40 Netflix Original Series You Should Watch
Netflix has built a subscriber base of over 270 million thanks to some great original series, and there’s a good chance you’re bingeing (or already bingeing) the big stuff, from Stranger Things to Bridgerton to The Witcher and more. D. Ripley and others. Even if you haven’t seen them, these shows are buzzy enough that you’ll know their names, but there are plenty more where they came from, including shows that are just as good or even better than these flagship series.
Here, in no particular order, are 40 of Netflix’s most interesting and underrated originals—series you might not watch but are definitely worth checking out.
Decameron (2024)
A funny, dark and ultimately surprisingly human show, based on Giovanni Boccaccio’s 14th-century collection of short stories with Bridgerton- esque swagger. When a plague devastates Florence, a group of nobles and servants head to a country villa to wait out the plague and exhaust their supply of liquor. Rules and morals are turned upside down, in particular because of the maid Lichiska (Tanya Reynolds), who accidentally kills her lady on the way to the villa and decides to take her place. Somehow, despite the fact that it’s mostly about terrible people, it makes for a completely engrossing experience.
Supasell (2024–)
There are plenty of shows about superpowers, even though we’ve all long agreed that we’re tired of superhero stuff. And yet there are stories that break through and reveal themselves as something special. Such is the case with British importer Supacell , led by former Doctor Who companion Tosin Cole as Michael, a young East London delivery driver who discovers he can travel through space and time. One such trip leads him to the conclusion that he needs to track down four more people in similar circumstances to prevent tragedy. Smartly, this show isn’t about how people become superheroes, but how they try to live their increasingly complex lives as superheroes, and the dangers they find themselves in become even more exciting as a result.
Blood and Water (2020–, fifth season renewal expected)
In many ways, this is a top-notch teen drama, starring Ama Kamata as Puleng Khumalo, a teenager who has lived her entire life in the shadow of her sister, who was taken as a child by traffickers; Puleng’s parents even celebrate her sister’s birthday every year. When Puleng is invited to a party by the popular Fikile Bhele (Khosi Ngema), a student at an elite school in Cape Town, Puleng can’t help but notice their similarities. Immersed in her sister’s story, Puleng moves to school to get to the bottom of the matter. There’s plenty of juicy high school drama and family secrets, but the series stands out for its unexpected dramatic weight. It wrapped its fourth season in early 2024 (an increasingly rare lifespan in the days of modern streaming cost-cutting), and a fifth season renewal is expected.
Shadow and Bone (2021–2023, two seasons)
Based on the fantasy books by Leigh Bardugo in her Shadow and Bone series of the same name, the series follows Alina Starkova, an orphan and cartographer who discovers and develops her vaguely magical Grisha powers. It’s a beautiful and rich fantasy world; one that may be a little difficult to understand at first, but only because the series allows you to immerse yourself in its world without much explanation. It’s worth the investment, even if the fan campaign to renew the show for a third season was unsuccessful.
Bookmarks (2020)
It’s only one season of 12 short episodes, but it’s a really great option if you have kids you’re hoping to teach to read. It is hosted by Marley Diaz, who launched the #1000BlackGirlBook project to collect recommendations for children’s books starring black girls; The show features only celebrities reading (mostly) Pre-K books aloud, including Tiffany Haddish, Jill Scott, Lupita Nyong’o and Common.
Brothers Sun (2024)
Netflix’s hilarious one-season action-comedy (I guess you’ll get used to it), The Sun Brothers, stars Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh as Eileen Sun, the exiled matriarch of a family of Taiwanese gangsters. . She arrived in Los Angeles a few years ago, bringing with her her son Bruce (Sam Sung Lee), who grew up knowing little about his background and having little ambition other than being really good at improv comedy. The assassination attempt sends his older brother to Los Angeles, dragging Eileen and Bruce back into society and into danger.
Midnight Club (2022)
The least buzzy of Mike Flanagan’s Netflix offerings is every bit as good as Midnight Mass , The Fall of the House of Usher , etc. Based on the young adult novel by Christopher Pike, it involves a group of eight terminally ill young patients in a bucolic hospice. the house is run by a secretive and mysterious doctor ( A Nightmare on Elm Street by Heather Langenkamp). Every night, the children meet secretly to share scary stories, and each of them also promises to return from the grave when the time comes. Very creepy and surprisingly touching. It was intended to be more than just a miniseries, and its cancellation leaves some questions unanswered, but the ending is still quite satisfying.
Sex Education (2019–2023, four seasons)
There’s quite a bit of sex on TV (carried over from the now mostly sexless films), but it’s not the same thing as sex positivity. In this British comedy-drama, Asa Butterfield and Gillian Anderson play an insecure and shy teenager named Otis and his mother Jean, a frank and sometimes painfully honest sex therapist. When the school bully needs sex advice, Otis shares the wisdom he gleaned from his mom and ends up making a name for himself at school by selling his knowledge as experience. It’s a funny and delightfully raunchy show that looks at sex with humor and positivity, and introduces the world to current Doctor Who co-star Ncuti Gatwa.
Special (2019–2021, two seasons)
One of the benefits of the streaming TV era has been the increase in real-world representation of diverse groups—in many cases, going light years beyond the boundaries of broadcast television, telling stories not just about the usual suspects, but also about them. Special is a great example: a heartfelt, funny work-sex comedy about a gay man with cerebral palsy, starring and created by… a gay man with cerebral palsy (Ryan O’Connell). The result is charming and real, but also touches on perceptions of disability, as early on Ryan rewrites his own narrative by telling people that his distinctive mannerisms are the result of a car accident.
Heartbreak High (2022–, renewed for a third and final season)
There’s a lot of history here, so you don’t have to enjoy the show, but Heartbreak High is something of a soft reboot of the popular and long-running 1990s show in Australia, which itself was a spin-off of the 1993 film. . There’s a pretty solid mix of teen drama (dealing with issues related to gender identity, race, and teen sexuality) and comedy (the main characters are collected into a Sexual Literacy Study Guide with the unfortunate acronym SLT). It all starts with Amelie and Harper, two students at a diverse Sydney high school who create a storm when they create a detailed map of the school’s sexual exploits.
Darkness (2017–2020, three seasons)
“Dark” began as a mystery involving a missing child and, over three seasons, has grown into one of the most complex series on television: a time-travel narrative that explores (appropriately) dark family secrets across multiple generations. First original Netflix import from Germany (after a few minutes you won’t even notice the subtitles). It has a striking look and an incredibly atmospheric feel. After a few minutes, you won’t even notice the subtitles. 1899, from the same creators, was cut short after just one season… but Dark comes to a satisfying conclusion.
Dead Boys Detectives (2024)
Particularly vocal fans weren’t able to save These Dead Boys from Netflix’s axe, but its one season nonetheless provides a fairly complete story and an overall fun comedy-drama. George Rexrew and Jayden Revrey star as Charles Rowland and Edwin Payne, two mismatched ghost friends who decide to avoid the afterlife and choose to remain on Earth to solve supernatural crimes. Young punk Charles was killed in 1989 after intervening to stop bullies, and posh Edwin died in 1916 as a result of a prank gone wrong, and he is still trying to come to terms with his attraction to boys. Their operation is turned upside down when they meet Crystal (Kassius Nelson), a young psychic who can communicate with them.
Derry Girls (2018–2022, three seasons)
A legitimate sitcom set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles of the 1990s, when clashes between nationalists and unionists often resulted in violence. It’s a fascinating contrast, brought to life by the writer and creator (Lisa McGee) who lived it. It’s also very funny, although it doesn’t make any allowances for audiences unaccustomed to Irish accents, so don’t be discouraged if you need subtitles until you’re comfortable with them. The show ended after three seasons but came to a satisfying conclusion.
Virgin River (2019–, renewed for a sixth season)
We’ve been getting a lot of edgy TV lately, and there’s nothing wrong with something a little cozier. Virgin River stars Alexandra Breckenridge as Mel, a nurse practitioner and midwife who encounters unexpected complications when she moves to the titular Northern California town. It’s upscale comfort viewing and has a pretty loyal fanbase, even without the hype of something like Stranger Things .
Sweet Magnolias (2020–, renewed for a fourth season)
In a similarly cozy vein (in the best possible way), Sweet Magnolias stars Joanna Garcia Swisher, Brooke Elliott, Heather Headley and Jamie Lynn Spears as a group of childhood friends who support each other through various life crises in Serenity, South Carolina. The cast is attractive and the quality of the performances adds to the emotion of the show.
3 Body Problem (2024, renewed for seasons two and three)
This case may not have completely escaped your notice, given that it represents an increasingly rare case of Netflix actually renewing a show. Adapted from Liu Cixin’s heady series of novels, set during China’s Cultural Revolution, the story follows astrophysicist Ye Wenjie (Zing Zeng and Rosalind Chao) as he comes into contact with an alien civilization and makes choices that will haunt humanity as they… how the narrative moves into the present.
Arcane (2021 – second season coming soon)
Another fairly popular project (and an Emmy Award winner), but you might want to skip it if you’re put off by the premise and/or the very slow release cycle. There are few scenarios in which a top-down game with online opponents shooting lasers across the map could put on such an impressive show, but here we are. The story of League of Legends forms the backdrop for the series, but the appeal lies in the narrative involving two sisters caught in the growing conflict between a utopian city and its oppressed underclass, without whom it could not exist. The drawn animation style is truly something special.
Gentefide (2020–2021, two seasons)
A half-hour comedy-drama, but with an emphasis on comedy, “Gentefied” follows three Mexican-American cousins who have built their lives in Los Angeles only to face a new problem: the impending gentrification of the neighborhood they helped build. . This bilingual series is very heartfelt, and although it ended after two seasons, the second is even better than the first.
The Householder’s Way (2021–2023, two seasons)
Of course, this is a bit backwards: the Mister Mom -style story sees a former yakuza boss retire from the business and take over the household chores while his wife goes to work. Wild! However, there is plenty of entertainment here as the very stressed Tatsu deals with the day-to-day complexities of normal life. It takes a typical anime action star and lands him in a show about cooking dinner – a solid idea executed with irony.
Feel Good (2020–2021, two seasons)
Co-created and starring Mae Martin, Feel Good is a semi-autobiographical film that ventures into dark places in search of light (it’s firmly in comedy-drama territory). Living in Manchester, comedian and former drug addict May meets a deeply depressed George, and the two very different women are forced to come to terms with their separate problems while trying to build a relationship together.
Raising Dion (2019–2022)
Raising Dion has a Stranger Things feel to it – a single mother helping her children cope with a completely unexpected turn of events in their lives – but instead of supernatural horror, they deal with their growing superpowers. In particular, seven-year-old Dion develops mysterious abilities after the death of his scientist father (played in flashbacks by one of the show’s producers, Michael B. Jordan). The show wisely doesn’t shy away from depicting the unique challenges of being a black single mother, which naturally become even more complex when your child can freeze objects in mid-air.
Young Royals (2021–2024, three seasons)
The vibrant series The Young Royals follows the fictional Prince Wilhelm of Sweden (Edwin Riding) as he begins an affair with another student, Simon Eriksson (Omar Rudberg), at their elite boarding school. Having all the exciting qualities of the teen drama genre, The Young Royals takes itself a little more seriously than some, and feels surprisingly fresh in its commitment to casting age-appropriate actors in all the key roles.
Sacred Games (2018–2019, two seasons)
A crime drama with unique world-building complexity, this Indian import begins with an honest Mumbai cop played by Hindi film star Saif Ali Khan. Just as a rookie becomes entangled in corruption within the police department, he is contacted by a crime lord who has long been thought dead and warns him that without his help, everyone in Mumbai will be dead in 25 days. The familiar beats of a cop series play out on a larger-than-usual canvas, making this one of the best recent crime dramas anywhere.
Gul (2018, one short season)
Netflix’s second original Indian import (after Sacred Games ) is also a Blumhouse production (in part), so go figure. This is an effective and unique miniseries that combines dystopian science fiction and horror, the story of a fascist regime and a military officer willing to do anything to prove his loyalty to the state. When she is tasked with interrogating a known terrorist, she realizes that her target is something other than human.
Seven Seconds (2018, one season)
They cast me in Regina King, although the miniseries isn’t always easy to watch. On the one hand, this is a gripping crime drama that tells the story of the aftermath of the death of a black teenager who was hit by a car driven by a white police officer while riding his bicycle. The ensuing cover-up leads to violence as investigators and families search for the truth. Of course, with such an explosive premise, the series should look beyond crime procedural tropes to expand its scope into a powerful indictment of a deeply flawed system.
Atypical (2017–2021, four seasons)
There are plenty of shows featuring characters who serve as analogs for people with autism (think The Big Bang Theory ), but very few of them seem willing to, I don’t know, bring characters with autism to the forefront. Atypical isn’t perfect in this regard: While trying to show the positive face of autism, the well-intentioned show doesn’t always make the characters feel like real people. Still, all issues aside, this is an enjoyable and funny show that comes closer to a realistic portrait of life on the autism spectrum than most.
Sense8 (2015–2018, two seasons and two specials)
Look, it’s a superhero show, but with orgies. It’s not a real tagline, but maybe the show would have lasted two seasons otherwise. In reality, however, it is a high-concept sci-fi premise that involves eight strangers from around the world who discover a deep, inexplicable connection among themselves and among themselves. On one level, this means that they can share their special abilities when needed. On the other hand, it is an impressively uplifting call for connection and an acknowledgment of our mutual interconnectedness. The series is also very strange, which isn’t surprising considering it originated from the minds of the Wachowskis (who co-wrote the episodes with Babylon 5 ‘s Michael J. Straczynski).
3% (2016–2020, four seasons)
The metaphor is not so subtle: in a near-future dystopia, the young, impoverished inhabitants of Inland have one chance to get out – “The Trial”, a gamut of tests and puzzles designed to determine who will go on the journey forever. live in an abundant paradise. Most fail and some die, leaving 3% of the participants to move on to a utopia that may be said to be not quite what it is cracked up to be. Yes, it’s more or less the Brazilian Hunger Games , but with a longer narrative and well-drawn characters that convey the concept.
Godless (2017, one season)
“Godless” draws on many of the conventions of the Western genre, and in a heavy-handed way. Whether this is a positive for you or not will depend on your own tastes, but there’s no denying that the show is an absolutely gorgeous (and gory) spectacle that makes the most of its New Mexico locations. It also brings a twist to the genre by telling the story of an ex-con who seeks refuge in a city populated entirely by women.
Alias Grace (2017, one season)
In some ways, it’s another recent adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel (existing in the shadow of Hulu’s larger, buzzier The Handmaid’s Tale ), but this miniseries is every bit as sharp and well-crafted. It is based on the true story of a poor Irish immigrant convicted of a double murder in 1843 under mysterious circumstances and after a life of trauma. Years later, a psychiatrist comes to her, who explores her past and the circumstances that could (just could) push the disenfranchised and powerless girl to murder.
One Day at a Time (2017–2019, three seasons on Netflix)
This film received quite a bit of acclaim, so there’s a good chance you’ve heard of it, but audiences never seem to live up to its quality or reputation. Norman Lear’s popular and innovative 70s/80s original is updated (complete with a cover of Gloria Estefan’s theme song) to focus on a Cuban-American family, led by a single mother, trying to transition back into civilian life after a career in the police force. Army. On the surface, it’s a traditional sitcom, but full of believable characters and real emotions. Plus, Rita Moreno is there! The show lasted three seasons on Netflix before Pop picked it up for a fourth season, although only seven of the planned 13 episodes were filmed due to the pandemic. Unfortunately, the second cancellation seems to have stuck.
Star Trek: Prodigy (2021 – third season renewal expected)
Like One Day at a Time , The Prodigy became a Netflix original in a roundabout way, being rejected by Paramount+ (the sort/mostly streaming home of Star Trek ) after its first season. A bit of clever entry-level track , the series sees a group of teenage orphans forced to work in a labor colony discover a long-lost Federation starship, which they use to escape. With some help from the ship’s built-in command training program (Kate Mulgrew, reprising her role as Voyager’s holographic version of Captain Janeway), the children escape into the larger universe. This is one of the best modern tracks , aimed at all ages and with an increasingly epic scope.
Gyeongseong Creature (2023 – renewed for a second season)
More successful worldwide than in the US, this South Korean import combines historical drama and monster horror in a truly fun and compelling way. The series is set in 1945 in Gyeongseon (present-day Seoul), during the Japanese occupation of Korea. The main monster arose as a result of experiments on humans secretly carried out by the Japanese army. The scars of occupation have become fertile ground for storytelling over the last few years (see also Apple’s Pachinko ), and Kyungsung adds a sci-fi action flick to the mix.
Hilda (2018–2023, three seasons)
Hilda’s world seems like it could have come from the imagination of Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki, but with more trolls (FYI, it’s not Japanese, but based on a British graphic novel). The main character lives with her mother in a remote desert, a magical landscape filled with magic and animals with which the adventurous Hilda is well acquainted. Circumstances force them to move to the city of Trollberg, a place that seems to have significantly less magic. This is an incredibly beautiful show with a curious and empathetic main character who is also incredibly stubborn and persistent. It’s great for kids and adults and stars Belle Ramsey (The Last of Us). There is also a feature film ( Hilda and the Mountain King , also on Netflix).
Kipo and the Age of Wonderful Beasts (2020, three seasons)
Produced by DreamWorks and South Korean animation studio Mir ( The Legend of Korra ), this charming adventure series follows Kipo Oak’s search for his father in a unique dystopian future where mutated animals rebelled against their human oppressors and forced people into underground holes. During her journey, Kipo learns new things about herself (such as that she is not 100% human) and finds friends and allies among the animals. It’s a gorgeous and delightful adventure with a fair amount of random variety and weird presentation.
Anne with an E (2017–2019, three seasons)
On the surface, this doesn’t seem like a good idea: Lucy Maud Montgomery’s classic novel Anne of Green Gables is pretty much synonymous with period children’s literature and the beloved ’70s miniseries, and any modern adaptation would end up being cheesy. irrelevance or harsh revisionism. Instead, the reboot revisits the novel and searches its text (and subtext) for new ideas without betraying the spirit of the work. It feels completely fresh and modern in an unexpected way.
Street Food (2019–, three seasons)
There are many cooking and cooking shows, as well as others, dedicated to varieties of street food. But where street food stands out is its emphasis on the human stories behind these often incredible-looking dishes. Sometimes about family connections, traditions or cooking as a way out of poverty, each episode creates a network of connections. The first season travels to Asia, the second visits Latin America, and the third visits major American cities.
Immigration Nation (2020, one season)
There is perhaps no greater proof of the organization’s power and arrogance than the fact that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) participated in this documentary mini-series, apparently believing that they did a much better job than they currently do. Directors Christine Clusio and Shaul Schwartz were given unprecedented access to the agency, both on the ground and behind the desk. What is revealed, very often from the mouths of agents and administrators, is a portrait of a brutal agency operating on the fringes of legality and having a devastating impact on the lives of those desperate to test the promise of America.
Our Planet (2019–2023, two seasons)
Now in his 90s, David Attenborough remains as prolific as ever, perhaps developing a greater sense of urgency in his mission to educate about the environment and conservation. His focus in Our Planet, Netflix’s first nature documentary miniseries, is on species at risk of extinction due to climate change. It’s a spin-off of the Planet Earth series and features wall-to-wall, high-definition nature footage that’s every bit as stunning as you’d expect.
Kingdom (2019–2020, two seasons and more)
It’s not exactly a history lesson, but The Kingdom does provide a window into the middle of Korea’s Joseon Dynasty, a centuries-long era that lasted almost into the 20th century. There was no real zombie plague at the time… so liberties were taken. The show very skillfully combines horror and medieval political intrigue, making it quite unique in both genres. Based on a webcomic series by show creator Kim Eun-hee, it was Netflix’s first original South Korean series. There are currently two seasons and a full-length special episode with the spin-off Ashin of the North .