Not every popular show on Netflix turns into a breakout hit, but the streamer appears to have two newly launched shows that already have viewers talking: The Night Agent and Waco: American Apocalypse. And both series are prime examples of how Netflix maintains its dominance by releasing new series throughout the month.
Whether you’re looking for original movies or films on loan from other studios, the streamer always has a robust selection of new Netflix shows to watch. And if you check back here each week for our constantly updated list of the best shows on Netflix, then you’ll never miss out on some of the most bingeable series you can find.
1 Season
Genre Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast Laurence O'Fuarain, Sophia Brown, Michelle Yeoh
Created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, Declan de Barra
Set more than a thousand years before the events of The Witcher, this prequel series follows seven outcasts who unite to save the world against a terrible threat — and in doing so, lay the foundation for the adventures of Geralt and his supporting cast generations later. Michelle Yeoh leads the series’ ensemble cast, with The Witcher showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich supervising the series.
3 Seasons
Genre Drama
Cast Khosi Ngema, Ama Qamata, Gail Mabalane
Created by Daryne Joshua, Travis Taute, Nosipho Dumisa-Ngoasheng
This South African thriller follows a teenage girl from Cape Town who encounters a girl who looks just like her at a party. She begins to think she’s found her long-lost sister — a victim of human trafficking who was abducted as a baby. However, as she gets closer to this stranger who could be her twin, she begins to uncover darker secrets about her family history than she ever anticipated.
2 Seasons
Genre Drama, Mystery, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Created by Yoshiki Watanabe, Yasuko Kuramitsu
This Japanese series based on the manga of the same name by Haro Aso follows an aimless gamer named Arisu (Kento Yamazaki) who suddenly finds himself and his two best friends transported to an eerily empty Tokyo where they’re forced to compete in deadly games to survive. A mix of Battle Royale and The Hunger Games with a fascinating mystery and a talented cast, Alice in Borderland earned praise from critics and general audiences alike for its clever first season and was renewed for a second season just two weeks after the show’s Netflix launch. Its underlying premise will keep you guessing, and so will the sense of creeping dread as key characters are killed off — sometimes in gruesome fashion — from one episode to the next.
3 Seasons
Genre Drama, Comedy
Cast Lily Collins, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Ashley Park
Created by Darren Star
In this shamelessly fun romantic-comedy series, Lily Collins portrays ambitious marketing exec Emily Cooper, who finds herself in Paris after landing her dream job. Along with acclimating to Parisian life, Emily must juggle the demands of her career, friendships, and burgeoning romance in one of the world’s most beautiful cities.
2 Seasons
Genre Documentary
Cast Hrishikesh Hirway
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 featuring R.E.M., Alicia Keys, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Ty Dolla $ign.
1 Season
Genre Comedy, Crime
Cast Will Arnett, Haneefah Wood, Lilan Bowden
Created by Krister Johnson
Netflix got experimental in this improvisational comedy series that casts Will Arnett as a hard-luck homicide detective who must solve a new murder each episode with some help from a celebrity guest. That concept would be funny enough on its own, but the show brings each guest on without giving them a script, leaving it to them to investigate the clues and determine which suspect is the real killer. Kumail Nanjiani, Sharon Stone, Annie Murphy, Ken Jeong, Conan O’Brien, and Marshawn Lynch serve as trainee detectives in the show’s first, six-episode season, and a holiday special added in December has Arnett and his latest partner investigating the murder of a Christmas icon.
4 Seasons
Genre Talk
Cast David Letterman
Legendary TV talk show host David Letterman has been keeping busy on Netflix with the interview series My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, which features a wide range of popular sports and entertainment celebrities and noteworthy international and political personalities. One of his latest guests set a new, impressively high bar for the series, with Letterman traveling to war-torn Ukraine to interview President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the Russian military continues its invasion of the country. This interview and others — including a sitdown with former U.S. President Barack Obama and musician Cardi B, among others — make Letterman’s interviews must-see material, as they uncover insight and honesty few interviewers are able to unearth.
1 Season
Genre Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast Mamoudou Athie, Dina Shihabi, Evan Jonigkeit
Created by Rebecca Sonnenshine
When a film archivist takes a job restoring a collection of video tapes damaged by a fire, he soon finds himself being drawn into a mystery filled with sinister — and possibly supernatural — dangers in this Netflix original series starring Mamoudou Athie (Uncorked, Cake) and Dina Shihabi (Altered Carbon). The terrifying show, based on the podcast of the same name, blends found-footage scares with a story that ratchets up the tension with every episode.
4 Seasons
Genre Documentary
Cast Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas
Created by James Gay-Rees
You don’t need to know anything about Formula 1 racing to enjoy this documentary series that offers an inside look at the drama and high-stakes competition fueling the annual Formula One World Championship. A joint production between Netflix and Formula One, Drive to Survive is credited with igniting (or reigniting) interest in the competition around the world — particularly in the U.S. Each season of the series chronicles the races, drivers, intense rivalries, and all the highs and lows for teams competing in that year’s competition, with exclusive access to the teams, owners, and managers, which makes for plenty of compelling behind-the-scenes moments. Even if you’ve never watched a Formula 1 race before, there’s a good chance you’ll be a fan before the end of the season with Drive to Survive.
5 Seasons
Genre Sci-fi, Psychological Thriller, Dystopia
Cast Daniel Kaluuya, Wyatt Russell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Daniel Lapaine
Created by Charlie Brooker
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 and mind-bending tales 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.
1 Season
Genre Drama, Mystery, Action & Adventure
Cast Cho Byeong-kyu, Yu Jun-sang, Kim Se-jeong
This South Korean series follows a disabled teenager who finds himself bestowed with superhuman abilities and recruited to battle evil spirits along with a team of secret paranormal hunters. A popular hit that premiered in 2020, the series mixes comedy, martial arts, and plenty of heart as it follows the main character and the small group of fellow “counters” who chase down demons and operate a noodle shop in their spare time. A second season of the series was quickly given the green light and is scheduled for production.
1 Season
Genre Drama
Cast Katherine Heigl, Sarah Chalke, Ben Lawson
Created by Maggie Friedman
Firefly Lane pairs lead actresses Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke as lifelong friends Tully Hart and Kate Mularkey, respectively, who have accompanied each other through one milestone in life after another. The series chronicles their friendship from childhood through the present day, where Tully is a wildly successful TV talk show host and Kate is a divorced housewife who wants to rebuild her life. Love, life, and friendship lessons ensue, of course. A new batch of episodes premiered December 2.
1 Season
Genre Mystery, Drama
Cast Emily Beecham, Andreas Pietschmann, Aneurin Barnard
Created by Baran bo Odar, Jantje Friese
This series from the creator of Dark follows immigrant passengers on a ship traveling to a new continent, who find themselves caught up in a mystery when they encounter a second ship adrift in the open sea. The series’ dark, atmospheric tone, combined with the show’s multilingual approach, makes it a thriller unlike any other.
1 Season
Genre Crime, Drama, Mystery
Cast Omar Sy
Created by George Kay, Marie Roussin, Florent Meyer, François Uzan, Tigran Rosine
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.
1 Season
Genre Documentary
Cast Cindy Crawford, Curtis Lee Newton, Michael Davis
A four-part documentary series, Pepsi, Where’s My Jet? explores the very real story of John Leonard, the man who discovered a loophole in a ’90s ad campaign for Pepsi that promised a Harrier jet to anyone who collected enough points from soda bottles. When Pepsi balks at John’s request, it sets off a David versus Goliath challenge that changed the face of advertising forever. The series features interviews with many of the biggest names of the time, including former Pepsi spokesmodel Cindy Crawford and other colorful characters on both sides of the legal battle.
1 Season
Genre Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Mystery, Comedy
Cast Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán
Created by Miles Millar, Alfred Gough
Tim Burton turns his attention to Wednesday Addams in this spinoff from the Addams Family franchise that focuses on the elder Addams sibling. Jenna Ortega portrays the title character, who finds herself sent off to prep school after an incident involving a high school water polo team and two bags of piranhas. While attending the school, she soon becomes wrapped up in a series of local murders, all while trying to come to terms with her own destiny and her parents’ legacy.
1 Season
Genre Documentary, Crime
Cast Deanna Thompson, John Green
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.
3 Seasons
Genre Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast Ryohei Kimura, Takuya Eguchi, Hideyuki Tanaka
Created by Eiji Tsuburaya
The classic superhero tokusatsu series got an animated, modern sequel in this show set years after the original Ultraman’s adventures. The Netflix original series follows the son of the former Ultraman as he discovers his powerful abilities and is recruited to fight a new host of alien invaders threatening the planet. Not only does the show honor the franchise’s legacy, but it takes the story of Ultraman in some bold, new directions that offer a great reminder of why he’s one of the most famous heroes of the genre. Two seasons of the series are available now, with a third and final season on the way in 2023.
3 Seasons
Genre Drama, Mystery, Crime
Cast Christina Applegate, Linda Cardellini, James Marsden
Created by Liz Feldman
This Emmy-nominated original series starring Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini recently returned for its third and final season. A dark comedy that leans into its central mystery, Applegate portrays a widowed real estate agent who befriends an eternally optimistic woman (Cardellini) with some chilling secrets of her own.
1 Season
Genre Comedy, Animation
Cast Lizzy Caplan, Clark Duke, Christian Slater
Created by Scott Miles, Shion Takeuchi, Alex Hirsch, Alisha Brophy
What if all of the loony conspiracy theories were true and there really was a shadow agency tasked with keeping them secret? This adult animated series takes that premise and runs with it, offering a hilarious spin on workplace comedies as the dysfunctional staff of a secret government organization attempts to keep the world — and all of the weird stuff we’re not allowed to know about — safe from various threats while dealing with their own personal issues. Lizzy Caplan and Christian Slater lead the show’s high-profile cast of voice actors. A second season of the series premiered in November.
1 Season
Genre Documentary
Cast Charles Martinet
Created by France Costrel
How well do you know the story of video games? From the rise and fall of Atari to the emergence of Nintendo and beyond, Netflix’s High Score proves that there are still surprises to be found in the history of gaming. Throughout the first season, High Score tracks the beginning of the medium and interviews some of the pivotal figures who shaped gaming as we know it, many of whom remain unknown outside of gaming circles. The series also takes a deep dive into the console wars of the ‘90s, as well as the roleplaying and fighting genres, before examining the advent of 3D graphics. It doesn’t quite take us to the era of modern gaming, but the series is just getting started.
5 Seasons
Genre Drama
Cast Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce, Lesley Manville
Created by Peter Morgan
Elizabeth II ascended to the U.K.’s 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 was one of the most important heads of state in the world, with no shortage of civic duties. Netflix’s critically acclaimed, generations-spanning drama The Crown traces Elizabeth’s life from her marriage to Prince Philip in 1947 through the modern era, digging into the web of agendas and alliances the Queen had to navigate over the longest reign of any British monarch in history. 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 show’s most recent fifth season explores the period in the ’90s when Prince Charles and Princess Diana waged a media war that became one of Queen Elizabeth II’s most high-profile challenges.
1 Season
Genre Documentary, War & Politics
Cast Elijah Bender, David Spafford, Nathan Ledbetter
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 it does so with a combination of historical (and graphic) reenactments and expert commentary. History lessons so deep have rarely been this intense or compelling.
1 Season
Genre Animation, Family, Action & Adventure, Comedy
Cast Zoe Saldaña, Jorge R. Gutierrez, Sandra Equihua
Created by Jorge R. Gutierrez
This nine-episode animated series created by Jorge R. Gutiérrez is a self-contained story that its creator likened to a Mexican version of Lord of the Rings, and the description isn’t that far off. The series is set in a world based on precolonial Mesoamerica, filled with the multitude of gods and heroes that populated the mythology of the indigenous cultures of that era. It follows a 15-year-old girl who embarks on a journey to find the three prophesied warriors who will help her defeat the underworld deities threatening humanity and save the world. Filled with unique, beautiful animation, and colorful characters you can’t help but cheer for (or against), Maya and the Three is an epic adventure everyone in the family will enjoy.
3 Seasons
Genre Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Animation
Cast Jack De Sena, Paula Burrows, Sasha Rojen
Created by Aaron Ehasz, Justin Richmond
Part Avatar: The Last Airbender, part The Lord of the Rings, this series follows a pair of human half-brothers and a young elf as they attempt to bring the kidnapped heir to the throne of the dragons home and end a war that has lasted a thousand years. The series is co-created by The Last Airbender writer and producer Aaron Ehasz and Uncharted 3 game director Justin Richmond, with the fourth season premiering in November. Full of magical creatures, epic battles, cheer-worthy moments, and plenty of humor for both kids and adults, The Dragon Prince is a saga the whole family will enjoy as they follow the trio’s journey across the land of Xadia.
15 Seasons
Genre Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast Alexander Calvert, Misha Collins, Jared Padalecki
Created by Eric Kripke
The longest-running American live-action fantasy series in TV history, Supernatural follows brothers Sam and Dan Winchester — played by Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, respectively — as they hunt all manner of ghosts, demons, and monsters across America. Mixing standalone “monster of the week” adventures with season-long story arcs that built an impressively deep mythology around the show, Supernatural kept fans coming back for its infectious chemistry and colorful cast that grew as the series progressed. A scripted television series has to be doing something right to run for 15 seasons without being canceled, and Supernatural finally ended its 327-episode run in November 2020 with the sort of satisfying, well-received series finale that few shows receive.
2 Seasons
Genre Documentary, Crime
The “crazy true crime” documentary has become the iconic genre of the streaming age, and Tiger King might be one of the best examples of it. The setup is simple enough: Director Eric Goode sets out to make a documentary about a snake dealer in Florida, and in doing so, stumbles into the world of big cat owners and the eponymous “Tiger King,” Joe Exotic, the owner of a big cat zoo who was convicted in 2019 of trying to put a hit on animal rights activist Carole Baskin. From the moment he appears on screen, Exotic is an outlandish figure, and the story only gets wilder from there.
1 Season
Genre Drama, Mystery
Created by Guillermo del Toro
Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro curated this collection of short films from some of horror’s most visionary, creative directors and writers. The eight stories in the series’ first season hail from a wide range of filmmakers, including Vincenzo Natali (Cube), Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night), Jennifer Kent (The Babadook), and Del Toro himself.
6 Seasons
Genre Comedy, Animation
Cast Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Jessi Klein
Created by Jennifer Flackett, Mark Levin, Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg
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 with every season.
1 Season
Genre Reality
This series follows a trio of paranormal investigation teams that journey to some of America’s most haunted locations to spend 28 days testing the theories of Ed and Lorraine Warren, the investigators famously portrayed in The Conjuring films. As fascinating as it is creepy, the show takes a documentary approach to understanding the paranormal world and the events surrounding some of these locations.
1 Season
Genre Children's Television, Family
Cast Michelle Zamora, Piotr Michael, Michelle Obama
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.
2 Seasons
Genre Documentary, Drama, Mystery
The original Unsolved Mysteries had a long run on network television as it tackled possible paranormal activity and very real cold cases. Incredibly, that show also led to some of those cases being solved. Netflix’s reboot doesn’t have the same track record yet, but it does offer a compelling mix of new cases and stories. Unsolved Mysteries’ reboot has also eschewed the idea of using a host because who could ever replace the incomparable Robert Stack? Regardless, the documentary-style approach suits the new show well. Keep watching, and maybe you can solve the mystery.
2 Seasons
Genre Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Animation, Action & Adventure
Cast Gideon Adlon, Calum Worthy, Victoria Grace
Created by Craig Kyle, Greg Johnson
An animated spinoff of the Pacific Rim film franchise, Pacific Rim: The Black is set in Australia after the monstrous Kaiju have overrun the continent. A pair of siblings discover an abandoned Jaeger — one of the giant robots built to battle the Kaiju — and attempt to use it to find their missing parents, forcing them to contend with both Kaiju and desperate human survivors who want the Jaeger for themselves. The animated series is aimed at the same audience as the films and not only offers plenty of giant robot versus monster brawls but also expands the franchise’s mythology quite a bit.
1 Season
Genre Mystery, Drama
Cast Adia, Igby Rigney, Ruth Codd
Created by Mike Flanagan, Leah Fong
Mike Flanagan, the creator of The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass, turns his attention to young-adult scares with The Midnight Club, inspired by Christopher Pike’s 1994 novel of the same name. The 10-episode series follows a group of young, terminally ill residents of a hospice who gather each night to tell each other spooky stories. The members of the “Midnight Club” make a pact that whoever dies first will try to send a message from the afterlife. With Flanagan at the helm of this show, be prepared for big scares.
6 Seasons
Genre Comedy
Cast Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi
Created by Dan Harmon
NBC never quite knew what to make of Community, but the series found a devoted audience that embraced its hilarious blend of pop culture comedy. Future Marvel directors Joe and Anthony Russo helmed several memorable episodes that earned them a chance to hit the big screen, but the show belonged to its mismatched study group portrayed by Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alison Brie, Donald Glover, and Chevy Chase. Despite several personality clashes, the group becomes a makeshift family, with Ken Jeong and Jim Rash also stealing a lot of scenes as Ben Chang and Dean Pelton. We’re still waiting for a Community movie, but all six seasons are on Netflix.
3 Seasons
Genre Animation, Kids, Action & Adventure
Cast Karen Fukuhara, Coy Stewart, Deon Cole
Created by Bill Wolkoff, Radford Sechrist
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.
1 Season
Genre Documentary, Crime
Cast Shelley Murphy, Anne Hawley, Dick Ellis
The March 18, 1990, robbery of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston is the largest art heist of all time to remain unsolved. The culprits behind the robbery — which is estimated to involve more than $500 million in stolen works of art — are still unknown, with no arrests made and none of the stolen art recovered. The details surrounding the infamous heist are chronicled in this four-part documentary series directed by Colin Barnicle and co-produced by Barnicle and his brother, Nick. Filmed over a seven-year period, the series features interviews with just about everyone involved with the event in one way or another, from the security guards who let the robbers into the museum to the FBI investigators put on the case, offering a fascinating account of one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of both the art world and the world of high-stakes crime.
5 Seasons
Genre Animation, Kids, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast Aimee Carrero, Karen Fukuhara, AJ Michalka
Created by ND Stevenson
Unlike the ’80s cartoon it’s based on, Netflix’s She-Ra and the Princesses of Power isn’t as interested in selling toys as it is building upon relationships. The series completely reimagines She-Ra’s story to center around Adora and Catra, a pair of orphans raised by the evil Horde army. When Adora finds her power through She-Ra’s magic sword, it sets her against her best friend, Catra, who also happens to be the person she loves the most. This award-winning series broke new ground for animated LGBT themes and characters and has carved out a well-deserved place for itself in the hearts of fans.
1 Season
Genre Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast KENN
Created by Rafał Jaki
This edgy, high-octane anime series is inspired by the Cyberpunk 2077 video game, but you don’t need to know anything about its source material to appreciate the brutal, bonkers adventure it offers. The series follows a young street kid in the neon- and chrome-filled Night City who falls in with a crew of mercenaries and soon finds himself struggling to hold on to his humanity in a world obsessed with cybernetic augmentation.
1 Season
Genre Action & Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast Italia Ricci, Iñaki Godoy, Morgan Taylor Campbell
When a trio of young adults discover that the experimental treatment they’ve been undergoing since childhood has actually give them monstrous abilities, they set out to hunt down the scientist responsible. This series from the creator of The Order casts Morgan Taylor Campbell, Rhianna Jagpal, and Iñaki Godoy as the trio who find themselves with the powers of a banshee, succubus, and chupacabra, respectively, in this clever, supernatural series.
6 Seasons
Genre Reality
Cast Noel Fielding, Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith
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 more than 12 seasons in the U.K. New episodes now premiere on Netflix just a short time after they air on Channel 4, so if you can avoid online spoilers, you’re in for a delicious treat from week to week as amateur bakers try to impress the judges and out-bake each other to win the show’s final prize. The most recent season of the series — Collection 10 on Netflix and Series 13 in the U.K. — premiered in September.
1 Season
Genre Documentary, Comedy
Cast Nicolas Cage
Regardless of whether you actually use them, swear words are an indelible part of our daily discourse. Plus, it can be fun to cut loose with a couple of expletives. Netflix not only realizes this, but it also embraces it with a six-part documentary series, History of Swear Words. Nicolas Cage is the perfect host for this show, as he examines the backstory and cultural impact of “dick,” “damn,” and a couple of words that we can’t actually repeat here. Actual linguistics experts also chime in for historical notes, while comedians like Sarah Silverman, Nick Offerman, Jim Jefferies, Nikki Glaser, and more get in on the bleeping bleep-bleep.
5 Seasons
Genre Action & Adventure, Drama, Comedy
Cast Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Courtney Henggeler
Created by Hayden Schlossberg, Josh Heald, John Hurwitz
The hit sequel series to the original Karate Kid films, Cobra Kai brings back William Zabka and Ralph Macchio to reprise their respective roles as Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso, teenage rivals whose feud has extended into adulthood. Set three decades after the events of the first film, the series has down-on-his-luck Johnny attempt to start a new Cobra Kai dojo, only to have his ambitions reignite his rivalry with Daniel. Over the course of several seasons, the series has followed the pair as they take on new students, deal with enemies and allies from their past, and eventually face a common threat — all while the teenagers under their care attempt to navigate their own high-school trials and tribulations. Season 5 of Cobra Kai premiered in September.
1 Season
Genre Action & Adventure, Animation, Kids, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast Jason Marnocha, Jake Foushee, Linsay Rousseau
The Transformers: War for Cybertron trilogy gives fans of the long-running franchise a more mature take on the popular “robots in disguise” with a CGI-animated series set in the time before the Transformers found their way to Earth. 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 2021, completing this critically acclaimed chapter in the Transformers saga.
1 Season
Genre Comedy, Drama
Cast Mo Amer, Teresa Ruiz, Farah Bsieso
Created by Mo Amer, Ramy Youssef
Comedian Mo Amer stars in this series he co-created with Ramy Youssef, portraying a Palestinian man in Texas juggling two very different cultures, three languages, and a pending asylum request that will bring him and his family closer to U.S. citizenship.
3 Seasons
Genre Comedy
Cast Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan, Jaren Lewison
Created by Mindy Kaling, Lang Fisher
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. Season 3 of the series premiered on August 12.
1 Season
Genre Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama
Cast Tom Sturridge, Boyd Holbrook, Vivienne Acheampong
Created by David S. Goyer, Neil Gaiman, Allan Heinberg
Neil Gaiman’s celebrated comic book series comes to life in this adaptation that casts Tom Sturridge as Morpheus, the lord of the world of dreams. When a cruel dabbler in the occult accidentally imprisons Morpheus, it begins a tale that unfolds across multiple generations and through myriad realms and ultimately puts the future of humanity at risk. In development for more than two decades, The Sandman is a project long thought impossible to adapt faithfully, but the series somehow manages to weave together the enthralling stories and powerful themes of Gaiman’s acclaimed fantasy saga.
2 Seasons
Genre Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast Anthony Mackie, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Chris Conner
Created by Laeta Kalogridis
An adaptation of a popular cyberpunk novel by Richard K. Morgan, Altered Carbon is set a few hundred years in the future, by which point humanity has developed the technology to download a person’s consciousness into computers. People can now transfer themselves into new bodies, called “sleeves,” effectively making themselves immortal — provided they have the money. Into this world steps Takeshi Kovacs (Joel Kinnaman), a former soldier who has spent the last 250 years in cold storage. He is back, in a new sleeve, courtesy of Laurens Bancroft (James Purefoy), a wealthy man who wants Takeshi to find the man who killed Bancroft’s previous body. Altered Carbon draws on classic noir elements, as Takeshi explores a grimy city where everyone seems to have a hidden agenda.
3 Seasons
Genre Comedy, Drama
Cast Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa
Created by Laurie Nunn
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 than 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.
4 Seasons
Genre Comedy
Cast Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, Terry Jones
Created by Ian MacNaughton, John Howard Davies
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.
2 Seasons
Genre Drama, Crime
Cast Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Hannah Gross, Anna Torv
Created by Joe Penhall
Mindhunter flew under the radar during its two seasons on Netflix, but this stylish crime thriller still deserves to find a wider audience. The series is set in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, at a time when the FBI was struggling to understand how the minds of serial killers functioned. Agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), with psychologist Wendy Carr (Anna Torv), take it upon themselves to study these men as they attempt to build the criminal psychology field from the ground up.
1 Season
Genre Mystery, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast Kate Siegel, Zach Gilford, Hamish Linklater
Created by Mike Flanagan
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.
2 Seasons
Genre Animation, Kids, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure
Cast Kimiko Glenn, Jessie Mueller, Megan Hilty
Created by Megan Nicole Dong
This amazingly clever animated series created by Pinky Malinky artist Megan Nicole Dong is the sort of wonderful pick-me-up you might not realize you need right now. The show follows a brave warhorse who finds herself magically transported to a bright, colorful world of magical creatures blended with other species in one way or another, each with their own special abilities and eccentricities. In order to find her way home to her beloved rider, she must navigate a world full of dangers both serious and silly, and learn to work with a colorful herd of outcasts to save both their worlds. Optimistic, inclusive, and endearing, the series also features an impressive voice cast and lots of Broadway-style musical numbers that make an epic adventure even more so.
4 Seasons
Genre Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast Winona Ryder, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard
Created by Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
One of the most popular original series on Netflix, Stranger Things has become a cultural touchstone in the short time since its 2016 debut. The series’ opening sequence lays out its 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. The series is rooted in ‘80s genre nostalgia, from the mysterious creature terrorizing the fictional Indiana town to the secret government agency chasing the group of kids who encounter it. 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.
1 Season
Genre Crime, Drama, Mystery
Cast Omar Sy
Created by George Kay, Marie Roussin, Florent Meyer, François Uzan, Tigran Rosine
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.
3 Seasons
Genre Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast Zach Tyler, Mae Whitman, Jack De Sena
Created by Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko
When it comes to animated series, few rival Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. The beloved series continues to garner a following more than 15 years after its initial release, likely due to the way it deftly balances child-friendly themes with more sophisticated narratives, ones that revolve around war and the oft-ambiguous line between good and evil. The show is centered on the titular Aang, a master of the elements, and four nations, each of which is named after a different element (Earth, Air, Fire, and Water). The main story follows Aang and his companions in their effort to quell unrest and an ongoing feud with the Fire Nation, but the show’s detailed world-building and character development extend well beyond the scope of any one individual. To this day, it’s still considered a masterclass in storytelling.
3 Seasons
Genre Drama
Cast MJ Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson, Billy Porter
Created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Steven Canals
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.
4 Seasons
Genre Crime, Drama
Cast Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Sofia Hublitz
Created by Mark Williams, Bill Dubuque
In Ozark, the Byrde family has a knack for getting into overwhelming trouble. Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) has a scheme to launder money for a Mexican drug cartel, but when that goes wrong, Marty packs up his wife, Wendy (Laura Linney), and their kids for an abrupt move to the Ozarks — where he proceeds to set up an even more dangerous money laundering operation. In addition to starring in the series, Bateman has also made a name for himself directing episodes, earning a Primetime Emmy Award along the way. The entire fourth and final season is now available, so fans can finally learn how the saga concludes.
Digital Trends streaming roundup
1 Season
Genre Drama, Family
Cast Joe Locke, Kit Connor, Sebastian Croft
Created by Alice Oseman
Two very different teenagers begin to realize their unlikely friendship might be something more in this adaptation of Alice Oseman’s webcomic and graphic novel series. Joe Locke and Kit Connor portray high-strung Charlie and rugby player Nick in this acclaimed, coming-of-age series set at a British grammar school.
5 Seasons
Genre Comedy, Crime, Drama
Cast Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorn
Created by Peter Gould, Vince Gilligan
Bob Odenkirk stars in this Breaking Bad prequel series that heads 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 creator Vince Gilligan and company remain at the top of their game.
2 Seasons
Genre Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Drama
Cast Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, Kevin Alejandro
Created by Christian Linke, Alex Yee
You don’t need to know anything about the League of Legends game franchise to enjoy this critically-acclaimed adult animated series set in a steampunk world where magic and technology shape the simmering relationship between a utopian metropolis and the oppressed city in its shadow. Full of gorgeous animation and compelling characters, Arcane follows a pair of sisters whose tragic childhood puts them on opposite sides of the war to come, set against a stirring, powerful score. Once you dive into the first season, it’s difficult not to see it through to the end in one shot — which is probably why Netflix green-lit a second season premiering sometime in 2023.
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