When it comes to narrowing down the best Netflix shows, we're spoilt for choice. Choosing your next watch is no easy task with everything the streamer has to offer, so we've done the hard part for you and drawn up a list of all the essential must-watches on the platform.
Whether you're in the mood for some animated fun, like meta reboot Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, a jump-scare-heavy family drama like Mike Flanagan's The Fall of the House of Usher, or a heartbreaking romance like One Day, we've got you covered. As well as new releases, we've also got plenty of Netflix classics, from Stranger Things to Ozark and Orange is the New Black. In short, we've got your complete guide to the 49 best Netflix shows to add to your watch list, from hard-hitting dramas to nail-biting thrillers and side-splitting comedies.
The best Netflix shows available right now
One Day
David Nicholls' bestselling romance novel, previously adapted for the screen in a 2011 movie starring Anne Hathaway, gets a new lease of life from Netflix in this 14-part series. Kicking off in 1988, the show follows Dexter (Leo Woodall) and Emma (Ambika Mod), two friends who meet by chance on the night of their university graduation over the course of two decades, with each episode checking in with the duo on the same day in July every year. Heartbreaking and hilarious in equal measure, Dexter and Emma's will-they-won't-they relationship will thaw even the hardest of hearts.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
Thirteen years after the beloved Edgar Wright film hit theaters, the entire cast has returned for a first-ever anime adaptation of the graphic novels by Bryan Lee O'Malley. Developed by O'Malley and BenDavid Grabinski, follows Toronto-based slacker Scott Pilgrim as he falls for the rainbow-haired girl of his dreams (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and has to fight her seven evil exes.
The series reunites the majority of the cast of Edgar Wright's 2010 adaptation Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Aubrey Plaza (Julie Powers), Ellen Wong (Knives Chau), Alison Pill (Roxie Richter), Johnny Simmons (Young Neil), Mark Webber (Stephen Stills), Anna Kendrick (Stacey Pilgrim), Kieran Culkin (Wallace Wells), Jason Schwartzman (Gideon Graves), Mae Whitman (Roxie Richter), Satya Bhabha (Matthew Patel), Brie Larson (Envy Adams), and Chris Evans (Lucas Lee).
Bodies
When the same dead body is found at four different East London crime scenes in four different time periods, four police officers find themselves wrapped up in a conspiracy that's far bigger than any of them could imagine. The ensemble cast includes Stephen Graham, Shira Haas, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Kyle Soller, and Amaka Okafor, and all eight episodes are streaming now for the perfect weekend binge-watch.
The Fall of the House of Usher
Mike Flanagan's latest Netflix show is an adaptation of the story of the same name by Edgar Allen Poe, but with a distinctly modern twist. Something like a Gothic Succession, the show follows a (terrible) family plagued by a spate of gruesome, sudden deaths. The stacked cast features the likes of Mark Hamill, Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, and Rahul Kohli.
One Piece
Painkiller
Painkiller, based on the book by Barry Meier and the New Yorker Magazine article ‘The Family That Built an Empire of Pain’ by Patrick Radden Keefe, is a scripted limited series that takes on the opioid crisis in America. Per Netflix, the series is a "fictionalized retelling of events that explores some of the origins and aftermath, highlighting the stories of the perpetrators, victims, and truth-seekers whose lives are forever altered by the invention of OxyContin." Directed by Peter Berg, the cast includes Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick, Taylor Kitsch, Dina Shihabi, West Duchovny, and John Rothman.
Who is Erin Carter?
Erin Carter (Evin Ahmad), a British teacher in Spain, finds herself caught up in a supermarket robbery. When one of the robbers claims to recognize her, her life threatens to unravel. Created by Jack Lothian, the cast includes Sean Teale, Indica Watson, Denise Hough, Pep Ambros, Susannah Fielding, and Douglas Henshall.
The Diplomat
The political thriller follows Kate Wyler (Keri Russell), a career diplomat, as she juggles her new high-profile job as ambassador to the United Kingdom and her turbulent marriage to a political star amid an international crisis. Season 1 of the gripping and propulsive drama ended on a cliffhanger – so it's a good thing Netflix quickly renewed the show for a second season. The impressive cast also includes Rufus Sewell, Ali Ahn, David Gyasi, Michael McKean, Rory Kinnear, Nanah Mensah, and Penny Downie.
Wednesday
Tim Burton's coming-of-age fantasy comedy stars Jenna Ortega as a teenage Wednesday Addams who enrolls at a centuries-old boarding school called Nevermore Academy. While at the academy, Wednesday must learn to control her own emerging psychic powers, stop a monster from destroying the town, and solve the supernatural mystery that affected her family some 25 years prior.
The Sandman
For a long time, Neil Gaiman's The Sandman was thought to be unfilmable. The comics are just so grand in their scope and feature wild locations like the pits of Hell. And yet, here we are, with a fantastically faithful adaptation of the source material.
The story centers on Morpheus (Tom Sturridge), Lord of Dreams, who has been imprisoned by a warlock (Charles Dance) obsessed with immortality. Soon enough (we're talking first episode), Morpheus is released and sets about mending the cosmic – and human – mistakes he made over the course of his existence. Gwendoline Christie, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Patton Oswalt, David Thewlis, Jenna Coleman, and more fill out this wonderful cast.
Vikings: Valhalla
Vikings: Valhalla is set 100 years after the History Channel's original Vikings series, at a time when the Vikings had overrun England, taken control of Normandy in France, and ventured across the Atlantic Ocean – but their time in England was nearing an end. It follows the adventures of Leif Erikson (Sam Corlett), Freydís Eiríksdóttir (Frida Gustavsson), Harald Hardrada (Leo Suter) – some of history's most famous Norse men and women.
Like the original Vikings series, Valhalla is bold, bloody, and brilliant. The first season crams so much action into the opening salvo that you'll be wondering where the show goes from here. If you've seen Valhalla already, we've got answers to many of you Vikings: Valhalla season 2 questions through that link.
The Witcher
The Witcher tells the sprawling tale of Geralt of Riviera as he goes across the Continent, slaying beasts and saving cities from destruction. However, the series is not just Geralt's story, but also that of crowned princess Ciri and the sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg.
Based on the novels by Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher has already spawned a huge Netflix franchise – with a spin-off animated series and a live-action prequel starring Michelle Yeoh. That's all for good reason: this is one of the best Netflix shows going, with excellent, bloody, brutal fight scenes and an epic story told over multiple (though, sometimes confusing, timelines). The second season marks a substantial step-up in quality, and is well worth binging before more Witcher content arrives on Netflix in the near future. Once you're caught up, make sure you check out our guide to everything we know about The Witcher season 3.
Cobra Kai
There’s a good chance Cobra Kai, the sequel series to The Karate Kid, passed you by before it joined Netflix. Originally tucked away on the rarely-used YouTube Premium service, Cobra Kai is set over three decades after the events of the original movie and sees Daniel’s one-time bully/karate opponent Johnny Lawrence reform his ways and re-open the Cobra Kai dojo.
Now, it’s all on Netflix and is a sobering, bittersweet take on growing up, moving on from the past, and whether previous successes are truly the things that define you. There’s plenty of fan service for Karate Kid fans, including appearances from some of the original cast, but it’s a series that stands alone in its own right even if you aren’t familiar with the source material. So, what are you waiting for? Chop chop. It’s time to catch up on one of the most fun and entertaining shows of the past half-decade.
Ozark
Just when we needed to fill the Breaking Bad-shaped hole in our lives, Ozark delivered. After his money laundering aspirations go awry, Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) finds himself (and his family) mixed up with all manner of dangerous and unscrupulous people in the Missouri Ozarks.
And that's just the beginning of the story. The entire show is not available on Netflix, meaning you can watch the full adventure right now. It's filled with all the action, twists, turns, and WTF cliffhangers you'd come to expect from a top-tier Netflix series. If you enjoyed Breaking Bad, you will love this.
Maid
Maid follows Alex, played by Margaret Qualley, a single mother who leaves her abusive boyfriend with her two-year-old daughter to move into a shelter and get a job as a maid working for wealthy clients. Qualley's real-life mother Andie McDowell plays Alex's mother Paula, and the show also stars Nick Robinson, Billy Burke, and Anika Noni Rose. The limited series is based on the memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land. Be warned – this is an emotional one.
Squid Game
It's the K-drama that's taken the internet – and the world – by storm, becoming the first Korean drama to reach the top spot on Netflix in the US. Squid Game follows a group of people with financial struggles who are invited to take part in a mysterious survival competition with a hefty cash prize. They must compete in a series of traditional games, but with deadly twists, risking their lives for ₩45.6 billion (that's the equivalent of around $38 million). Once you start, you'll be hooked.
Sky Rojo
Sky Rojo (AKA Red Sky in English) is the latest project from the creators of the hugely popular Netflix show Money Heist. This series follows three sex workers (Verónica Sanchez, Lali Espósito, and Yany Prado) on the run from their pimp (Asier Etxeandia) and his henchmen (Miguel Ángel Silvestre and Enric Aucquer). Season 1 consists of eight 25-minute episodes, with a second season in the same format already confirmed. There are car chases, sequins, and gunfights in equal measure, making this a must-watch for anyone who loved the creators' other series.
Lupin
A French-language thriller that was the talk of the internet following its release, Lupin is based on the adventures of classic character, thief Arsene Lupin, who wants to avenge the death of his father. The show is absolutely captivating thanks to its style, daring heists, and Omar Sy, the show's charismatic lead anyone would rob a bank for. There are few Netflix shows as well constructed and bingable. Part 2 delivers on the promise of the first, with a set of episodes centering around the kidnap of Assane's son and the pursuit of the overarching villain, the portly Pellegrini. There are thrills, spills, and Assane's inimitable roguish charm.
Bridgerton
You've seen period dramas before – but not like this. From super-producer Shonda Rhimes comes Bridgerton, a flirty, feisty Netflix series that centres on the Bridgerton family. One of the daughters, Daphne, is of age to find a husband and ends up 'pretending' to fall in love with one of England's most eligible bachelors, just so everyone will get off her back. Of course, things do not go to plan.
Yes, it's a scandalous yet heartfelt love story; one that features colourblind casting, taught relationships, and lots of bonking – and we mean lots. No wonder, then, that it's quickly become one of Netflix most-watched shows. Season 2 follows the same winning formula as it tells the story of Viscount Bridgerton and his love-triangle with the Sharma sisters. Ahead of Bridgerton season 3, we've also compiled everything you need to know about the regency romp's return.
Dead To Me
A tragicomedy’s that twists and turns with the best of them as polar opposite pals Jen and Judy struggle through life, bonded through loss. A masterful blend of dark thrills and laugh-out-loud one-liners. Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini are both sensational as the central duo, while James Marsden turn as Steve and, in the second season, Steve's twin brother is pure excellence. You won't be able to stop watching.
Big Mouth
Netflix has a raft of great animated shows, and one of the best is Big Mouth – the cartoon sitcom about the horrors and wonders of puberty. Based on comedian Nick Kroll’s own adolescence in suburban New York, the series follows a group of seventh-graders who are accompanied by hormone monsters that take the form of not-so-helpful shoulder angels. Yes it's a cringe-worthy and bonkers as that all sounds. More importantly, though, it's absolutely hilarious.
Alongside Kroll, it features the voices of a host of big-name comedians including John Mulaney, Maya Rudolph, Jason Mantzoukas, and Jordan Peele. If those names aren't enough to get you excited then, well, turn back now, you're not worthy of this excellent Netflix comedy.
The Queen's Gambit
There's a reason The Queen's Gambit became Netflix most-watched limited series when it was released. The show, about an aspiring chess champion played by Anya Taylor-Joy, may have a slightly bland premise (who wants to watch hour-long episodes about chess?) yet the series is riveting. Not only that, but with such an anchoring central performance and charming supporting cast, this series about one of the slowest board games ever created is one of the best Netflix shows you can watch. Checkmate!
The Haunting of Hill House/Bly Manor
The Haunting of Hill House was Netflix's first must-see horror. A retelling of Shirley Jackson’s terrifying novel, the series was helmed by Mike Flanagan, whose previous Netflix features Hush and Gerald’s Game, and follows the Crain family as they move into the remote Hill House. With the intention of renovating it and flipping it before they buy their real home, the Crains discover that the house has other plans. Fleeing in the middle of the night, the story picks up decades later as the scattered family is drawn together again by that darn house...
Hill House is absolutely terrifying – and its follow-up, The Haunting of Bly Manor, strikes a surprisingly different tone. First off, while the actors are the same, they all play completely different characters as the series adapts Henry James' The Turn of the Screw. There are still ghost aplenty in Bly Manor, another haunted house story, but there's a romance at the centre of this series that's quite surprising. Saying that, you'll still be scared of turning the lights off at night after finishing this one.
The Umbrella Academy
Netflix’s most overlooked superhero show – well, until season 2 came along and quickly became one of the most-watched series of 2020. The series centers on a group of superhero siblings who are all miraculously born at the same time from mothers who were not actually pregnant. The first series is a twist-filled joyride, and the second is somehow cooler, crazier, and crackles with more energy than its debut – with lessons having been learned from last year’s semi-stumble out of the blocks.
If you’re looking for a larger-than-life comic book adaptation to fill a superhero-sized void in your life then The Umbrella Academy is the show for you. Plus, this instantly adds to your emo-credentials, as My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way wrote the source material. Make sure you catch up before The Umbrella Academy season 4.
Narcos
Charting the rise and fall of drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, Narcos features two DEA agents, Murphy and Pena, trying at nothing in the war against drugs. But they’ve met their match: Pablo is infinitely resourceful, Colombia is a country with dangerous people around every corner and it only gets worse from there. This is an American-Spanish show that will have you on the edge of your seats 99% of the time. The other 1 per cent if you learning Spanish swear words, which is always fun.
Even if you know Pablo Escobar’s story, Narcos has been suitably embellished so every episode carries as many twist and turns as possible with it. That extends to its seasons, too. Each one does something different without straying too far from its main theme of ‘catch the bad guy.’ Without wanting to go into spoiler territory, the show turns everything upside down far sooner than you might think, too. This is a binge-worthy drama that’s an expert at keeping you on your toes.
Dark
Seeing as you’ve binged the hell out of Stranger Things multiple times, you’re gonna need something similar to tide you over until more episodes arrive. Enter Dark. From the outset, this German-language Netflix original makes no bones about its intentions: to be creepy, eerie and as Lynchian as possible. And that's not just because it’s odd, but, because like a certain David Lynch created TV show, this delves into the rotten underbelly of seemingly perfect small-town life. In this case, it’s the tale of two missing children that stirs up trouble for a mysterious community.
You’re unlikely to see anything else quite like it. Sure, it may share ideas with some popular shows (there’s missing children, time travel, and other supernatural oddities) but Dark packs a lot of unique pieces into its puzzle.
Community
Non-Netflix show available in UK/US
Are you ready to enrol at Greendale Community College? Community transformed over its lifetime on NBC – and one season on Yahoo – going from an innocuous comedy about the interactions of some college students who had lost their way in life to a show that broke TV rules at every turn. Over the course of Community's six seasons we get to know a dysfunctional study group – played by a group of then-unknown actors, including Donald Glover, Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs and Joel McHale – as they struggle to succeed in a demotivating community college.
Community twists and turns in ways you don't expect. There are episodes shaped after Ray Liotta narrated crime movies, paintball homages to A Fistful of Dollars, and an informative documentary about historical pillow fights. If you haven't then check out this great American feel-good sitcom. And remember to cross your fingers and pray for #SixSeasonsAndAMovie.
Read more: the best Community episodes, ranked!
The Last Dance
Charting the Chicago Bulls' 1997/98 season, The Last Dance frames that fateful year with archival footage and interviews with Michael Jordan and some of his closest allies and enemies. Yet, despite being about basketball, you certainly don't need to be a major fan or the sport to be gripped by this 1- episode documentary.
The joint ESPN/Netflix production dives deep into what makes one of the biggest icons of the 20th Century tick: the feuds, the fights with front office, and the family stories all feature heavily here. It's all presented in a way that lets you learn as you go, without being condescending. Plus, if you are into b-ball, then you can rest easy in the knowledge that you're seeing a hidden side of one of the sport's greatest dynasties. Hundreds of hours of previously unseen footage were used for The Last Dance, and it offers a unique, complex take on the man they once called "Air."
Better Call Saul
Non-Netflix show available in UK/US
Remember the screwy lawyer from Breaking Bad? This show's all about him - Saul Goodman. Things begin after the climactic events of that series, in the present day, and immediately jump back to before he became Saul. Six years prior he was known as Jimmy McGill. A likeable, good-hearted guy who dallies loosely with the law, he goes to bat for his low-income clientele with the help of fixer (and Breaking Bad regular) Mike Ehrmantraut. It's terrific getting to see the pair in their early days and discover what happened before Jimmy turned into Saul.
It's hard to imagine a Breaking Bad spin-off being able to cap the brilliance of that groundbreaking series. Thanks to the superb performance by Bob Odenkirk, who delves into practically every emotional state in its first season alone, and Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler, it's just as good – if not better.
American Vandal
When someone says the word "mockumentary", your mind may immediately flock to classics such as This is Spinal Tap or Best in Show. Both are deliberately over-the-top chucklefests. American Vandal, on the other hand, is a different beast. A satirical docuseries that’s played completely straight, it taps into the true crime craze that’s seen an uptick in recent years and puts a new spin on it. The first season begins in the aftermath of a crime at a high school, when 27 teachers find that their cars have been vandalized by a student with a penchant for spray paint and dick pics. No, seriously. If that’s not bonkers enough, season 2 follows a poop epidemic.
Much like how Making a Murderer became an addictive series that everyone and their mother had an opinion about, American Vandal operates in the same way. One high schooler takes on the role of documentarian and tries to figure out who’s really to blame. Easily one of the best Netflix Original shows. True crime has never been so damn bingeable!
Stranger Things
The binge-watch series of the last few years. The Duffer brothers cobbled together a patchwork of '80s references then siphoned all of that into a killer plot about government experiments on members of a small town in Indiana. Things come to a head when a young lad, Will Byers, goes missing, causing his mother Joyce (Winona Ryder), the sheriff (David Harbour), and Will’s friends to consider the strangest possibility – that there's a parallel world to ours replete with horrific monsters and demons simply itching to get at you.
The whole cast is terrific (this writer personally was very pleased to see Winona Ryder back in the thick of it). However, it's the young leads who steal the show. Scurrying around Hawkins on their bikes in the dead of night and hunkering down in basements trying to find their missing pal, they will melt your hearts, especially Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven. Make sure you catch up before Stranger Things season 5.
The Good Place
Non-Netflix show available in UK/US
On the surface, former Parks and Recreation showrunner Michael Schur's show sounds similar-ish to Dead Like Me. Someone dies, experiences the afterlife, and embraces the comedy of the situation. It's not quite the same, though. Instead, it combines the cheerful glee of Parks with the existential WTF?-ness of something like Lost. Kristen Bell stars as Eleanor Shellstrop, a self-centred individual who is gifted to quite a pleasant post-life existence alongside her soulmate.
As well as being really, really funny and introducing us to yet another hugely talented group of actors, it also packs some great dramatic twists and turns that you won't see coming. Better get stuck in now before its fourth and final season lands.
Black Mirror
An anthology series, each episode serves as a standalone story that investigates a particular piece of tech and how they could lead to mankind's downfall. For the most part, Charlie Brooker's dystopian sci-fi show is set just a few years into the future, a place where our every technological whim is accounted for. The decision to set it so close to our own time has made it one of the most-talked-about shows in years.
While it's often described as sci-fi, Black Mirror packs in elements from every genre imaginable. Depending on the story, a particular episode may be romantic, action-packed, or creepy. One thing they all have in common, though, is that they're all downright terrifying.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
When it first dropped in 2015, Kimmy Schmidt’s theme song was all anyone could talk about. And yes, while it’s a hummable-as-fudgin’-heck, there’s more to this eccentric comedy from 30 Rock creators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock. A zany sitcom with heart and silliness in equal amounts, the show begins with New York newbie Kimmy Schmidt starting with a fresh slate after spending the previous fifteen years trapped in a doomsday cult led by the deranged Reverend Gary Wayne Gary (an eerily-good Jon Hamm). Now in the big city, Kimmy discovers a new-found joy for living, that’s got a distinct ‘90s edge.
It's as if 30 Rock never ended. But with added Carol Kane, who absolutely slays it as Kimmy's wiseass landlady, Jane Krakowski, who continues to be one of the funniest comics on the small screen, and the musical genius who gave us Peeno Noir and Boobs in California, Titus Andromedon.
Orange is The New Black
Loosely based on the real-life experiences of Piper Kerman, this comedy-drama from Weeds creator Jenji Kohan is like nothing else on the streaming platform. That's probably because it's a Netflix Original – and by 'eck, original it certainly is. The first season follows Kerman's memoir closely, as Taylor Schilling's Piper Chapman enters the prison system after being convicted of aiding a drug trafficker – her ex, played by That '70s Show's Laura Prepon – who also happens to be incarcerated in the same prison...
Once the show diverts from the true story, it becomes a wild mash of interesting plotlines. Piper's still in the mix, but there's a rich cast of fully fleshed-out characters who we learn lots of secretive tidbits about through flashbacks.
Sex Education
Everyone has, at some point in their lives, experienced the soul-crushing, please-swallow-me-up-Earth awkwardness of discussing the birds and the bees with their parents. It’s a rite-of-passage. Now, take that feeling, and mutiply it by a thousand, and you’re somewhat close to the embarrassment at the heart of Sex Education. A Netflix Original starring Gillian Anderson as Jean Milburn, a sex therapist, the series revolves around her son, Otis played by Asa Butterfield. Unlike his chatty, open, mother, Otis’ is a little backwards in coming forwards, until he and his friends assemble their own sex therapy clinic for their classmates.
Fresh and easy to binge due to its fun, young cast, you may go in expecting crass humour – and you’re going to get some along with the heartfelt life lessons learned by its core crop of kids. Less concerned with preaching, the series is all about opening your mind and embracing our differences, which, may sound sentimental, yet it’s really anything but.
The Crown
The Crown charts the life of Queen Elizabeth II from the start of her reign up until the present day. Well, it will. This Netflix Original kicks off shortly before her Coronation, and up to its current season's end, which finds her at an interesting precipice in her role as sovereign and as wife and mother. The series weds top-notch drama with an array of great performances, led by Claire Foy – and later Olivia Colman – as the young monarch. It sheds light on unseen parts of the Queen’s duties, and the troubled dynamic of juggling a public and private life, starting with her marriage to Philip, and dealing with her father, George.
The early years of the current English monarch? Sounds great, but not for you, right? Bit too Downton? Seriously, don’t miss out on this brilliant series: this is a superb character drama that packs in loads of historical factoids and a rollicking good story. Without a doubt one of the best shows on Netflix. Plus, we can all do with more Olivia Colman in our lives.
Peaky Blinders
Non-Netflix show available in UK/US
What do you get when you throw Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy on the screen together? The Dark Knight fanfic come to life? Well yes, that, but I was referring to the brilliant Peaky Blinders. Set in 1919, the series takes its name from a particular street gang that took charge of Birmingham, England shortly after the Great War. Using whatever means necessary to rise through the criminal ranks is war veteran Thomas Shelby, who – along with his family – forms the focus of this gripping crime drama.
A show that’s dubbed the British Boardwalk Empire deserves checking out for that comparison alone. If you’re a fan of that HBO series, you’ll love what kicks off in this historical gangster masterclass, and if you’re not? Peaky Blinders captures an era and location that’s seldom given much screen time and makes you wonder why the hell not? Prepare to binge the entire thing.
Dear White People
Justin Simien’s movie, also called Dear White People, earned solid reviews which led to the development of a small-screen adaptation. While there are some differences, as it was recast, the basic premise remains the same. It’s set among a diverse group of students of colou as they navigate a predominantly white Ivy League college, Winchester University, where racial tensions are often swept under the rug. Logan Browning stars as a student who hosts a campus radio show called Dear White People.
As hot-button topic series go, Dear White People charges in full force to tackle some meaty issues. A send up of post-racial America, we’re thrown into a college that throws a blackface party, we’re shown police brutality, racist trolls, the list goes on. It’s also pretty damn funny too, as it weaves together a universal story about forging one’s own unique path.
Grace and Frankie
Comedy vets Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin headline this superbly bingeable sitcom about two women whose ongoing rivalry comes to a head when their husbands reveal they’re in love and want divorces. While Grace (Fonda) and Frankie (Tomlin) try to navigate this life-changing revelation alone, they fast become frenemies who wind up sharing a beach house. Throw in their four kids and their newly-married husbands, and what you’re left with is a modern living situation. What starts as an amusing premise over the seasons sprawls into a ripe comedy setup that’s all about figuring out life, love, career, health, no matter your age, and how our friends are the one thing we can always rely on.
Don’t dismiss this as that show your mom probably watches. Fonda and Taylor might be in their ‘70s and 80s but that doesn’t make them, or their razor-sharp humour, out of bounds for anyone who isn’t. This is brilliantly savvy writing boosted by its lead performances. That also includes Sam Waterson and Martin Sheen as Grace and Frankie’s former husbands, and June Diane Raphael, Brooklyn Decker, Ethan Embry and Baron Vaughn as their four grown kids.
GLOW
They grunt as their bare skin slaps onto the canvas. Theover-excited crowd. The outfits are divine... welcome to the world of GLOW! Another Netflix Original that’s ripe for bingeing, you’ll dig it whether wrestling is your thing or not. Because, really, it’s about the women involved in this true story and how they face the obstacles life has thrown their way. Alison Brie leads the pack as Ruth, an out-of-work actress who's made some questionable choices, and Marc Maron’s drole, chain-smoking producer, who cajoles performances out of the wrestlers in the hopes of making some serious cash. Come for the costumes, stay for the witty repartee.
For a show that’s based on wrestling, the main heft of what’s so enjoyable isn’t about the sport at all, but the circumstances of these women. Ruth and Debbie’s dynamic in particular is electric. Well, what would you expect with alter-ego names like Zoya the Destroyer and Liberty Belle?
Unbelievable
A young woman is woken in the night to the sound of a man breaking into her home. Sounds like the beginning to a typical Netflix true-crime series, right? Unbelievable is anything but typical, subverting the usual TV tropes to provide a fresh angle that refuses to make women victims of the show’s repugnant villain. Toni Collette and Merritt Wever headline this limited series as two detectives from different districts who unite to bring a serial rapist to justice. The tale splits at the beginning to tell two stories across separate timelines. Things begin in Washington state in 2008 when Marie (a superb Kaitlyn Dever) is attacked, and flip back and forward to 2011 to a number of other cases with similar experiences.
Ambitious, driven, compelling. Taking a big risk on a difficult-to-watch topic is what makes this one of the best Netflix shows. Its headlining cast brings pathos and heart to this wrenching story, with Collette and Wever’s characters signalling the vast difference of how women are treated by female police officers as opposed to their male counterparts. This is gripping television that cannot be missed.
Russian Doll
Living the same day over and over is a concept we’ve seen a fair amount onscreen. Groundhog Day approaches that design with a mixture of amusement and sadness, and Russian Doll ups the ante by throwing in a dose of 2019 New York and a killer central performance. This ain’t a ‘90s movie, folks. Natasha Lyonne, who you’ll recognize from Orange is the New Black among other things, chain-smokes her way through this sticky predicament as Nadia. It’s her 36th birthday and her friends are throwing her a party in their loft. There’s just one snag: she keeps dying and waking up in the bathroom.
One of the most talked-about Netflix Originals is deserving of all the chatter and acclaim, ‘cause it’s funny as hell. Come for the inventive premise and stay for the comedic performances. Plus, the second season introduces a whole new dimension: time travel. Check out our Russian Doll season 2 ending piece for our spoilery explainer.
Bojack Horseman
A failed ‘90s actor spirals through life on a mix of sex, drugs, and trying to deal with depression. Oh, and he’s a horse. Will Arnett voices the anthropomorphic stallion as he sees himself struggling against a tidal wave of self-pity, while also not trying to mess up everything good in his life. His best friend, Todd, voiced by Aaron Paul, often stands by his side – if he’s not knee-deep in another one of his get-rich-quick schemes. It’s also a comedy. Trust me.
It’s done something that very few animated (or live-action) shows have even bothered to approach before: depression. While the show can have you crying with laughter at points, it can also have you crying. It’s a hugely complex look at a self-destructive man (well, man-horse) in a world just as crazy as he is.
You
From The CW maestro Greg Berlanti comes a series that’s unlike any of his superhero outings. Based on the creepy-as-hell Caroline Kepnes novel, the show tells the tale of indie bookstore manager, Joe (Penn Badgley), who falls into a deep obsession with one of his customers, Guinevere Beck. This isn’t your typical love story – far from it. Joe’s desire pushes him to a new level of stalking that will make you shake your head in disbelief. This is the type of “romance” that would tantalise Patrick Bateman or Dexter Morgan. Joe’s dogged pursuit of Beck is rife with seriously questionable behaviour… that makes for binge-tastic television.
With cliffhanger endings to every episode, and the feeling that Joe is about to get caught any second, You is exactly the type of show that makes you want to keep watching. Think of it as a cross between Dexter and Desperate Housewives.
Mindhunter
A period piece with no corsets or lofty accents, you say? Mindhunter hails from David Fincher and sets about recreating the fledgling days of serial killer profiling at the FBI. This is not your typical weekly crime procedural. Instead, this dark gem opts for the long, slow burn as Jonathan Groff’s eager agent and his disgruntled colleague (Holt McCallany) stray into dangerous territory: interviewing incarcerated serial murderers. Based on the true story of the first FBI profiler, his personal story is interwoven perfectly during the course of the first season, which tells episode after episode of rich, textured storytelling that’ll get under your skin and stay there.
Decades of crime entertainment – ahem, CSI – have turned all of us into armchair sleuths, and the majority of movies and shows know that. Mindhunter is rewarding as hell to watch for entirely the opposite reason. You’ll be shouting at the TV as the two agents apply their newly-founded techniques to catch active killers.
Atypical
Atypical is a coming-of-age dramedy that follows Sam (Keir Gilchrist), an 18-year-old on the autistic spectrum as he searches for love and independence. While Sam is on his journey of self-discovery - and to find himself a girlfriend - the rest of his family must grapple with change in their own lives as they all struggle with what it really means to be normal. Jennifer Jason Leigh, in particular, shines as his mother, Elsa, Michael Rappaport plays his dad, and newcomer Brigette Lundy-Paine knocks it out of the park as his smart-mouth sister Casey.
For some reason, Atypical has yet to achieve the same level of notoriety as other Netflix Originals, but it absolutely deserves to be your next binge. Aiming to highlight what the autism condition is truly like, without being derisive, is a challenge. Atypical matches that by being warm and funny and thoroughly well-intended, showing how this one family lives their life, and how Sam’s traits are present in his day-to-day. It's really funny, too?
Sense8
After dallying with sci-fi on and off for their entire cinematic career, The Wachowskis take their vision to the small screen. Sense8 plucks ideas from the sci-fi canon to tell a sprawling story, with a dash of Heroes, a drop of Lost, and a whole heap of WTF? The story follows eight people from different locations across the globe who suddenly find themselves mentally connected. Skills, experiences, thoughts, are all shared between the group, who come to depend on that vast pool of resources because – naturally – they’re being hunted by a shady organisation.
This series became such a hit upon its initial release that die-hard fans demanded a proper finale send-off after the show was axed. With a two-part finale accomplished, proof that fans can reignite a cancelled show, there’s still hope for more stories in this world. Come on Browncoats!
Castlevania
Castlevania has arrived tells the story of Trevor (Richard Armitage), the last surviving member of the disgraced Belmont clan. Castlevania is consistently top-notch, with season 4 bringing the tale of Trevor vs Dracula to an end with flair, twists, and turns. If you just wanting to dip your toes into the series, the first season consists of only four, 20-minute long episodes. Now you have no excuse not to watch the animated adaptation. Unpredictable, stylish, and well-told, Castlevania’s not one to be missed
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