Your new favorite show is just a few clicks away with a Netflix subscription. The industry-leading streaming service offers subscribers a huge collection of new and classic series, as well as original shows you won’t find anywhere else. Choosing one show from a collection that massive can be intimidating, though, so we’ve made that task easier by searching through the entire library to put together this list of the best shows currently available to stream on Netflix.
We’ve also rounded up the best movies on Netflix, the best shows on Hulu, the best shows on Amazon Prime, and the best shows on Disney+. Watching from abroad? Use a Netflix VPN to access your country’s catalog from anywhere in the world.
Recently Added to Netflix
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Seinfeld1989 -
Squid Game2021
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Midnight Mass2021
Seinfeld (1989) new
Genre
Comedy
Created by
Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David
Cast
Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Michael Richards
Seasons:
9
Netflix paid a crazy amount of money to secure the streaming rights to Seinfeld, the “show about nothing” created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, which ran for nine epic seasons and is widely regarded as one of the greatest television sitcoms ever made. The series is finally on the streaming service now, and it offers 180 episodes of idiosyncratic escapades revolving around, well … everyday life in New York City. Jerry Seinfeld portrays a fictionalized version of himself in the show, but it’s his surrounding cast that truly stole the show, with Jason Alexander portraying Jerry’s friend, George Costanza, Julia Louis-Dreyfus playing Jerry’s ex-girlfriend, Elaine Benes, and Michael Richards portraying Jerry’s quirky neighbor, Cosmo Kramer. There’s never been anything quite like Seinfeld on TV, and that’s probably why Netflix paid so much money (reportedly around $500 million) to become its new streaming home.
The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
Genre
Mystery, Drama
Created by
Mike Flanagan
Cast
Michiel Huisman, Elizabeth Reaser, Kate Siegel
Seasons:
1
One dark and ominous night, Hugh Crain (Henry Thomas) gathers his children and flees their vast, gothic mansion, leaving his wife, Olivia (Carla Gugino), behind. Olivia dies that night, her death ruled a suicide, and the tabloids run wild with stories of the haunted Hill House. The five Crain children — Steven, Shirley, Theo, Nell, and Luke — all grow up dealing with their trauma in varying ways, whether writing a successful memoir about the haunting of Hill House (Steven) or abusing drugs to numb the pain (Luke). As adults, the Crain siblings are barely on speaking terms, until a tragedy forces them all back together, and back to Hill House. Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House is a character-driven story, delving into the psychological problems of its many protagonists. It’s no mere family drama, though. In addition to their personal demons, there are some very real ghosts haunting the Crains, and Flanagan orchestrates some intense scares in the first episode alone, building tension but also knowing when to bust out a jump scare.
The Ripper (2020)
Genre
Documentary, Crime
Created by
Jesse Vile, Ellena Wood
Cast
Alan Whitehouse, Keith Hellawell, Bruce Jones
Seasons:
1
If the cold weather hasn’t chilled you to the bone, then perhaps Netflix’s latest true crime sensation will. The Ripper is a British import documentary that tackles the infamous Yorkshire Ripper, a serial killer whose reign of terror began in 1975 and ran through 1980. Survivors, investigators, journalists, and even family members of the victims share their tales about this horrific episode in their lives, and what it took to bring the killer to justice.
Squid Game (2021) new
Genre
Action, Adventure, Drama
Created by
Hwang Dong-hyuk
Cast
Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Oh Yeong-su, Wi Ha-joon
Seasons:
1
This Battle Royale-style series from South Korea quietly became one of the most-watched shows on Netflix in the first week after it premiered, according to the CEO of the streaming service, giving audiences yet another tale of otherwise average individuals pushed to their limits in a deadly competition filled with familiar games and strange mysteries around every turn. The competitors all want a piece of the competition’s massive prize money, but as the games get deadlier and deadlier, the question becomes: Will anyone survive to claim it?
The Great British Bake Off/The Great British Baking Show (2010)
Genre
Reality-TV
Cast
Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins, Sandi Toksvig, Noel Fielding, Matt Lucas
Seasons:
9
There are many cooking reality competition shows, but there’s only one Great British Bake Off. Although Netflix calls it The Great British Baking Show, it’s the same lovely program that has run for 11 seasons. However, only a selection of episodes from eight seasons are currently available. Regardless, the show still captures the quest of amateur bakers to impress the judges and out-bake each other to win the show’s final prize.
The Baby-Sitters Club (2020)
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Family
Created by
Rachel Shukert
Cast
Sophie Grace, Momona Tamada, Shay Rudolph, Malia Baker, Alicia Silverstone, Mark Feuerstein, Xochitl Gomez
Seasons:
2
Just released in summer 2020, this television adaptation of the popular children’s novel series of the same name by Ann M. Martin has become an instant hit, with a 100% approval rating on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes and critics calling it “sweet, sincere, and full of hope.” Like the books, the series follows five middle-school girls who start their own babysitting business in Connecticut and their adventures as they do so. Each girl has her own unique passion and personality and a different job in the club, from Kristy Thomas (Sophie Grace), the president who makes it a point to call out social injustices, to the shy Mary Anne (Malia Baker), who serves as secretary. It’s a great show that pre-teens and young teens will love, and nostalgic parents who might have read the book series when they were kids will appreciate it, too.
Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer (2021)
Genre
Documentary, Crime, Mystery
Created by
Tiller Russell
Cast
Gil Carrillo, Frank Salerno
Seasons:
1
We know who the Night Stalker is now. But from 1984 to 1985, Richard Ramirez horrified California with his violent crime spree that left police baffled. Two detectives played a key role in bringing Ramirez to justice: Gil Carrillo and Frank Salerno. In Netflix’s true crime documentary series, Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer, both Carrillo and Salerno share their stories of how they tracked down Ramirez. Several other key players also recount their part of this living history, but it was the public that ultimately ended the Night Stalker’s reign of terror.
Fate: The Winx Saga (2021)
Genre
Action, Adventure, Drama
Created by
Brian Young
Cast
Abigail Cowen, Danny Griffin, Hannah van der Westhuysen, Elisha Applebaum
Seasons:
1
If you’ve never seen the animated series Winx Club on Nickelodeon, then don’t worry. Fate: The Winx Saga is a live-action adaptation of that show, but it isn’t dependent upon previous knowledge of the characters or their world. Instead, it’s a reinvention of the Winx storyline with a more YA tone and a much darker take on the material. Abigail Cowen headlines the series as Bloom, a young fairy from Earth who is now on Otherworld and enrolled at Alfea to learn how to control her powers. There’s a definite Harry Potter vibe here for fans who are looking for a magic school fix, and fans can rest assured that a second season is in the works, according to Netflix.
Midnight Mass (2021) new
Created by
Mike Flanagan
Cast
Hamish Linklater, Kate Siegel, Zach Gilford, Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli
Seasons:
1
Writer and director Mike Flanagan brings another terrifying limited series to Netflix with this tale set on a small island where the arrival of a mysterious priest and the return of a troubled former resident coincide with a series of miraculous events that might not be what they seem. Although the series isn’t connected to his previous Netflix projects, The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass brings back quite a few cast members from those series, as well as some of his prior, critically acclaimed thrillers. However, it’s actor Hamish Linklater’s portrayal of the enigmatic Father Paul that’s truly something to behold, delivering a performance that truly sells the seven-part story’s exploration of faith, death, and redemption. It’s beautiful, brilliant, and very, very scary, but you’ll want to avoid spoilers going into the series, which is full of unexpected twists and turns.
Surviving Death (2021)
Genre
Documentary, Reality-TV
Created by
Leslie Kean
Seasons:
1
Death is the natural conclusion to life, but it still raises a lot of questions for those of us who are still alive. Surviving Death attempts to answer some of those questions by examining near-death experiences, reincarnation, mediums, and whether there truly is life after death. We may never know the actual answers until our time comes, but it’s fascinating to hear what other people think about what lies ahead in the great beyond.
Stranger Things (2016)
Genre
Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Created by
Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
Cast
Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Winona Ryder
Seasons:
3
The opening sequence of Stranger Things lays out the TV show’s sci-fi aspirations clearly: A scientist flees down an empty hallway, pursued by some unseen force that eventually nabs him as he waits for elevator doors to close; it then cuts to a group of kids playing D&D in a suburban basement. From Alien to E.T. in a matter of seconds. The show is a stew made of various influences from the ‘80s. A mysterious creature and a secret government agency, a group of kids having adventures around their rural town, teens experimenting with sex, drugs, and peer pressure. There are pieces of Stephen King, Steven Spielberg, and John Hughes strewn throughout Stranger Things, and the result is a show that will feel immediately familiar to people who grew up with that source material. The show is not shallow in its emulation, either. The acting and direction are superb, giving even the most derivative scenes some heft.
Disenchantment (2018)
Genre
Animation, Action, Adventure
Created by
Matt Groening
Cast
Abbi Jacobson, Eric Andre, Nat Faxon
Seasons:
3
The creative team behind The Simpsons and Futurama reunited for Disenchantment, an animated comedy that tackles the fantasy genre. Unlike its predecessors, Disenchantment also seems to be building toward a larger story for the series. The focus falls on Princess Tiabeanie, aka Bean (Abbi Jacobson); her personal demon, Luci (Eric Andre); and Elfo (Nat Faxon), the half-elf who is desperately in love with Bean. There’s something rotten in the kingdom of Dreamland, and someone close to Bean may be behind the plot to unseat the royal family. The latest batch of episodes also sends Bean beyond the confines of Dreamland, in addition to providing some answers to long-standing mysteries within the show itself.
Sex Education (2019)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Created by
Laurie Nunn
Cast
Emma Mackey, Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa, Connor Swindells
Seasons:
3
This British blend of comedy and drama follows the teenage students at a fictional secondary school (that’s high school for American audiences) as they deal with issues in their personal lives often tied to their awakening sexuality. Asa Butterfield plays the shy, insecure Otis Milburn, who looks at sex a bit differently from his classmates thanks to his frank, oversharing mother, a sex therapist portrayed by The X-Files star Gillian Anderson. A critical hit that takes a unique approach to this uncomfortable, emotional time in every teenager’s life, Sex Education deconstructs the typical sex comedy trope with a thoughtful exploration of how our feelings and backgrounds shape our relationships to the people around us.
Bridgerton (2020)
Genre
Drama, Romance
Created by
Chris Van Dusen
Cast
Phoebe Dynevor, Regé-Jean Page, Adjoa Andoh
Seasons:
1
Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton romance novels have become a buzzy original series on Netflix, thanks to showrunner Chris Van Dusen and mega-producer Shonda Rhimes. This is an alternate history tale that on the Bridgerton family, as well as their eight children, as they vie for position and romantic matches in London’s high society. In particular, Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) is pursued by several potential suitors, even though she may have her eye on Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page), the Duke of Hastings. But there are some significant obstacles in their way.
Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan (2019)
Genre
Documentary, Action, Adventure
Cast
Masayoshi Haneda, Masami Kosaka, Hideaki Itô, Hayate Masao
Seasons:
1
At times, this docuseries about the warring clans of 16th-century Japan feels more like an edgy action film than a traditional documentary, but the six-part series does a masterful job of exploring the political drama and intrigue of the Sengoku period — one of the most tumultuous eras of feudal Japan’s history. The series follows the rise (and, often, violent fall) of several prominent historical figures whose paths shaped the nation at a time when samurai, warlords, and powerful families were engaged in a near-constant civil war, and does so with a combination of historical (and graphic) reenactments and expert commentary. History lessons this deep have rarely been this intense, or compelling.
American Crime Story (2016)
Genre
Biography, Crime, Drama
Created by
Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski, Tom Rob Smith
Cast
Sterling K. Brown, Cuba Gooding Jr., Sarah Paulson
Seasons:
2
The real-life legal saga of O.J. Simpson was both a circus and the trial of the century. The first season of American Crime Story dived into that tale full throttle with The People v. O. J. Simpson. Amazingly, the series offered a very grounded, human take on all of its principal figures. That’s especially true of Sarah Paulson’s Marcia Clark and Sterling K. Brown’s Christopher Darden, the prosecutors assigned to put O.J. Simpson (Cuba Gooding Jr.) behind bars. The second season, The Assassination of Gianni Versace, is also on Netflix. But the two stories have been separated, so you’ll have to click here for that season.
Lucifer (2016)
Genre
Crime, Comedy-Drama, Fantasy
Created by
Tom Kapinos
Cast
Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Kevin Alejandro
Seasons:
6
Tom Ellis plays fallen angel Lucifer Morningstar in this loose adaptation of the Lucifer comic book series. After leaving hell behind to chart a new path in his life, Lucifer encounters Detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German) and quickly falls for her. To remain a part of Chloe’s life, Lucifer helps her solve murders in Los Angeles with his talent for making suspects give up their secrets. No one can say that Lucifer isn’t open about who and what he is, but it takes a while for Chloe to realize that she really has partnered up with the original fallen angel. The series wrapped up its saga with its sixth and final season.
Ratched (2020)
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery
Created by
Evan Romansky
Cast
Sarah Paulson, Finn Wittrock, Cynthia Nixon
Seasons:
1
American Horror Story and American Crime Story standout Sarah Paulson takes the lead in Ratched, a series inspired by One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Paulson portrays Nurse Mildred Ratched in a prequel to the famous novel and film. And if you thought that Ratched was monstrous before, then the series is going to be an eye-opener. The series takes place in 1947, as Ratched worms her way into a prestigious mental health institute. On the surface, Ratched is a model nurse and a paragon for others to admire. But beneath the surface, Ratched ruthlessly pursues her own agenda, regardless of who she has to hurt or kill. There are several twists to be found, and even a monster like Ratched can find love in unexpected places.
Shameless (2011)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Created by
Paul Abbott
Cast
William H. Macy, Emmy Rossum, Cameron Monaghan, Ethan Cutkosky
Seasons:
10
You don’t need Showtime to catch Shameless, but you will be one season behind. The American incarnation of Shameless follows the Gallagher family as they struggle to get by on the south side of Chicago. William H. Macy stars as Frank Gallagher, the family patriarch who is more interested in feeding his addictions than feeding his family. Emmy Rossum also stars as Frank’s oldest daughter, Fiona, who tries to take care of the family herself. However, Fiona’s desire for a new life and the poor choices of her dysfunctional siblings often turn the Gallaghers’ lives into a dark comedy. And yet, after 10 seasons, most of the family is still together.
Money Heist (2017)
Genre
Action, Crime, Mystery
Created by
Álex Pina
Cast
Úrsula Corberó, Álvaro Morte
Seasons:
5
This Spanish crime drama rocketed to the top of Netflix’s most-watched shows when it was picked up by the streaming service and brought to a global audience, with everyone from professional athletes to Stephen King praising its clever, suspenseful, and visually stunning subversion of the heist genre. The series chronicles a pair of complicated heists orchestrated by a mysterious stranger known only as “The Professor.” The series, which won a long list of awards for its first season that included an International Emmy Award, unfolds from the perspective of a robber whose account occasionally veers into the surreal in order to keep the story rolling along at a captivating pace.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018)
Genre
Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Created by
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Cast
Kiernan Shipka, Ross Lynch, Lucy Davis, Tati Gabrielle, Miranda Otto, Gavin Leatherwood
Seasons:
4
Netflix has wrapped up its adaptation of Archie Comics’ horror comic Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Unlike the previous lighthearted TV series, Chilling Adventures offers a much darker take on Sabrina Spellman (Kiernan Shipka). She’s half-human and half-witch, and Sabrina may be destined to be the dark bride of Lucifer himself. However, Sabrina pulls back against the evil in her life and finds love with Harvey Kinkle (Ross Lynch), a descendent of witch hunters who has picked up some of his family’s skills.
The Crown (2016)
Genre
Biography, Drama, History
Created by
Peter Morgan
Cast
Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, Matt Smith
Seasons:
4
Britain’s current and longest-reigning monarch is also one of its most unassuming. Elizabeth II ascended to the throne in the aftermath of World War II, at a time when the monarchy had ceded much of its power to Parliament and the Prime Minister. Despite a lack of governmental power, the Queen remains one of the most important heads of state in the world, and civic duties abound. Netflix’s The Crown traces Elizabeth’s (Claire Foy) life from her marriage to Prince Philip (Matt Smith) in 1947 to the present day, digging into the web of agendas and alliances the Queen must navigate. Heavy on political intrigue, The Crown is sure to satisfy viewers who appreciate Machiavellian television, as well as those who love TV shows like Downton Abbey. However, the show also has a deeply intimate side, in that it examines Elizabeth’s personal relationships and the toll exacted by her duties as Queen.
The Chair (2021)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Created by
Sandra Oh, Jay Duplass
Cast
Amanda Peet, Annie Julia Wyman
Seasons:
1
Sandra Oh plays the newly appointed chair of the English department at a fictional, stuffy New England university in this comedy series created by Amanda Peet and Annie Julia Wyman. As the first woman appointed to the position, Oh’s character contends with her place in the institution’s history while simultaneously dealing with a host of other problematic elements — both professional and personal — including stubborn faculty members, institutionalized racism, and her own adoptive daughter. Jay Duplass, Bob Balaban, and Nana Mensah all play supporting roles in a funny, thought-provoking series that explores the issues facing higher-education institutions in the modern era.
Dark (2017)
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery
Created by
Baran bo Odar, Jantje Friese
Cast
Louis Hofmann, Andreas Pietschmann, Maja Schöne, Gina Alice Stiebitz
Seasons:
3
Dark is one of Netflix’s most ambitious sci-fi series to date, but you’ll have to read the subtitles unless you’re fluent in German. Regardless of its original language, Dark presents an engrossing missing children mystery that starts in the present but soon expands into the past and the future as the implications of time travel tear four families apart. The end of the world is also in play, but even the Earth as we know it may not be the only battleground. There are a lot of twists and turns to follow, so you’ll want to pay close attention to this one.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015)
Genre
Comedy, Musical
Created by
Rachel Bloom, Aline Brosh McKenna
Cast
Rachel Bloom, Donna Lynne Champlin, Vincent Rodriguez III
Seasons:
4
Musicals are in short supply on television — perhaps because audiences just find song-and-dance a bit too corny. That same drought makes Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s lavish musical numbers all the more striking, however. The titular ex is Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom), a tightly strung lawyer who abandons her career in New York and moves to West Covina, California, to reconnect with her first crush, Josh (Vincent Rodriguez III). The premise seems like typical rom-com fare, but Crazy Ex-Girlfriend rises above by embracing absurdity. The musical numbers, of which there are many, are funny and bombastic, paying homage to various genres of music and classic films.
We Are the Champions (2020)
Genre
Documentary, Game Show
Cast
Rainn Wilson (narrator)
Seasons:
1
The thrill of competition is universal, and this Netflix documentary series travels around the world to put a spotlight on some of the strange contests that have developed both passionate fan bases and colorful casts of competitors over the years — or in some cases, multiple generations. Narrated by Rainn Wilson, the series devotes a full episode to each competition — from the dangerous sport of cheese-rolling to the fabulous world of fantasy hairstyling — and explores the communities around each pursuit that keep things interesting. The series’ opening episode is on the aforementioned cheese-rolling, and after watching it, you’ll never look at a wheel of cheese the same way.
The Midnight Gospel (2020)
Genre
Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Created by
Duncan Trussell
Cast
Pendleton Ward, Duncan Trussell, Joey Diaz
Seasons:
1
Comedian Duncan Trussell and Adventure Time creator Pendleton Ward teamed up for one of the most bizarre animated series on Netflix. The Midnight Gospel is partially inspired by Trussell’s podcast, and he stars in the series as a spacecaster named Clancy Gilroy who interviews guests as their worlds undergo an apocalyptic event by using a universal simulation machine. Few topics are out of bounds, and the comedy goes to some very strange and dark places. That’s par for the course for a series that ends almost every episode with an extinction-level disaster. And yet, it’s still really fun.
30 Rock (2006)
Genre
Comedy
Created by
Tina Fey
Cast
Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski
Seasons:
7
Tina Fey turned her time as head writer on Saturday Night Live into this ridiculously popular sitcom that satirized, well … working on a live sketch-comedy show. Across 30 Rock‘s seven award-winning seasons, Fey portrayed Liz Lemon, head writer and showrunner on the fictional series The Girlie Show (later TGS with Tracy Jordan) as she navigates behind-the-scenes chaos, overbearing executives, and other troubling elements as she attempts to keep the show — and her career — rolling along. A recurring Primetime Emmy Award winner, 30 Rock teamed Fey with an impressive supporting cast led by Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, and Jane Krakowski, among others.
The Umbrella Academy (2019)
Genre
Action, Adventure, Comedy
Created by
Steve Blackman (created for television by), Jeremy Slater
Cast
Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Castaneda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Mary J. Blige
Seasons:
2
Based on the comic book series of the same name by Gerard Way, this superhero series follows the lives of seven of 43 children born to women who mysteriously never knew they were pregnant until they went into labor. It turns out they are superheroes, and when these seven children are adopted by an eccentric billionaire, he turns the siblings into a superhero team called The Umbrella Academy. Later, however, the children become estranged from one another and their father. But when they discover he has died, they reconnect for his funeral. Warnings of a pending apocalypse prompt them to band together again to stop it, though it isn’t without clashing personalities and plenty of familial dysfunction.
Friday Night Lights (2006)
Genre
Drama, Sport
Created by
Peter Berg
Cast
Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton
Seasons:
5
H.G. Bissinger’s nonfiction novel about a small Texas town’s high school football team inspired this five-season series that cast Kyle Chandler as the local school’s coach and chronicled the drama of rural life in the show’s fictional town. A hit with critics and audiences alike, the series was developed by Peter Berg and earned both a Peabody Award and multiple Primetime Emmy Award nominations for its cast and creative team. Chandler was joined in the cast by Connie Britton Adrianne Palicki, Taylor Kitsch, Michael B. Jordan, Jurnee Smollett, Jesse Plemons, and other familiar faces.
The Lost Pirate Kingdom (2021)
Genre
Documentary, Adventure, Drama
Cast
James Oliver Wheatley, Sam Callis, Tom Padley
Seasons:
1
This six-episode original documentary series explores the people, personalities, and events that shaped the golden age of piracy in the early 18th century — particularly in and around Nassau, Bahamas, where pirates briefly formed their own republic after the War of Spanish Succession. Using a combination of historians’ accounts and surprisingly well-acted (and occasionally quite graphic) dramatizations, the series depicts the rise and fall of such noted pirates as Edward “Blackbeard” Thatch, Benjamin Hornigold, Charles Vane, Anne Bonny, and Henry Jennings, among other infamous figures. For anyone interested in the real history behind pirates’ adventures, this show hits the sweet spot between history and drama in all the right ways.
Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy (2020)
Genre
Animation, Action, Adventure
Cast
Jake Foushee, Jason Marnocha, Joe Zieja
Seasons:
3
The Transformers: War For Cybertron trilogy gives fans of the long-running franchise a more mature take on the “robots in disguise.” The CGI animated series is essentially a prequel to the saga, as the Autobots and Decepticons battle for the soul of their home world, Cybertron. The soldiers on both sides of the war have never seemed more human as they find themselves questioning whether their respective causes are even worth fighting for. The third and final season of the series arrived on Netflix in July, completing this particular story in the Transformers saga.
American Vandal (2017)
Genre
Comedy, Crime, Drama
Created by
Dan Perrault, Tony Yacenda
Cast
Tyler Alvarez, Griffin Gluck
Seasons:
2
This clever mockumentary series puts a new spin on true crime documentaries, with each season following a pair of high-school friends investigating a crime that isn’t as simple as it initially appears. The first season has friends Peter Maldonado (Tyler Alvarez) and Sam Ecklund (Griffin Gluck) attempting to get to the bottom of a prank that left crude phallic images painted on faculty members’ cars, while the second season brings the pair to a prestigious private school after an incident of mass diarrhea is perpetrated by a sinister criminal known only as “Turd Burglar.” It sounds ridiculous, but American Vandal also manages to offer compelling storytelling, blending the silliness of the crimes it explores with increasing tension and impressively scripted drama.
The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)
Genre
Drama, Horror, Mystery
Created by
Mike Flanagan
Cast
Victoria Pedretti, Henry Thomas, Oliver Jackson-Cohen
Seasons:
1
First things first: The Haunting of Bly Manor is not the second season of The Haunting of Hill House, despite both being creations of Mike Flanagan. Instead of a sequel to Hill House, Flanagan has envisioned Bly Manor as its own separate story, which was inspired by Henry James’ classic novel The Turn of the Screw. Victoria Pedretti headlines the series as Dani, a young governess who has been hired to watch over “two very unusual children.” Pedretti’s fellow Hill House veterans, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Henry Thomas, and Kate Siegel, will also be back in new roles unconnected to the previous series. The only thing that we can guarantee is that fresh scares are on the way. And it might be a good idea to watch this new show with the lights on.
Don’t F**k With Cats (2019)
Genre
Documentary, True Crime
Cast
Various
Seasons:
1
The title of this 2019 docuseries references one of the unwritten rules of the internet, and it was the violation of that rule that kicked off a far-reaching investigation by amateur sleuths chronicled in the series. After a shocking homemade video depicting animal cruelty began making the rounds online, a small group of self-described “internet nerds” made it their mission to identify the culprit and bring them to justice. Their investigation soon took on a life of its own, drawing them into an even darker story than they anticipated as their efforts brought the authorities — and their own lives — closer to a killer. As fascinating as it is disturbing, Don’t F**k With Cats is a lesson in the power of crowd-sourced investigations and the dangers they pose.
Masters of the Universe: Revelation (2021)
Genre
Animation, Action, Adventure
Created by
Kevin Smith (story editor)
Cast
Chris Wood, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Lena Hadley, Mark Hamill
Seasons:
2
The classic 1980s cartoon He-Man and the Masters of the Universe gets the revival treatment in this animated series developed by Clerks filmmaker and geek auteur Kevin Smith that picks up where the original animated show left off and tells a new, darker tale set in the magical land of Eternia. Not only does the series feature modern animation and most of the classic characters from the show (and toy line) that made it so popular, it also assembles an impressive (to put it mildly) cast of voice talent, with Mark Hamill as Skeletor and Sarah Michelle Gellar as Teela. They’re joined in the cast by Game of Thrones actors Liam Cunningham and Lena Headey, as well as Diedrich Bader, Alicia Silverstone, Stephen Root, Henry Rollins, Jason Mewes, Justin Long, Tony Todd, and Dennis Haysbert, among other familiar faces (or in this case, voices).
Digital Trends Streaming Roundup
Never Have I Ever (2020)
Genre
Comedy
Created by
Lang Fisher, Mindy Kaling
Cast
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Jaren Lewison
Seasons:
2
Never Have I Ever is a coming-of-age dramedy about a young woman who, after the death of her father, decides she wants to change her life and elevate her social status. However, Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), an Indian girl raised in America, finds that her family and friends aren’t fully on board with this renaissance. Considered a standout in a crowded field of coming-of-age dramedies on Netflix, Never Have I Ever delightfully balances the traditional perils of high school like teen romance and popularity with the challenges of grief, being a first-generation American, and finding yourself in a crowd of loved ones.
Alien Worlds (2020)
Genre
Documentary, Animation, Sci-Fi
Cast
Sophie Okonedo, Leigh Joel Scott, Vahe Alaverdian
Seasons:
1
When is a documentary not a documentary? When it’s Alien Worlds, a new sci-fi series produced in a documentary style. The show explores four fictional planets and uses input from real scientists to create dramatizations of how life and evolution would play out in those wildly different environments. The creatures and landscapes are all created with CGI, but they are convincing enough that you can almost buy into the illusion that the show is a glimpse of places that have their own rules and reality.
New Girl (2011)
Genre
Comedy, Sitcom
Created by
Elizabeth Meriwether
Cast
Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield
Seasons:
7
Zooey Deschanel plays the quirky Jess in this Fox comedy about a woman who moves into a loft in LA with three guys she meets online. While Jake Johnson’s Nick character serves as the second lead behind Deschanel, it’s performances from Max Greenfield (Schmidt) and Lamorne Morris (Winston) that steal the show. This single-camera sitcom perfectly blends elements of drama into its comedic writing and remains one of the wittiest shows on TV. To top things off, it even created its own drinking game called “True American.” What other show has that on its résumé?
Atypical (2017)
Genre
Coming-of-age story, Comedy-Drama
Created by
Robia Rashid
Cast
Keir Gilchrist, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Michael Rapaport
Seasons:
4
Keir Gilchrist portrays autistic teenager Sam Gardner in this Netflix original series that follows Sam’s journey through high school and — in later seasons — college, navigating the complicated social situations he’s presented with at school and home. After a shaky first season, Atypical found its groove in its second season and followed that up with a third, critically acclaimed season that saw Sam begin college and deal with an entirely new set of challenges. Jennifer Jason Leigh and Michael Rapaport play Sam’s mother and father, respectively, while Brigette Lundy-Paine plays Sam’s talented and protective sister. The series wrapped up with its fourth and final season, and all four seasons are now available on Netflix.
Song Exploder (2020)
Genre
Documentary, Music
Cast
Hrishikesh Hirway
Seasons:
2
Have you ever wondered what it took to create some of your favorite songs? Hrishikesh Hirway’s popular podcast, Song Exploder, gets the answers straight from the artists themselves. The TV incarnation of the show is back for a new season on Netflix, with episodes on The Killers, Nine Inch Nails, Dua Lipa, and Natalia Lafourcade. Naturally, the first season is also available, with spotlight episodes for R.E.M., Alicia Keys, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Ty Dolla $ign.
Hilda (2018)
Genre
Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Created by
Kurt Mueller, Luke Pearson (based on the Hilda book series created by), Stephanie Simpson
Cast
Bella Ramsey
Seasons:
2
This clever, all-ages animated series follows the adventures of Hilda, a young girl who — along with her adorable “deerfox” named Twig — explores the world in and around the city of Trolberg, where all manner of fantastic creatures keeps things interesting for her and her pals. A collaboration between American, British, and Canadian studios and based on Luke Pearson’s popular series of graphic novels, the show earned heaps of praise (and quite a few awards) when it premiered in 2018, and it received a second season that premiered in late 2020. Infectiously optimistic and loaded with childlike wonder, Hilda is the sort of series that will bring a smile to the faces of both kids and adults.
Big Mouth (2017)
Genre
Animation, Comedy
Created by
Jennifer Flackett, Andrew Goldberg, Nick Kroll
Cast
Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Jessi Klein, Fred Armisen, Maya Rudolph, Jordan Peele
Seasons:
5
Netflix tends to take chances on animated series that other outlets wouldn’t touch. Case in point: Big Mouth, an animated comedy show that relentlessly tackles taboo topics of sexuality. The show explores the coming of age and sexual development of young Nick Birch and Andrew Glouberman, as well as their friends. Almost all of the boys and girls are haunted by literal hormone monsters as they make their way through puberty. It’s a wild show, and it’s going even further now that the fourth season has hit Netflix.
Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969)
Genre
Comedy
Created by
Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Jones
Cast
Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam
Seasons:
4
These days, we could all use a good laugh. Fortunately, Monty Python’s Flying Circus excels at creating laughter. Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam created their legends with this surreal comedy sketch show that refused to obey any rules except its own. The Pythons had such a unique sense of humor that it took a while for American fans to catch on to the British sensation. Now, the series is a classic, and it’s always ready for a new generation to discover it.
When They See Us (2019)
Genre
Biography, Crime, Data
Created by
Ava DuVernay
Cast
Jharrel Jerome, Asante Blackk, Jovan Adepo, Michael K. Williams
Seasons:
1
Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us tells the story of Kevin Richardson (Asante Blackk), Antron McCray (Caleel Harris), Yusef Salaam (Ethan Herisse), Korey Wise (Jharrel Jerome), and Raymond Santana (Marquis Rodriguez): Five young Black men who were falsely accused of rape and sexual assault in the infamous Central Park Five case. After serving years in prison, they became known as The Exonerated Five when the real rapist was caught. But the injustices suffered by these men and their families extended far beyond prison walls. It’s a difficult story to relive, but it’s also one that needs to be told.
Sweet Tooth (2021)
Genre
Action, Adventure, Drama
Created by
Jim Mickle, Beth Schwartz
Cast
Christian Convery, Nonso Anozie
Seasons:
1
This adaptation of Jeff Lemire’s comic book series of the same name is a dark fantasy set in a world where a terrible virus is quickly whittling down the remnants of human society. The show follows a half-human, half-deer boy as he embarks on a cross-country journey to find his mother, accompanied by a mysterious loner who saved him from violent poachers. The series balances the naivety and wonder of its title character, portrayed by Christian Convery, with the harsh world outside the only home he’s ever known.
Kim’s Convenience (2016)
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Sun-Hyung Lee, Jean Yoon, Andrea Bang, Simu Liu
Seasons:
5
One of the most popular Canadian sitcoms of all time, Kim’s Convenience premiered in 2016 and concluded its award-winning, five-season run in 2021. The show depicts the trials and tribulations of a Korean-Canadian family that runs a convenience store in Toronto and follows the lives and loves of both the family members and various members of their social and professional circles. Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Jean Yoon play the family’s father and mother, respectively, while Andrea Ban plays their live-in daughter and Simu Liu plays their estranged son. Heartwarming, hilarious, and surprisingly poignant at times, the series is an ode to the importance of family — both the families we’re born into and the ones we create for ourselves.
Waffles + Mochi (2021)
Genre
Children's Television, Family
Cast
Michelle Zamora, Piotr Michael, Michelle Obama
Seasons:
1
When good friends Waffles and Mochi decide to leave their frozen home to learn about foods that aren’t served on ice, they find a new home full of friendly people at a supermarket run by former first lady Michelle Obama. The pair work at the supermarket while also traveling around the world on adventures that teach them all about the origins and importance of various foods. As adorable as it is educational, the kid-friendly Waffles + Mochi also features an impressive list of guests from across the spectrum of famous chefs, foodies, and celebrity food experts.
Halt and Catch Fire (2014)
Genre
Drama
Created by
Christopher Cantwell,Christopher C. Rogers
Cast
Lee Pace, Scoot McNairy, Mackenzie Davis
Seasons:
4
How does one of the best shows of the decade get lost on a network? By contending with The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, and Mad Men, Halt and Catch Fire carved out its own identity in this ‘80s period piece that chronicled the rise of personal computing, video games, and the internet. If you’ll pardon the expression, the series really catches fire in the second season when Cameron Howe (Mackenzie Davis) and Donna Clark (Kerry Bishé) launch their own gaming company. Meanwhile, Donna’s husband, Gordon Clark (Scoot McNairy), and the enigmatic Joe MacMillan (Lee Pace) had compelling stories of their own. This is a show that deserves a second chance to find its audience.
Black Mirror (2011)
Genre
Sci-fi, Psychological Thriller, Dystopia
Created by
Charlie Brooker
Cast
Daniel Kaluuya, Wyatt Russell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Daniel Lapaine
Seasons:
5
Each episode of Black Mirror tells a single story, with a theme of modern and near-future technology running through each unnerving tale. It’s often compared to The Twilight Zone for its episodic nature, and just like that classic, some of the stories will leave you sitting and staring at a blank television, wondering what you just watched. Beyond all of the thought-provoking, mind-bending, and world-building, the acting and aesthetic are smart and nuanced and will leave even the best spoiler guessers out there reeling from the sharp twists and turns in every episode.
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (2020)
Genre
Animation, Action, Adventure
Created by
Bill Wolkoff, Radford Sechrist
Cast
Karen Fukuhara, Sydney Mikayla, Coy Stewart, Deon Cole
Seasons:
3
This brilliant animated series that premiered in January 2020 defied expectations in many ways, including the decision to release all three 10-episode seasons in the same year. Created by Radford Sechrist and produced by DreamWorks Animation, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts is set in a post-apocalyptic world where giant, mutated animals rule the surface of Earth while humans are forced to live underground to survive. When a young girl named Kipo decides to leave her underground shelter to search for her father, it kicks off an amazing adventure filled with action, emotion, humor, and one of the best soundtracks you’ll hear in an animated series. (A pair of scholarly wolves voiced by GZA and John Hodgman, rapping about the creation of the universe? It’s in there.) Smart, inclusive, and full of cheer-worthy moments, Kipo is the sort of series children and adults can genuinely enjoy together.
Broadchurch (2013)
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery
Created by
Chris Chibnall (showrunner)
Cast
David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker
Seasons:
3
For anyone in search of a gripping mystery with darkly emotional overtones, Broadchurch is exactly what you’ve been waiting for. It’s centered on the small English town of Broadchurch, which is rocked by the senseless murder of an 11-year-old boy named Danny. Police detectives DI Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and DS Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) are on the case, but they each have secrets of their own. The search for Danny’s killer takes a high toll on both Hardy and Miller, as well as the entire town. But even when the murderer stands revealed, the story is just beginning.
Russian Doll (2019)
Genre
Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Created by
Leslye Headland, Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler
Cast
Natasha Lyonne, Greta Lee, Yul Vazquez, Charlie Barnett, Elizabeth Ashley
Seasons:
1
Natasha Lyonne brings her signature comedic stylings to this comedy-drama as Nadia, a woman stuck in a time loop who keeps reliving the same day over and over again, each time dying in increasingly freakish ways. She eventually discovers another man going through the same thing, and together, they try to figure out how to get out of the recurring nightmare. Earning four Primetime Emmy Award nominations, the mind-bending series will keep you puzzled and have you guessing all the way through. It’s the kind of series with lots of water-cooler-chatter potential by the end.
Cobra Kai (2018)
Genre
Action, Comedy, Drama
Cast
Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Courtney Henggeler
Seasons:
3
YouTube’s loss is Netflix’s gain! Cobra Kai is the sequel series to the original Karate Kid films, with William Zabka and Ralph Macchio reprising their respective roles as Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso. Three decades earlier, Daniel and Johnny were rivals. Now, their rivalry has extended to the next generation. The third season forces Johnny and Daniel to pay the price and even reintroduces a few characters from The Karate Kid Part 2. But even if the kids of the Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do dojos can move past the enmity of the past, John Kreese (Martin Kove) is ready to escalate things even further.
Lupin (2021)
Genre
Action, Crime, Drama
Created by
George Kay
Cast
Omar Sy, Ludivine Sagnier, Clotilde Hesme
Seasons:
1
Sometimes, finding the best TV shows means going international. For example, the French series Lupin is an exciting update on Maurice Leblanc’s legendary gentleman thief, Arsène Lupin. In a clever twist, the Lupin stories exist within the world of this show, and they inspire a man named Assane Diop (Omar Sy) to adopt the Lupin persona as his own to avenge his wrongfully accused father. Assane certainly has the skills of a master thief, but pursuing his revenge turns out to be far more dangerous and complicated than he anticipated.
The Queen’s Gambit (2020)
Genre
Drama
Created by
Scott Frank, Allan Scott
Cast
Anya Taylor-Joy, Bill Camp, Moses Ingram
Seasons:
1
A compelling chess drama wasn’t on our 2020 bingo card, but Netflix’s skillfully made adaptation of Walter Tevis’ The Queen’s Gambit has given us the series we didn’t know we needed. Anya Taylor-Joy stars as chess prodigy Beth Harmon, a young woman who is driven to become the very best in the world. Beth’s ability to visualize chess movies in her mind brings the game to life in unexpected ways. However, Beth’s inner demons may stand in the way of her ambition.
Our Planet (2019)
Genre
Documentary
Cast
David Attenborough
Seasons:
1
Occasionally, we could all use a reminder of just how beautiful our world is, and how close we are to potentially losing the best things about it. Netflix’s original documentary miniseries, Our Planet, reunites the team behind Planet Earth, Frozen Planet, and The Blue Planet for a fresh look at biodiversity around the globe. The miniseries was filmed in 50 countries and showcases spectacular wildlife imagery, while firmly establishing how climate change is affecting these creatures, and, in turn, everyone on Earth. Heed the warning while you can.
Pose (2018)
Genre
Drama
Created by
Steven Canals, Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy
Cast
Evan Peters, Kate Mara, James Van Der Beek
Seasons:
2
Pose is one of the rare TV dramas that fully embraces its LGBTQ cast, which is essential to the period and premise of the show. The series begins in the late ‘80s and chronicles the lives of several gay and gender-nonconforming dancers in the ballroom culture scene. But the series also takes a hard look at the HIV and AIDS epidemic, which hits the community hard just when the subculture begins to go mainstream in the early ‘90s. It’s truly a TV show like no other.
Better Call Saul (2015)
Genre
Crime, Drama
Created by
Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould
Cast
Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Jonathan Banks
Seasons:
4
Starring Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul takes fans of Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad back to the New Mexico desert for a look at Saul Goodman’s origin story. Before Goodman became the quirky, crooked lawyer Walter White played like a fiddle, he was Jimmy McGill, an aspiring lawyer who just couldn’t seem to keep his hands clean. The show is set six years before the events of Breaking Bad and throws out the convention that a spinoff must pale in comparison to its source material. It also proves Gilligan and company remain at the top of their game.
The Good Place (2016)
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Created by
Michael Schur
Cast
Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil
Seasons:
4
Bureaucratic mix-ups can be a nightmare — just ask anyone who has needed to apply for a passport — but on occasion, they can work out in your favor. Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell) finds herself on the good side of a paperwork snafu when, after dying, she ends up in the Good Place, a serene afterlife neighborhood built by a cosmic architect named Michael (Ted Danson). In reality, Eleanor was an abrasive person who only looked out for herself. Now, to avoid being discovered and sent to the Bad Place, she must learn how to behave like a nice person. The Good Place is an upbeat comedy whose unique setting and surprising plot set it a notch above most sitcoms.
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