With so much great content available, finding the best shows on Netflix can be a daunting prospect. Here are great TV shows, including Netflix originals and acquired series, that are worth your time and attention to stream.
The good place
What begins as a sitcom about a misfit accidentally admitted to heaven turns into a hilarious and profound meditation on existence. In The Good Place , Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell) discovers that she might be in the wrong afterlife before discovering much more about the arbitrary nature of the universe.
Joined by Michael (Ted Danson), a supernatural being who is fascinated with humans, Eleanor and her friends alternately ask profound and silly questions about morality and mortality and receive equally ridiculous and profound answers.
Jane the virgin
Based on a Venezuelan telenovela, Jane the Virgin features all the wacky twists and turns of that genre along with a more sensitive and grounded approach to its characters. Gina Rodríguez stars as the main character, who becomes pregnant thanks to a doctor’s mistake with an insemination procedure.
But the show is much more than that initial, implausible setup, with its focus on Jane’s working-class family and her romances with hotel magnate Rafael (Justin Baldoni) and down-to-earth cop Michael (Brett Dier). Creator Jennie Snyder Urman brings humor and heart to what could have been a cartoony soap opera.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
From creators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, the comedy Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt stars Ellie Kemper as the title character, who emerges from being held captive by a doomsday cult for 15 years. Naïve Kimmy must readjust to life in the real world, or at least, in the fun version of New York City that the show creates. Fey and Carlock effectively deal with Kimmy’s trauma while keeping the show goofy and fun, filled with supporting characters with as much weird emotional baggage as Kimmy herself.
Bridgerton
From the creators of How to Get Away with Murder, Grey’s Anatomy , and Scandal, Bridgerton is a period drama set in Regency-era England, following the wealthy Bridgerton family. Lots of lust, betrayal and money to get you seriously hooked. Season 2 arrived on March 25, 2022, while seasons 3 and 4 are confirmed.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
The original Star Trek was canceled after just three seasons, but its growing and dedicated fan base allowed creator Gene Roddenberry to return to Starfleet with Star Trek: The Next Generation . Even more than the original series, The Next Generation cemented Star Trek as an enduring franchise, with seven seasons of adventures for the new crew of the starship Enterprise, led by Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart).
Lucifer
The creators of Californication are behind this series that takes a character from a Neil Gaiman comic, The Sandman, a sexy and irresistible devil who runs a club in Los Angeles. He starts off a bit hesitant, in fact bordering on cancellation on several occasions, but in recent seasons he has found a brash and very daring tone that has earned him a glorious second life on Netflix. And the truth is that Tom Ellis gives everything so that the protagonist continues to engage.
Good Girls
The premise is cool: three mothers tired of juggling to make ends meet decide to hold up a supermarket. From there, he plays with the unexpected consequences in a tragicomic tone that has quite a point, like a light Breaking Bad . Christina Rene Hendricks, Retta and Annie Marks are amazing.
The Sinner
Jessica Biel has not only confirmed her talent as an actress in this series but also her nose and her good work as a producer. She only stars in the first season, a high-quality, dark thriller that kicks off when a mother, for no apparent reason, murders a man in front of a crowd. The detective who investigates the case, played by Bill Pullman, is the guiding thread for the following seasons: in the second he deals with the parricide of a teenager who poisons his parents and, in the third, an apparently normal car accident leads to a tremendous investigation with a great Matt Bomer as co-star.
Altered Carbon
How difficult it is for science fiction series when they do not reach a degree of phenomenon sufficient to shoot the budget. The starting point is a dystopian future in which humans have given death the slip for the possibility of passing consciousness from one body to another, a good idea that gives one to delve, not too much, into exciting philosophical issues. Visually it works (especially when Joel Kinnaman is on screen, although on an acting level it’s pretty flat) and fans of the genre who aren’t too picky about the quality of dialogue and acting will really enjoy it. The second season, with a change of protagonist, has gone quite unnoticed but, although it is a little ‘cheaper’, it is more solid.
Dexter
The heaviest example of how far mainstream television is capable of going in search of extreme characters. Who was going to tell us a few years ago that millions of viewers would empathize with a psychopath, a serial killer, with a moral scheme as relativistic as it is contagious. The pity is that it is also a clear example of what happens when you stretch the plots much further than the story asks… The last season was quite a disaster and that is why the imminent continuation is scary.
The time It Takes
The title of the series by Nadia de Santiago –we are amazed at the creator who was hiding behind the actress– can be read almost like a micropoem from which an idea that is as precise as it is emotionally overflowing springs up. And with an audiovisual translation that at first seems like a nice trick (each chapter, very short, is divided into a few minutes of present time and a few minutes of memory), but in reality the form and the substance merge with full meaning. It’s fascinating to discover the subtle layers of meaning in that sort of plucking the daisy in reverse to tell both a love story and a story of mourning. It is true that the first can be corny because it is based on some clichés of romantic comedy, and that the dialogues sometimes become predictable
Arcane
Huge surprise that of this animated vision of the League of Legends universe. A prequel with a dramatic content so well structured and developed that it welcomes both the staunch fans of the video game on which it is based, there are millions of them, and the viewers who had no idea what all this is about. In addition to the fact that the story is very well planned, the series stands out for its amazing visual display, with amazing levels of creativity, aggressiveness and emotionality. If you have prejudices because anime is not your thing, we recommend that you ignore them and give it a try.
Midnight Mass
It is true that The Haunting of Hill House and the sequel at Bly Manor were two quite stimulating psychological horror series, with an above-average quality for this genre. But the step that creator Mike Flanagan has taken in Midnight Mass is more than considerable. In this 7-episode miniseries, it obviates all the easy springs of scary productions and focuses on the creation of memorable characters in a very charged atmosphere, with some very long dialogue scenes that will bore those who are looking for scares from a manual but who have the ability to penetrate the psyche of the most daring viewers.
Crazy ex girlfriend
The talented Rachel Bloom is stunning in every aspect of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend , which she co-created and stars in. Bloom also co-wrote most of the songs for this musical drama, which features several original musical numbers in each episode.
Dear white people
ustin Simien adapts his 2014 film Dear White People into this series set on an elite college campus, where students of color struggle to find a place within the white-dominated institution. Simien tackles serious issues of race and class, but also includes a lot of humor, taking a satirical approach to the systemic racism his characters face.
Expanding from a feature film to a series also allows Simien to focus more on character development and broaden the range of perspectives, representing more nuance within the campus communities of color.
RADIANCE
A tribute to the 1980s professional wrestling league known as the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, GLOW takes a fictionalized approach to the real-life personalities involved. These women find empowerment and artistic satisfaction in creating over-the-top characters for wrestling matches while still confronting the sexism of their day. The creators lovingly reproduce the glorious cheese of ’80s pro wrestling while always treating their characters with respect and good humor.
New Amsterdam
Classic case of a series that goes unnoticed at its premiere (did you remember that Antena 3 broadcast it in Spain?) and suddenly hits it on Netflix. It is a classic medical drama, in the vein of Grey’s Anatomy but less romantic and with very topical cases. So much so that one was not broadcast in its day because it was about a pandemic and coincided with the explosion of the coronavirus. In case you need a final hook: it is set in the oldest hospital in New York and the protagonist, in addition to being a crack doctor, is secretly carrying a serious illness.
Shadow and bone
The same criteria apply as with the Outer Banks. To this Netflix production they have hung the one of ‘the juvenile Game of thrones ‘, something dangerous because the HBO series, without its ‘non-juvenile’ part, remains in the most absolute nothing. shadow and boneIt will conquer a good part of the public because it has the virtue of building a world that is sufficiently original and well-nourished with its own mythology, all with a curious visual packaging. In addition, the protagonists have a certain charisma, although the standard of handsome forracarpetas (sorry for seniority) reduces the strength of the whole. We also warn that another good part of the public, especially those over 24 years of age, will not have enough patience to master the mess of plots typical of versions of literary sagas.
Halston
The Golden Globe to Ewan McGregor has given a new shine to Halston. The latest series produced by Ryan Murphy usually have a tremendously showy approach… and then get lost in weak plots that pass the emotional raccord through the lining (of the costumes, which is always splendid) and get nowhere. Halston seemed destined to follow that pattern but she is sewn just the opposite. The start is not very dramatic, without that obsession with capturing all the viewer’s senses at the same time. And, little by little, she designs an increasingly interesting story about the rise and fall of a man with perhaps more talent for business than for the art of fashion. Though she doesn’t come close to the depth of The Invisible Thread,the best work on this world, does capture the brilliance and decadence of the character embodied by a very devoted McGregor and New York, perhaps more mythologized than mythical, of Studio 54.
The Squid Game
From South Korea comes this surprise bomb about a group of 456 people who, due to different needs, agree to enter a strange competition that consists of six children’s games, from English hide and seek to marbles. If they win they get a million; if they lose, a bullet. It is a structure that we have already seen in other productions but they are well resolved and, if you enter the game, you are hooked. It seems that the majority of viewers are from the second group, because according to Netflix it is on its way to becoming the most watched series in its history. Warning: dubbing is a bit of a drama.
The Crown
Queen’s gambit
Absolute fall phenomenon, ‘Lady’s Gambit’ broke records on Netflix and became one of its most awarded series . The series created by Scott Frank and Allan Scott picked up the award for Best Miniseries at the Emmys, and its protagonist, Anya Taylor-Joy, was showered with recognition, from the Golden Globe to the Screen Actors Guild Award (SAG). And it is that this is not only one of the best miniseries of recent years, but also one of the best series in the history of Netflix.
Based on the novel by Walter Tevis ‘Queen’s Gambit’ follows an exceptional chess player from her childhood in an orphanage (where she learned to checkmate with the janitor) to her adult life , where she will have to deal with her addictions and traumas. Without a doubt, one of the best series of 2020 .
Seven Seconds
It would have been impossible to ignore Regina King’s powerful performance in this Netflix mystery series . And that she is not the protagonist! The actress won the Emmy for her role in this series, where she shared a cast with Clare-Hope Ashitey, Nadia Alexander and Raúl Castillo, among others. Although King was the only winner in the production created by Veena Sud, we cannot pass up the opportunity to recommend one of the best suspense series .
‘Seven Seconds’ begins as a result of the death of an African-American teenager in Jersey City, a crime that sets in motion a judicial process that will expose the errors of the system and the abuses of the American police . Along with its share of mystery and crime drama, the series offers a critique of the country’s racism.
Wild Wild Country
Netflix knows how much we love to meet the best true crime on television , and with ‘Wild Wild Country’ they hit the target. The series, directed by Chapman Way and Maclain Way, brought back an absolutely insane true story, and did so well as to win the Emmy for Outstanding Nonfiction or Documentary Series . This recognition, together with the unanimous support of critics, makes it an essential documentary on the platform.
‘Wild Wild Country’ takes us back to 1981, when the revered Hindu guru Bhagwan, leader of the Rajneesh sect , and many of his fanatical followers set out to build a utopian city next to the small town of Antilope, in Oregon (United States) . Of course, your company does not go unnoticed by the inhabitants of the place, and soon they will begin to uncover an incredible story.
Godless
that must be seen yes or yes on Netflix, and not only because it is one of its most awarded productions: the series created by Scott Frank is an intense look at the Wild West dominated by women (usually absent in the genre) and with a fantastic cast (Jack O’Connell, Michelle Dockery, Jeff Daniels, Sam Waterston, Scoot McNairy, Luke Robertson, Merritt Wever…). In fact, it was two of his actors, Daniels and Wever, who took home the acting Emmy.
‘Godless’ sets its story in the American West of 1880, where a young man seeks refuge on a ranch dominated by a woman with a dark past , and we will soon discover that the one who is chasing him is one of the most ruthless bandits in the area. War is coming.
Orange is the new black
It all started with her (and ‘House of Cards’): ‘Orange is the new black’ was one of the series that launched Netflix to stardom a few years ago and that’s why it couldn’t be missing from this list. Created by Jenji Kohan, it was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series in 2015 and Uzo Aduba won two Best Supporting Actress awards, at the 2015 and 2017 Emmys, for her iconic role as Suzanne Warren. Additionally, for three consecutive years, the series won the award for Best Ensemble at the Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG).
‘Orange is the new black’ narrates the vicissitudes of a group of inmates in a women’s prison . It all begins with the entry of the apparently innocent Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), who is arrested for a drug crime that she committed a decade ago. Thus, the Litchfield prison in New York awaits her, where she will live with all kinds of personalities.
Stranger Things
Of course : ‘Stranger Things’ is one of the most popular, loved, commented on, commercialized and, also, awarded Netflix series . There is nothing! It has been nominated three times in the category of Best Drama Series for the Emmys, although it has never managed to take home the award. The one that did take is the montage for the first episode of the series, ‘Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers’, and at the awards of the union of actors (SAG) it got the Best Cast in a drama series.
Love, Death & Robots
This Netflix animated series caught the attention of the public and critics thanks to its refreshing format: ‘ Love, Death & Robots ‘ is made up of a set of short films of different durations, stories and animation styles that explore different areas of science fiction. At the Annie Awards, the prestigious animation awards, he took home the awards for Best Production Design, Music, Editing and Special Effects. At the Emmys, it took home the award for Best Animated Short Film Program. Maybe ‘Love Death & Robots’ is a little old-fashioned in its sci-fi , but it’s clear that it was a huge hit.
For Thirteen Reasons
Teenager Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette) comes home from school one day to find a mysterious box with his name on it. Inside he discovers a tape recorded by Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford), a classmate he had feelings for and who committed suicide just two weeks ago. On the tape, Hannah tells that there are thirteen reasons why she has decided to take her own life. Will Clay be one of them? If he listens to you, he will have a chance to know every reason on his list. 7.5