Netflix is the home of hundreds of excellent and award-winning series. From sci-fi and fantasy to romance, comedy, and thriller, we’ve compiled a list of the top 50 series on the streamer.
Netflix shows have a way of sticking with us. Netflix’s library of shows began in 2013 and has grown into arguably the best catalog of any streamer. Netflix has now produced and licensed way over 1,000 original TV series globally. From award-winning series to groundbreaking dramas with immense cultural impact, there’s something for everyone. Here’s our top 50.
This big list is ranked based on a combination of overall ratings, viewership, impact, and, of course, personal opinion. Your opinions may differ!
Finding Her Edge
To keep her family's rink afloat, a teenage ice dancer and her bad boy partner pretend to be a couple off the ice. But what if she's falling for real?
Distribution: Netflix Original
In Finding Her Edge, we follow Adriana Russo (Madelyn Keys), a former competitive skater from a family with an esteemed history in the ice skating field. When her proud older sister Elise (Alexandra Beaton), is injured in competition, Adriana decides to put the skates back on to. But it’s not just for her own vanity. She needs to earn a sponsorship in order to save her family’s ice rink. With her former partner — and lover — Freddie (Ollie Atkins) moving on to another partner, she ends up pretending to be in love with her new on-ice partner Brayden (Cale Ambrozic), if only to secure the all-important sponsorship.
This drama is perfect for fans of Spinning Out and Heartstopper. It has one of the most intense love triangles of anything you’ll find on Netflix.
Something Very Bad is Going to Happen
A bride has a feeling that something horrifying will happen at her wedding -- and the closer to the altar she gets, the worse it becomes.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Produced by Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer, Something Very Bad is Going to Happen is a masterclass in dread.We follow bride Rachel (Camila Morrone, known for Daisy Jones & The Six) and groom Nicky (Adam DiMarco, known for The White Lotus) as they travel to Nicky’s parents’ vacation cabin, nestled away in snowy woods, where they’ll hold their idyllic winter wedding. But as the title suggests, horror looms over them — is the wedding cursed?
We rated Something Very Bad is Going to Happen highly in our review, rating it five stars and calling it “yet another top-tier limited series at Netflix.”
Sex Education
Insecure Otis has all the answers when it comes to sex advice, thanks to his therapist mother. So rebel Maeve proposes a school sex-therapy clinic.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Sex Education is a witty, coming-of-age drama following socially awkward high schooler Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield)… who has a sex therapist mum. Despite his inexperience and stark social awkwardness, Millburn unwittingly becomes a sex expert. Naturally, he uses this knowledge to elevate his school status, teaming up with Maeve (Emma Mackey) to make an underground sex therapy clinic.
Arrested Development
It's the Emmy-winning story of a wealthy family that lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together.
Distribution: Seasons 1–3 originally aired on FOX and were later licensed to Netflix. Seasons 4–5 are Netflix Originals.
There’s a reason why Arrested Development was included in Time’s list of the 100 best TV shows of all time. Created by Mitchell Hurwitz, it’s the ultimate sitcom. In its 84 episodes over 5 seasons, the series begins with the downfall of the Bluth family and their business empire, after their head patriarch is convicted of fraud. The responsibility falls to Michael Bluth to maintain a level of sanity within the dysfunctional family, while also keeping the business somewhat afloat.
While not a Netflix Original from the start, the streamer began licensing new episodes in 2021. However, the show’s future on Netflix is uncertain. It’s in trouble of leaving the Netflix catalog in 2026.
One Piece
With his straw hat and ragtag crew, young pirate Monkey D. Luffy goes on an epic voyage for treasure in this live-action adaptation of the popular manga.
Distribution: Netflix Original
When a live-action adaptation of beloved anime One Piece was announced, it was naturally met with plenty of apprehension. There was so much that could have gone wrong. But when it debuted in 2023, One Piece quickly set itself as a brilliant live-action adaptation. Star Iñaki Godoy is outstanding as pirate Monkey D. Luffy, bringing infectious energy.
Netflix has big plans for the live-action One Piece series. Adapting the entire anime is a daunting task; no doubt a lot of it will have to be condensed.
American Primeval
A mother and son fleeing from their past form a found family while confronting a harsh landscape of freedom and cruelty in the American West.
Distribution: Netflix Original
American Primeval is a 6-episode limited series offering a gory, brutal, and violent exploration of the birth of the unforgiving American West. Created by Mark L. Smith, the series is set in 1857 during the Utah War and follows a mother, Sarah Rowell (Betty Gilpin), and her son, Devin, fleeing their past and facing the harsh landscapes on the frontier.
Vladimir
Rachel Weisz, John Slattery and Leo Woodall star in this comedy about a professor with a wayward husband who falls hard for her handsome new colleague.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Headlined by Rachel Weisz (The Mummy, The Constant Gardener) and Leo Woodall (One Day, The White Lotus)., Vladimir is one of Netflix’s spiciest shows of all-time.
Vladimir follows an unnamed, fourth-wall-breaking English literature professor in her late 50s (Weisz), who is herself a struggling writer. The series chronicles her lustful obsession with her new, handsome younger colleague, Vladimir (Woodall). The longer she spends time with him, the more intense her unhinged and outlandish fantasies become. She believes Vladimir facies her back, but is it really reciprocal?
Fool Me Once
When ex-soldier Maya sees her murdered husband on a secret nanny cam, she uncovers a deadly conspiracy that stretches deep into the past.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Based on the best-selling novel by Harlan Coben, the 2024 limited series Fool Me Once just about squeezes into Netflix’s 10 most popular shows of all time. The series boasts a stellar cast including Michelle Keegan, Richard Armitage, and Joanna Lumley.
Twisty and thrilling, Fool Me Once follows Maya Stern (Keegan), who, after grieving the loss of her husband Joe (Armitage), installs a nanny-cam to keep an eye on her young daughter. However, things take a shocking turn when her supposedly dead husband shows up on the video feed.
After-Life
Struggling to come to terms with his wife's death, a writer for a newspaper adopts a gruff new persona in an effort to push away those trying to help.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Ricky Gervais writes and stars in After-Life, a drama about a man, Tony, who lives alone with his dog in a small English town. He works as a local journalist, chronicling the quirky events that occur across the town. However, in the years since his wife Lisa died, his life hasn’t been the same. He struggles to continue with his life, until he realises that he simply has nothing left to live for: he can do anything.
After-Life is a heartbreaking drama, but it’ll also make you (sometimes guiltily) laugh out loud. The series also stars Diane Morgan, Joe Wilkinson, and Ashley Jensen.All 3 seasons are now streaming on Netflix.
Orange is the New Black
A privileged New Yorker ends up in a women's prison when a past crime catches up with her in this Emmy-winning series from the creator of Weeds.
First airing back in 2013, Orange is the New Black was one of the first breakout Netflix series. Created by Jenji Kohan, the show is based on Piper Kerman’s memoir Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison. It’s a comedy-drama, following the journey of Piper as her time in prison in upstate New York changes her drastically and profoundly.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Across more than a decade, 17 teen boys and young men were murdered by convicted killer Jeffrey Dahmer. How did he evade arrest for so long?
Distribution: Netflix Original
When Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story premiered in 2022, it became the streamer’s second most-watched English-language series of all time within 28 days. To say it made a big impact would be a massive understatement. It tells the disturbing story of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, chillingly played by Evan Peters. It dramatises his awful acts, which saw him murder and dismember a number of victims, taking part in cannibalism and keeping their skeletons as shrines.
The series is extremely disturbing and difficult to watch, but utterly gripping. It saw Peters take home a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Miniseries.
Department Q
A brash but brilliant cop becomes head of a new police department, where he leads an unlikely team of misfits in solving Edinburgh's cold cases.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Department Q (or simply Dept. Q) is a crime drama that stands out in many ways. Set in a dark and brooding Scotland, the gritty series follows the steely and no-nonsense detective Carl Morck (Matthew Goode). After suffering a near-death attack that killed a police officer and injured his partner, Morck is tasked with dealing with forgotten cold cases.
Along with his enigmatic Syrian partner, Akram (Alexej Manvelov), and Detective Constable Rose Dickson (Leah Byrne), the team investigates the disappearance of the controversial prosecutor, Merritt Lingard (Chloe Pirrie). As they delve into the case, which had long remained unsolved, they uncover various clues and leads, shedding light on one of Scotland’s most mysterious and unsolved crimes.
You
A dangerously charming, obsessive man goes to extreme measures to insert himself into the lives of women who fascinate him.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Based on the books by Caroline Kepnes, You ran for 4 excellent seasons on Netflix. It follows Joe Goldberg, a disarmingly charming yet extremely dangerous and controlling man who becomes obsessed with the women he loves, using social media to stalk them and insert himself into their lives. The series is dark, disturbing, and chilling.
Alice in Borderland
An aimless gamer and his two friends find themselves in a parallel Tokyo, where they're forced to compete in a series of sadistic games to survive.
Distribution: Netflix Original
In terms of brutal survival dramas, Squid Game takes all the headlines. However, Japanese drama Alice in Borderland is every bit as good. It has a similar premise, though Alice in Borderland takes a more fantastical, video-game-style approach. The core principles remain: a group of people are placed in an alternate version of Tokyo, where they must take part in sadistic games to ensure their survival.
Alice in Borderland was quietly canceled by Netflix following its third season in 2025.
Ozark
A financial adviser drags his family from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks, where he must launder $500 million in five years to appease a drug boss.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Some television greats over the years have been involved in the world of drugs and the cartel. Look no further than The Wire and Breaking Bad. Netflix has a standout genre series of its own in the form of Ozark, which ran for four seasons. It follows Marty (Jason Bateman), a family man and financial planner who relocates his wife and two kids to the Ozarks when a deal with a drug cartel turns sour.
Putting a target on his back, Marty navigates the cruel, dangerous criminal underworld while protecting his family.
Vikings: Valhalla
In this sequel to "Vikings," a hundred years have passed and a new generation of legendary heroes arises to forge its own destiny --Â and make history.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Vikings: Valhalla is technically a sequel to the original, beloved Vikings series, but it totally works as a standalone show. Set around 100 years after the conclusion of the original series, Vikings: Valhalla follows a new generation of Norsemen. The two central characters are legendary warriors and explorers Harald Sigurdsson and Leif Erikson.
The series documents and imagines some of the most brutal historical battles, including the Siege of London, led by King Canute himself. It’s gripping, bloody, and action-packed, which checks out given that the series is helmed by Die Hard writer Jeb Stuart.
Outer Banks
Distribution: Netflix Original
From the get-go, Outer Banks quickly established itself as one of Netflix’s most popular original series. The drama follows John B (Chase Stokes), who enlists his three best friends to hunt for a legendary treasure linked to his father’s disappearance.
The series will return for its fifth and final season in 2026. We have compiled everything we know about it here.
Baby Reindeer
When a struggling comedian shows one act of kindness to a vulnerable woman, it sparks a suffocating obsession which threatens to wreck both their lives.
Distribution: Netflix Original
In terms of cultural impact, British limited series Baby Reindeer made massive waves when it premiered in 2024. It quickly became one of the most talked-about shows of the year. Based on a true story, Baby Reindeer follows Richard Gadd (who plays himself), a struggling comedian who helps out a woman, Martha. His one act of kindness sees them quickly become friends, but as time passes, he learns that Martha is stalking him.
The series is gripping, shocking, and took the UK especially by storm. In fact, it caused the real-life story to develop, with Fiona Harvey (the lady Martha was supposedly based on), even calling out Richard Gadd for twisting the story.
The Diplomat
Amid an international crisis, a US diplomat contends with her high-profile job as ambassador to the UK and her strained marriage to a political star.
Distribution: Netflix Original
When The Diplomat premiered in 2023, it was such a huge success that Netflix quickly renewed it for two more seasons. We now know that a fourth season is also on the way. Starring Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell, The Diplomat is a twisty political drama. Taking place in the midst of an international crisis, in which a British warship is bombed, Kate Wyler (Russell) struggles to balance her high-profile job as a U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom with her highly-publicised marriage.
The Diplomat premiered to stellar reviews from critics and casual viewers alike. The series currently holds an impressive 90% average rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Making a Murderer
An updated look at the case of Steven Avery after the dramatic events of season 1.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Making a Murderer was perhaps the catalyst true crime show on Netflix. The 2015 true crime documentary was a massive success, paving the way for numerous other true crime shows.
Filmed over 13 years, Making a Murderer chronicles the life of Steven Avery, a man from Wisconsin, exonerated from a murder case by DNA testing and released from prison in 2003, only to be charged for another murder case two years later. Like most true crime dramas, Making a Murderer is a fascinating insight into the man’s life, while also being hard to watch at times.
All of Us Are Dead
A high school becomes ground zero for a zombie virus outbreak. Trapped students must fight their way out -- or turn into one of the rabid infected.
Distribution: Netflix Original
In All of Us Are Dead, there’s a zombie apocalypse, and a group of students must escape their school, which has become ground zero of the outbreak. No shows come quite as brutal and unforgiving as K-dramas, and this series emphasizes the point. It’s hyper-violent, unpredictable, and the zombies are utterly relentless. They’re far from the slow, lurking kind from The Walking Dead, for instance.
It’ll leave you hungry for more, and Netflix is happy to oblige. All of Us Are Dead has been renewed for another season. The new batch of episodes will start filming this year, although no date has been specified. Now is the perfect time to watch season 1 and get ahead of the curve.
The Umbrella Academy
Reunited by their father's death, estranged siblings with extraordinary powers uncover shocking family secrets -- and a looming threat to humanity.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Superheroes! Time travel! The end of the world! The Umbrella Academy is all of this and more.
Created by My Chemical Romance star Gerard Way, the series follows an irreverent, fun superhero team of unlikely siblings, each randomly born in one day in 1989. The team, adopted by billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves, become known as the Umbrella Academy. Each of them have peculiar, unique superpowers, from incredible throwing accuracy, to the ability to see dead people, and so on. Throughout the series, the team must work to avert the impending apocalypse, not once, but numerous times.
The Ranch
Being a pro athlete didn't pan out for Colt. Now he's helping his dad and brother keep the ranch afloat, and figuring out how he fits into the family.
Distribution: Netflix Original
The Ranch is headlined by Ashton Kutcher, who plays Colt, a semi-pro footballer whose career ends in failure. Colt ultimately returns home to his family ranch. Colt decides to run a ranching business with his now-estranged father, Beau (Sam Elliott), but as they try to grow the business, family politics get in the way, and he’s also caught up in a love triangle between his girlfriend and a high school sweetheart.
The Ranch began in 2016, running for 8 parts across 4 seasons. While Netflix has certainly struggled with multicam sitcoms over the years, this is not one of them. It’s a fan-favorite despite a bit of a cloud hanging over it (Google Danny Masterson) and sadly, Netflix hasn’t been able to replicate the formula just yet.
The Queen's Gambit
In a 1950s orphanage, a young girl reveals an astonishing talent for chess and begins an unlikely journey to stardom while grappling with addiction.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Every now and then, Netflix releases a series that unexpectedly blows away audiences, and that’s exactly what happened with The Queen’s Gambit. Based on the novel by Walter Tevis, the 2020 limited series takes place in the Cold War Era and stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon, an orphaned chess prodigy who relentlessly and ardently vies to become the greatest chess player in the world, while also struggling from drugs.
The awards speak for themselves, The Queen’s Gambit secured eleven Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.
Narcos
Witness the birth of the Mexican drug war in the 1980s as a gritty new "Narcos" saga chronicles the true story of the Guadalajara cartel's ascent.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar was one of the wealthiest and most notorious drug criminals of all-time. The series documents his immense power. It begins with a DEA agent being sent to Colombia with the aim of capturing Escobar… but actually capturing the kingpin of cocaine is much easier said than done.
The series was among Netflix’s earliest breakout hits, lasting for three seasons before ultimately concluding in 2017. It was followed up by an equally brilliant spinoff Narcos: Mexico in 2018.
Mindhunter
In the late 1970s two FBI agents expand criminal science by delving into the psychology of murder and getting uneasily close to all-too-real monsters.
Distribution: Netflix Original
A psychological crime thriller, Mindhunter takes fans into the early days of criminal profiling by the FBI. The series follows FBI agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Hold McCallany) as they attempt to catch serial killers by studying their psychological behaviours.
Over its two seasons, the series enlisted some top-tier industry talents, not least Oscar-nominated director David Fincher.
Heartstopper
Teens Charlie and Nick discover their unlikely friendship might be something more as they navigate school and young love in this coming-of-age series.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Heartstopper quickly proved itself one of the most popular shows on Netflix. Adapting the series of graphic novels by Alice Oseman, the series is a tale of young love, following teens rugby player Charlie (Kit Connor) and recently-outed Nick (Joe Locke) as they navigate through school together and realize that their friendship could be something more.
Heartstopper will conclude in 2026 with a feature-length finale, titled Heartstopper: Forever.
Godless
When an injured outlaw shows up at her ranch, a headstrong widow sees that her life -- and the lives of those close to her -- will never be the same.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Created by Scott Frank, Godless is a Western drama set in the 1880s, centred around La Belle; a small, mostly female town in the state of New Mexico. The 7-episode limited series follows Roy Goode (Jack O’Connell), an injured outlaw on the run from his vengeful mentor Frank Griffin (Jeff Daniels).
The series received great critical acclaim, including Emmy Awards, making it arguably the finest Western series Netflix has to offer.
Our Planet
Life's extraordinary journey to conquer, adapt and survive on Earth across billions of years comes alive in this groundbreaking nature docuseries.
Distribution: Netflix Original
When it comes to nature documentaries, David Attenborough is undeniable the best to do it, and probably the best there will ever be. Our Planet is an outstanding, 2-season documentary series documenting the impact climate change has on species all over the world. The show is both poignant and spectacular.
Each episode showcases a different habitat — such as jungles, seas, and frozen worlds — and the challenges they face. It’s a top-tier series, made even better by Attenborough’s legendary presence.
Emily in Paris
New passions. New fashions. New Emily? A plucky American marketing whiz spreads her wings in life and love after landing her dream job in Paris.
Distribution: Netflix Original
So many Netflix series struggle to get renewed for more seasons. Emily in Paris is not one of those shows. Currently 4 seasons (totalling 40 episodes) strong, Emily in Paris stars Lily Collins as marketing executive Emily Cooper, who moves from Chicago in America to Paris, where she lends her expertise to a marketing firm.
Emily in Paris season 5 debuts on Netflix on December 18, which sees Emily embark on some Italian adventures.
Disenchantment
Princess duties call, but she'd rather be drinking. Free-spirited Bean exasperates the king as she wreaks havoc with her demon and elf pals.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Fan of The Simpsons and Futurama? If you haven’t yet checked out Matt Groening’s other animated sitcom, Disenchantment, I implore you to do so. The fantasy sitcom follows the story of the rebellious, alcoholic Princess of Dreamland, Bean (Abbi Jacobson), as well as her personal demon Luci (who if definitely not a cat), and their elf friend, aptly named Elfo.
While it might maintain plenty of silliness, the world-building is stellar and the stories are excellent. Groening’s track record speaks for itself, and Disenchantment continues the trend.
Agatha Christie's Seven Dials
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Distribution: Netflix Original
Set in the 1920s, Seven Dials begins at an English country mansion called the Chimneys. The story picks up at a lavish, glamorous house party at the stately home, hosted by Sir Oswald Coote and his wife, Lady Coote, and attended by the guests of Chimneys’ owner, Lord Caterham. There, the handsome and much desirable Gerry Wade (Corey Mylchreest) flirts with Bundle — Caterham’s daughter — hinting at a possible matrimony. However, the next morning, when everyone wakes up still exhausted following the night before, Bundle finds herself rather shocked to learn that Gerry Wade appears to have overslept. This is particularly strange given that seven alarm clocks rang in his bedroom.
Turns out, Wade’s slumber is not as it seems. He died in the night, or worse yet, was killed, as Bundle believes. This sets her on a steadfast and ardent quest to find the killer of her future fiancée, helped out by companions Ronnie Devereux (Nabhaan Rizwan) and Jimmy Thesiger (Edward Bluemel). But the deeper she dives into the case, the more dangerous it becomes.
We rated Seven Dials highly in our review, especially praising Mia McKenna-Bruce for her electric portrayal of Lady Bundle Brent.
Money Heist
Thieves overtake the mint of a unified Korea. With hostages trapped inside, the police must stop them -- as well as the shadowy mastermind behind it all.
Distribution: Netflix Original
La casa de papel, better known as Money Heist in English, is a Spanish thriller series created by Álex Pina. Money Heist follows The Professor, a criminal mastermind who recruits ambitious criminals to embark on increasingly dangerous heists, such as the Bank of Spain.
It originally aired on Spanish television before being picked up by Netflix, where it found immense international success, becoming one of Netflix’s most-watched non-English-language shows.
BoJack Horseman
Meet the most beloved sitcom horse of the '90s, 20 years later. He's a curmudgeon with a heart of...not quite gold...but something like gold. Copper?
Distribution: Netflix Original
BoJack Horseman was Netflix’s first-ever animated series, and nothing has topped it yet. It’s one of those shows that you just need to watch to understand. Created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, the series follows washed-up sitcom star BoJack Horseman (Will Arnett), who was a superstar back in the ’90s… but fast forward a few years, and he’s struggling to jump back on the Hollywood train.
The series delves into deep themes such as mental illness, addiction, relationships, and mortality. It’ll beat you down and make you teary-eyed, guaranteed.
The Sandman
After years of imprisonment, Morpheus -- the King of Dreams -- embarks on a journey across worlds to find what was stolen from him and restore his power.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Based on the groundbreaking comics from DC, The Sandman is a sprawling epic fantasy that follows Dream of the Endless (Tom Sturridge), the personification of dreams. As the ruler of The Dreaming, the realm we visit when we fall asleep, Dream’s duties are disturbed when he’s captured and held prisoner for decades. This captivity causes his kingdom to fall into decay and ruin. Upon his escape, Dream must work to rebuild his broken realm and seek revenge on those who captured him.
The plot of The Sandman is almost impossible to summarise in a few sentences, as it delves into high concepts and explores myth and legend. The series was completed in two seasons, covering the comics through to conclusion. Netflix also released a spinoff series, Dead Boy Detectives, which was unfortunately axed after one season. Even so, it’s still well worth checking out.
Ginny & Georgia
Free-spirited Georgia and her two kids, Ginny and Austin, move north in search of a fresh start but find that the road to new beginnings can be bumpy.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Ginny & Georgia is more than just another drama. It’ll make you laugh and cry. The series follows young mother Georgia and her teenage daughter Ginny as they move to a New England to pursue a new life and leave their past behind. Georgia, strong and manipulative, rises up the ranks of her new surroundings. Meanwhile, Ginny grapples with high school life and young romances.
This series is so much deeper than it seems on the surface. It’s a deep dive into complex family dynamics, mental health struggles, friendship, and more.
The Night Agent
Recruited by a secret U.S. intelligence program, agent Peter Sutherland must unravel a political conspiracy to prevent a terrorist attack.
Distribution: Netflix Original
As of 2025, The Night Agent season 1 remains Netflix’s ninth most popular series of all time, just behind Bridgerton. The crime thriller is still ongoing after airing its second season early in 2025. Season 3 has already been filmed, although the streamer has not set a release date.
An adaptation of Matthew Quirk’s novel of the same name, created by showrunner Shawn Ryan, the series stars Gabriel Basso as FBI agent Peter Sutherland, who finds himself embroiled in a vast conspiracy when he answers a mysterious phone call in the White House basement.
The Crown
Inspired by real events, this fictional dramatization tells the story of Queen Elizabeth II and the political and personal events that shaped her reign.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Back when it premiered, The Crown was Netflix’s most expensive series of all-time. Over 60 episodes, it documented the history of the British Royal Family, chronicling Queen Elizabeth II’s reign and the trials and tribulations that followed. Queen Elizabeth is played by different actresses, Claire Foy (S1, 2), Olivia Colman (S3,4) , and Imelda Staunton (S5,6). Each actress brings a unique twist to the character in different eras.
Fans still cite The Crown as one of the finest Netflix shows ever. It swept awards ceremonies, boasting numerous Emmys, Golden Globes, and BAFTAs.
Dark
A missing child sets four families on a frantic hunt for answers as they unearth a mind-bending mystery that spans three generations.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Mystical and mind-bending, Dark sets the scene in the quaint German town of Winden, where the mysterious disappearance of a boy begins to unravel a time-travel conspiracy. The show itself has a non-linear timeline, intricately weaving together past, present, and future — there’s paradoxes aplenty!
The ratings for Dark speak for themselves. Look no further than its terrific 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Haunting of Hill House
Flashing between past and present, a fractured family confronts haunting memories of their old home and the terrifying events that drove them from it.
Distribution: Netflix Original
If you’re seeking a paranormal series on Netflix, it doesn’t get much better than The Haunting of Hill House. The 10-episode series is one of the best-rated horror shows on Netflix, for good reason.
The series—which jumps from the past to the present—follows the fractured Crain family, haunted by fragmented memories of their old house and the harrowing events that drove them away.
Love, Death + Robots
Terrifying creatures, wicked surprises and dark comedy converge in this NSFW anthology of animated stories presented by Tim Miller and David Fincher.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Created by Tim Miller and David Fincher, Love, Death + Robots is one of the world’s most popular anthology series. It’s the ultimate box of chocolates.
Through numerous gorgeous animation styles, the series dives into a variety of genres, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, and comedy. Some of the show’s most popular themes are post-apocalyptic survival stories, A.I., dark comedy, and mortality. It’s hard to explain Love, Death + Robots in one sentence because it’s so sprawling and wide-ranging in its content. The series features works from best-selling writers, such as Joe Abercrombie and Michael Swanwick.
Arcane
Amid the stark discord of twin cities Piltover and Zaun, two sisters fight on rival sides of a war between magic technologies and clashing convictions.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Set in the wildly popular world of League of Legends, Arcane follows sisters Violet (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell), who find themselves on opposite ends of a brewing war. The series follows them as they navigate the utopian Piltover and the oppressed undercity of Zaun.
Currently standing at a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, Arcane is one of the top-rated shows on Netflix. What’s more, Arcane can be watched as a standalone. There are so many fans who have never played League of Legends — although playing League will undoubtedly enhance your viewing experience.
Midnight Mass
The arrival of a charismatic young priest brings glorious miracles, ominous mysteries and renewed religious fervor to a dying town desperate to believe.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Of all the Mike Flanagan shows on Netflix, Midnight Mass remains one of the most memorable. A religious horror not entirely unlike The Wicker Man, the series takes place on a remote island. A charismatic priest (Hamish Linklater) arrives to revitalise the town’s faith. However, his arrival brings about certain strange, bizarre, and unsettling miracles.
Midnight Mass is relatively short, at just seven episodes, but it leaves a lasting impact. But be warned: It’s not for the faint of heart. Truthfully, the supernatural elements don’t kick in until the second half, but once they do, they’re absolutely additive, as with any Flanagan project.
The Witcher
Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster-hunter for hire, journeys toward his destiny in a turbulent world where people often prove more wicked than beasts.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Netflix has invested a lot of money into The Witcher Universe over the years, and success has been varied. Debuting in 2019, The Witcher was Netflix’s immediate response to fill the immense epic fantasy void left by Game of Thrones. It had the benefit of already having an immense fandom behind it thanks to the best-selling video games. Plus, the lore and story was extensive with the series adapting the original novels of Andrzej Sapkowski.
The Witcher certainly hasn’t been without its issues — not least with fan-favourite Henry Cavill departing the show and Liam Hemsworth being recast as Geralt — but it’s without a doubt Netflix’s premium epic fantasy offering. There’s also plenty of additional viewing, too, with animated tie-ins and a prequel series, Blood Moon.
Black Mirror
Charlie Brooker's dark, satirical anthology series returns with six brand new episodes, including a sequel to the sci-fi adventure USS Callister
Distribution: Seasons 1-3 aired on Channel 4, other seasons are Netflix Originals.
Black Mirror heralds no introduction. The sci-fi anthology series from Charlie Brooker is perhaps the most popular show in its niche. Black Mirror dives deep into psychological horror through unique, twisted tales. The series has been running for 7 seasons so far, with a eighth season officially on the way.
The series is designed to shock you, disturb you, and leave storylines lingering in your mind long after viewing. In fact, the term “black mirror” has become an everyday phrase for many, in reference to the show’s mind-bending tales.
Adolescence
When a 13-year-old is accused of the murder of a classmate, his family, therapist and the detective in charge are all left asking: what really happened?
Distribution: Netflix Original
What is there to say about Adolescence that hasn’t been said already? This short but breathtaking series tells the story of one working-class family, whose lives are turned upside down when their 12-year-old son Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is accused of murdering a girl in his school.
Dealing with deep themes, Adolescence is a chilling look into knife crime in the UK. The series is developed by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, who also stars. It’s masterfully directed by Philip Barantini, who shoots each episode in one big, continuous shot.
Adolescence is one of Netflix’s standout series of 2025, and the immense viewership numbers back that up. You can check out our review here.
Bridgerton
In a new tale from the ton, eternal bachelor Benedict Bridgerton finally meets his match: a captivating lady's maid in disguise at a masquerade ball.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Based on the series of novels by Julia Quinn, Bridgerton is set in an alternate Regency-era England. It chronicles the lives, romances, and scandals of the Bridgerton family. Each season follows a different sibling and documents their love story. From enemies-to-lovers, forbidden love, and beyond, the series is drooping in scandal.
The sets are glorious, the characters are brilliant, the costumes are stunning. Bridgerton is a dream come true for everyone seeking a lavish drama about high society back in the Regency-era. But if you’re looking for historical accuracy, this is not it. It’s pure fantasy.
Bridgerton has become one of Netflix’s most esteemed series. It’s likely that we’ll see it on our screens for years to come.
Wednesday
Woe to all seeking cheer — for at Nevermore, Yuletide flames cast shadows, the decor whispers doom and a hand tends the hearth.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Directed by legendary filmmaker Tim Burton, Wednesday is a unique twist on the Addams Family. Centred around everyone’s favourite stoic and macabre teen Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega), the series chronicles her adventures in Nevermore Academy — the school for Outcasts.
Over the course of the series, Wednesday attempts to master her psychic abilities, uncovers vast conspiracies, and even… makes friends? Or perhaps they’re just useful acquaintances.
Squid Game
Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children's games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits -- with deadly high stakes.
Distribution: Netflix Original
The most successful Netflix series of all-time, Korean survival drama Squid Game needs no introduction — but we’ll give you one anyway. Told over 3 seasons, the drama sees a group of cash-strapped contestants taken to a mysterious island off the coast of Korea to take part in a brutal competition. There, they must take place in classic children’s games — like Red Light, Green Light, Marbles, and Hide & Seek — but there’s a twist. If they lose, they die. The last man standing wins an enormous cash prize, quelling their money worries forever.
An American Squid Game spinoff is reportedly in development, but there’s been no recent developments.
Stranger Things
As Vecna prepares to destroy the world as we know it, the party must put everything on the line to defeat him once and for all.
Distribution: Netflix Original
Created by Matt and Ross Duffer, the supernatural series Stranger Things has been one of Netflix’s cornerstone series since it debuted back in 2016. Stranger Things is a supernatural series with a whole lot of 1980s flair, taking inspiration from classics like E.T. and The Goonies.
Set in the small town of Hawkins, a group of kids is thrust into a world of conspiracy when their friend goes missing. During their ardent search, they learn of a hellish parallel world, the Upside Down, where all sorts of monsters dwell.
Since appearing in Stranger Things, so many of the cast have become global superstars; look no further than Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour.
Honourable Mentions
- A Man on the Inside
- The Last Kingdom (this title is gradually leaving the streamer throughout 2026)
- Lupin
- Supacell
- Castlevania
- Big Mouth
- Cabinet of Curiosities
- Sweet Tooth
- The Fall of the House of Usher
- The Lincoln Lawyer
- Untamed
- Run Away
- The Haunting of Bly Manor
- Locke & Key
- GLOW
- Blue Eye Samurai
- Kingdom
- Cobra Kai
- How to Get to Heaven From Belfast
What’s your favourite Netflix series? Tell us in the comments down below!
