What are Netflix’s very best series? While the answer to that question is necessarily subjective, there are certain shows that simply hit all the marks—whether they fall into the romantic, fantasy, or horror genres. So, if you needed a sign to finally start watching that show your friends and family won’t stop referencing, this may be just it; here are 14 of the best series on Netflix.
Bridgerton (2020- )
For the girls still obsessed with that one scene in Pride & Prejudice where Mr. Darcy flexes his hand after helping Elizabeth into the carriage, Bridgerton delivers yearning and 19th-century English style tenfold. The series primarily focuses on the Bridgerton family, with each season exploring the romantic endeavors of each Birdgerton as they attempt to avoid the gossip stirred up by the mysterious Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers. The Emmy-winning series has two seasons out, with a miniseries spin-off, Queen Charlotte—about King George and Queen Charlotte’s love story—also recently joining the Bridgerton universe.
Black Mirror (2011- )
This thrilling and suspenseful Netflix anthology series has had viewers transfixed since 2011. Consider it a modern take on The Twilight Zone, with a focus on the influence of technology on contemporary society. Thought-provoking and deeply unnerving.
Squid Game (2021- )
This terrifying Korean series centers on 456 contestants competing in deadly children’s games for a cash prize that they all desperately need. (Show creator Hwang Dong-hyuk was inspired by his personal economic struggles, as well as the backdrop of South Korea’s dramatic class disparity, while developing it.) Upon its release, Squid Game quickly became Netflix’s most-watched series, launching actor and model Hoyeon Jung into the stratosphere.
The Crown (2016- )
With the sixth and final season of The Crown currently airing (in two parts) on Netflix, it’s as good a time as any to watch the whole thing, if you haven’t already. Season 1 begins in the 1940s, with Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s wedding, before going on to capture her ascension to the thrown and the greater Windsor clan’s dance with history and power over the course of the 20th (and early 21st) century. The series does an excellent job of reconciling world events with the personal goings-on of Britain’s royal family, concluding with the death of Prince Diana and the courtship of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Sex Education (2019-2023)
Otis’s hobbies involve bike-riding; hanging with his best friend, Eric; crushing on Maeve; and operating a secret sex therapy clinic at his school. Sex can be confusing—especially when you’re in high school—and Otis looks to channel what he’s learned from his sex therapist mom, Jean, to help his classmates navigate it. The series is both deeply funny and incredibly heartfelt, touching on issues like assault, trauma, and grief.
The Fall of the House of Usher (2023)
Loosely based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, this gothic-horror-steeped miniseries gathers multiple characters and storylines from Poe’s stories, with a special emphasis on Roderick Usher (reimagined here as the CEO of a pharmaceuticals company) and the death of his six children.
The Haunting of Hill House (2018- )
The precursor to The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Haunting of Hill House—inspired by the 1959 Shirley Jackson novel of the same name—follows two timelines about five siblings who had terrifying, paranormal experiences at a mansion when they were children. Two decades later, the family experiences another tragedy and must come together to unpack what happened to them at Hill House. A proper haunted house story.
The Queen’s Gambit (2020)
Anya Taylor-Joy plays chess prodigy Elizabeth Harmon in this irresistible Netflix limited series. The Queen’s Gambit trails Elizabeth as she seeks to become an elite chess player in the 1950s and ’60s, all while attempting to manage her drug and alcohol dependency.
One Piece (2023- )
An elaborate setting meets endearingly goofy characters in this live-action adaptation of the popular anime series (based, in turn, on Eiichiro Oda’s manga series). It sees the Straw Hat Pirates set off on a search for the “One Piece,” a treasure that will make their captain king of all pirates.
The Witcher (2019- )
Based on the video game (and book series) of the same name, The Witcher centers on monster hunter Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra), and Crown Princess Cirilla of Cintra (Freya Allan). The series follows each character until they eventually meet, seemingly bound by destiny, to battle their enemies and protect one another from ever-growing harm. The fantasy show has amassed a large fandom since its debut in 2019, and spawned two spinoff series: The Witcher: Blood Origin and The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf.
Mo (2022- )
Loosely based on comedian Mo Amer’s real-life experiences as a Palestinian refugee in Texas, Mo—co-created by Ramy Youssef—is both gloriously funny and thoughtful in its depiction of a stranger in a strange land, seeking both asylum and citizenship.
Never Have I Ever (2020-2023)
Mindy Kaling’s Never Have I Ever centers on Devi, a first-gen Indian-American teen in California trying to make the most of high school while she deals with the trauma of her father’s unexpected death. Funny, moving, and perfectly cringe-y.
Ozark (2017-2022)
When a married couple moves, with their two daughters, to the Lake of the Ozarks after a money laundering scheme goes awry, their lives become more complicated as they promise a Mexican drug cartel that they can carry out an even larger plot in their new location. Eventually, their business becomes entangled with neighboring criminals and even the Kansas City mafia in this riveting drama.
Lupin (2021- )
This popular French series tells the story of Arsène Lupin, a famous thief. After being wrongfully accused of stealing an expensive diamond necklace, Lupin’s father is sent to prison, where he subsequently dies—leaving a young Lupin to fend for himself. In time, he grows into a crafty gentleman burglar (in the form of the dashing Omar Sy) intent on exacting revenge.