a terminal cancer diagnosis, he sets out to provide for his family by any means necessary. But is Walt really trying to help his family, or is there something else driving his desire to become Albuquerque’s meth kingpin?
Why we like it: You don’t need me to tell you why Breaking Bad is good; you’ve read a million think pieces explaining how well-written, acted, and directed it is. Instead, I’m going to explain why I found this show so engaging. It’s not because I love the drama of the criminal underworld; it’s because this is a show about legacy. Walt may say he’s trying to earn money for his family, but that’s b*llocks. He’s a mediocre man who’s left no mark on the world and wants to matter before he dies.
Everything else is an excuse to soothe what remains of his conscience. I find that a fascinating motivation for a character because money doesn’t matter, family doesn’t matter, and nothing matters beyond Walt. This justifies all of Walt’s erratic behavior and keeps the audience guessing. Unlike other TV characters who have more relatable motivation, Walt is a man driven by something we can’t understand, and that makes for captivating viewing.
