The 10 most popular TV shows on Netflix right now

Who cooks the best barbecue in the country? Netflix is looking for the answer in Barbecue Showdown. Eight of the best barbecue chefs in the country compete in the most “blazin’ hot barbecue competition there is.” The series is back for its second season with even bigger challenges. From surf and turf to the world’s hottest pepper, the contestants must create mouth-watering barbecue dishes or risk flamin’ out of the competition.

Host Michelle Buteau, along with judges Melissa Cookston and Kevin Bludso, will crown the next great pitmaster and award the winner a $50,000 prize. Whatever you do, don’t watch this show on an empty stomach or you’ll risk drooling over the succulent barbecue.

In 2022, Netflix released The Ultimatum, a dating experiment that gives couples eight weeks to decide on marriage. One half of the couple wants to get married, while the other half is dragging their feet. An ultimatum is issued, and the couple splits up to test drive a new relationship with another partner to see if they want to return to their old partner or move on.

The second season is centered around queer love. Five couples made up of women and nonbinary people are presented with the same ultimatum. These couples will soon find out if love is enough and whether they’re with the right partner. 

Broadcast and cable TV procedurals continue to play well with Netflix subscribers. Criminal Minds, The Blacklist, Lucifer, and Grey’s Anatomy all grew in popularity thanks to Netflix. One of the benefits of a procedural is the ability to jump in and watch episodes out of order without feeling anxious. It’s advantageous to watch them in order, but not a requirement, considering each episode feels like its own story. S.W.A.T. is another police procedural that appeals to subscribers. The series stars Shermar Moore as Sergeant Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson Jr., the new leader of the LAPD’s unit. Moore’s performance and solid action sequences make S.W.A.T. a procedural worth watching.

The plane might have disappeared, but the series did not as it found a new home on the streamer. After NBC canceled Manifest following three seasons, Netflix saved the show based on its strong viewing numbers on the service. Netflix ordered one final season of 20 episodes. The first 10 episodes of season 4 premiered on November 4, 2022.

Now, Manifest‘s final 10 episodes are available to stream. For the survivors of Flight 828, the Death Date is rapidly approaching, and it’s unclear if they can respond to enough Callings to ensure their survival. A familiar face returns for these last episodes, but that’s all we’ll say to avoid major spoilers. It’s a battle between good and evil in the “most terrifying, suspenseful, and joyous chapter of the Manifest story.”

Shemar Moore became a CBS procedural mainstay after starring as Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds from 2005-2016. Moore left the show to star in a new CBS action series, S.W.A.T., based on the 2003 film and 1975 television series of the same name. Moore stars as Sergeant Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, a former Marine tasked with leading the S.W.A.T. division of the LAPD after the former leader is fired for accidentally shooting an unarmed black teenager during a shootout. Hondo serves as the bridge between the laws of the streets and the brotherhood of the police force. S.W.A.T. is an action procedural perfect for the binge model at Netflix.