Netflix has more shows than any human could finish, which is a problem you know well if you’ve ever spent forty minutes scrolling before rewatching something you’ve already seen. This list exists to stop that. Think of it as an intervention, but with snacks.
It mixes the huge global hits with a few that deserve more attention, and each entry tells you what the show is really like, including the cases where a slow start pays off. Catalogs rotate, so make sure a title is still on the service before you clear your weekend.
Jump to an entry (20 picks)
Stranger Things
The show that made the Duffer Brothers famous is a love letter to 1980s Spielberg and Stephen King, with a group of kids in Hawkins, Indiana, taking on a monster from another dimension and a very persistent government. It turned a nostalgic idea into a worldwide phenomenon, and sold a lot of waffles.
The first season is the tightest, a small-town mystery with real heart. Later seasons get bigger and louder and occasionally forget how many characters they’re juggling. Start from the beginning, because the emotional payoff is built over years, and you’ll end up caring about a group of kids more than seems reasonable.
Wednesday
Jenna Ortega’s deadpan Wednesday Addams drops into a school for outcasts and sets about solving a murder mystery, with all the warmth of a spreadsheet. Tim Burton directed several episodes, and the gothic look suits him like a very expensive black glove.
It’s funny, stylish and surprisingly watchable. It works as a teen mystery, as a dark comedy and as a showcase for Ortega, who carries every scene with a face that says “I’ve seen your whole personality and I’m not impressed.”
Squid Game
Hundreds of desperate people compete in children’s games for a giant cash prize, where losing means dying. It sounds like a thriller gimmick, and it is, but the series gives it real emotional weight, which is why people are still talking about it.
It’s violent, but also a sharp commentary on debt and inequality. The tension of the first game, a simple round of Red Light, Green Light, is some of the best television of its decade. You will never see a playground the same way, and you will hate yourself for how quickly you said “that’s not so hard.”
The Witcher
Henry Cavill, in the early seasons, plays Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter in a world where the monsters are sometimes less terrible than the people. It’s based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s books, which also inspired the video games, so there’s a very large number of people who’d love to argue with you about it.
It can feel confusing early on because of shifting timelines, but patience pays off. Fans of dark fantasy will find plenty to like, including a surprisingly catchy song about tossing a coin to the title character.
Bridgerton
A glossy Regency-era romance with sweeping costumes, scandal and string-quartet covers of pop songs. Each season follows a different member of the Bridgerton family as they search for love, usually after a great deal of fainting and several carefully worded letters.
It’s pure escapism, and it knows it. Think of it as a soap opera with a very expensive wardrobe. Nobody’s pretending it’s history. Everybody’s pretending the corsets are comfortable.
Ozark
Jason Bateman plays a financial advisor who relocates his family to the Missouri Ozarks to launder money for a cartel, which goes about as well as you’d expect. Things go wrong quickly, then go further wrong in new and exciting directions.
It’s a tense, bleak crime drama with excellent performances from Laura Linney and Julia Garner. If you liked Breaking Bad and wanted to feel slightly worse about the lake, this scratches a similar itch.
Money Heist
A mysterious Professor plans to rob Spain’s Royal Mint with a band of criminals who go by city names, because apparently the criminal underworld has a very strict branding policy. It’s a Spanish-language series that became a worldwide hit.
Its best asset is momentum: nearly every episode ends on a cliffhanger, so “just one more” becomes a lifestyle. Watch with subtitles rather than dubbing, because the original performances are strong, and the dubbing gets weird.
Black Mirror
Charlie Brooker’s anthology series explores the dark side of technology in standalone stories, each with its own cast and mood. Some are chilling. Some are surprisingly romantic. Nearly all of them will make you look at your phone with new suspicion.
Since it’s an anthology, you can dip in anywhere. “San Junipero” is a famous favorite and a good sign of the show’s range. Pro tip: do not watch it right before you update your smart home.
The Crown
A sweeping drama about the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, with the cast changing as the decades pass, which is a polite way of saying it’s a show about aging that keeps hiring new faces. It’s meticulously designed and acted, and every scene looks like it was dusted by hand.
It takes dramatic liberties, so enjoy it as a drama rather than a history lesson. The early seasons, with Claire Foy, are widely praised, and the corgis are mostly doing their best.
Narcos
A crime drama that follows the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar and the agents trying to catch him. The mix of Spanish and English dialogue gives it a documentary feel, and a great reason to turn the subtitles on.
It’s violent and fast-paced, and Wagner Moura’s performance as Escobar is a highlight. It also launched a wave of similar true-crime-inspired dramas, many of which wished they were this good.
Cobra Kai
A sequel series to The Karate Kid that picks up decades later with Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso reigniting their rivalry, because grown men never fully stop being teenagers. It’s full of humor, nostalgia and an astonishing number of headbands.
It works because it treats both men with sympathy, and it quietly turned into a feel-good hit. Watch the original film first if you can. The crane kick has a long memory.
Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
A dramatization of the crimes of a notorious serial killer. It drew huge viewership and also criticism from victims’ families, who objected to the retelling, a reminder that real events involve real people who still live with the consequences.
It’s a disturbing watch and not for everyone. If you choose to see it, go in knowing it’s a heavy, upsetting subject, and consider reading about how the families felt too.
You
A charming bookstore manager becomes obsessed with a woman and starts to stalk her, because apparently “charming” is a risk factor. The show is told from the stalker’s perspective, which is both its hook and its challenge.
It’s an unusual thriller that makes you complicit, with a streak of dark humor. It’s binge-friendly, with short episodes and cliffhangers. Also, it may change how you feel about people who are “really into books.”
Arcane
An animated series set in the world of League of Legends, but you don’t need to know the game. Its painterly art style is among the most striking anywhere in animation, like someone convinced an oil painting to get up and fight.
The story of two sisters on opposite sides of a divided city is emotional and gripping. It’s easily one of the best video game adaptations ever made, which, to be fair, was a very low bar that it cleared with a jetpack.
One Piece (live action)
The long-running manga about Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew gets a live-action adaptation that was a pleasant surprise, given that the history of live-action anime adaptations is a series of apologies. It captures the show’s sense of fun and the warmth of the characters.
It works whether or not you know the source material. If you’ve been curious about the franchise and intimidated by a thousand-plus chapters, it’s a very friendly entry point.
The Queen’s Gambit
A miniseries about Beth Harmon, a chess prodigy in the 1950s and 1960s who battles addiction and a chess world that doesn’t want her there. Anya Taylor-Joy gives a standout performance, and also a clinic on how to wear a coat.
It makes chess feel thrilling, even if you’ve never played, which should be impossible. It’s also short, which makes it an easy weekend watch. Warning: you will want to buy a chess set. Nobody can stop you.
Love Is Blind
A dating experiment in which contestants get to know each other through walls and decide whether to get engaged without seeing each other. The scientific value is zero, and the entertainment value is a lot.
It’s trashy in the best way, with plenty of drama and an unexpectedly sincere look at how people form connections. It’s perfect for group viewing and arguing about, preferably with a stranger on the internet.
Beef
A road-rage incident spirals into an all-consuming feud between two strangers, played by Steven Yeun and Ali Wong. It’s a dark comedy that is also surprisingly moving, like if a fender bender had a therapist.
Its ten episodes are tight, and the performances are superb. It’s a show about anger and loneliness that is also very funny, which is the hardest trick in television. Next time someone cuts you off, remember: it could be a series.
Mindhunter
A drama about FBI agents who interview imprisoned serial killers in the late 1970s to understand how they think. David Fincher helped develop the series and directed several episodes, which is why every room looks like it’s judging you.
It’s slow and dialogue-heavy, with an eerie atmosphere. It was canceled after two seasons, which is a crime in itself, but what exists is excellent. Take it as a lesson about how the good ones don’t always get a third season.
Lupin
A French series starring Omar Sy as a modern gentleman thief inspired by the classic character Arsène Lupin. It’s stylish, clever and full of twists, and it proves that heists are just logic puzzles with better outfits.
It’s a great choice if you want a heist show with some charm and heart. Short seasons make it an easy watch, and the Paris scenery makes you consider quitting your job and stealing something beautiful.