Best Shows on Netflix to Binge Now (October 2023)
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First, there was House of Cards. Netflix pioneered the “binge,” dropping full seasons of cliff-hanger-y dramas like Orange Is the New Black and reinventing how we consumed content. But as more and more series hit the platform, audiences grew splintered. We were all watching all the time—but not all the same thing.
Then Tiger King. It was a pandemic, we were bored and looking for escapism, and there were so many tigers! Suddenly we were all back on the same page. Viewers have started getting niche again, but Netflix continues to churn out monster hits it seems like “everyone” is watching, like Bridgerton and Squid Game. The platform has also given a second life to cable series—ah, the random summer of Suits!
Who knows what the next breakout hit will be, but for now, if you're looking for a binge, there's still no better service than the one that started it all: Netflix.
From the limited series Inventing Anna to multiseason comedies like Grace and Frankie and GLOW (RIP) to horror anthologies like The Haunting of Bly Manor and The Haunting of Hill House, Netflix has it. If you’re in the mood for romance, you can fall in love with something sweet like Dash & Lily or sexy like Bridgerton. Sweeping dramas, including The Queen’s Gambit, are also available.
(PS: Don't skip our list of the best movies on Netflix!)
Netflix1/80Inventing Anna (2022)
In the Shonda Rhimes limited series based on real headlines, a journalist chases down the story of Anna Delvey (Julia Garner), a scammer who convinced New York's elite she was a German heiress.
Netflix2/80Squid Game (2021–present)
One of the best TV shows of 2021, Squid Game follows a group of poverty-stricken players fighting for their lives in a series of deadly children’s games in the hopes of surviving…and winning a boatload of money.
RICARDO HUBBS/NETFLIX3/80Maid (2021)
If you’re not into sci-fi, serial killers, or sweeping period dramas, Maid will bring things back down to earth for you. This gut-wrenching drama follows a young mom’s attempt to leave her abusive relationship and make a new life for her daughter.
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NETFLIX4/80Who Killed Sara? (2021)
The Mexican mystery thriller follows the investigation by Alex Guzman (Manolo Cardona) into the death of his sister after being wrongly convicted for her murder. That’s all we're going to tell you because this may be one of the wildest rides on Netflix yet. Though season one doesn’t actually answer the titular question, Netflix dropped season two in May 2021, just a few months after the first 10 episodes premiered. Enjoy.
EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX5/80Midnight Mass (2021)
Midnight Mass has everything: Hamish Linklater in a priest’s collar, Rahul Kohli in a sheriff’s uniform, and a group of evangelical townspeople convinced they're in the presence of an angel…. Given this series is brought to you by the creators of The Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor, you can probably guess things aren’t exactly as they seem.
Netflix6/80Halston (2021)
Ewan McGregor won an Emmy for his outstanding performance as American fashion designer Halston on the Netflix series, which documents the designer's rise and fall.
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Emmanuel Guimier7/80Lupin (2021–present)
The first French series to reach Netflix’s US top 10 list, Lupin is a thrilling crime caper featuring Omar Sy as a gentleman thief and master of disguise. There are twists! There are turns! You’ll love it.
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LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX8/80Bridgerton (2020–present)
It’s one of the biggest shows on Netflix for a reason: The Shonda Rhimes–produced series delivers on all the romance, drama, and crazy hot sex scenes you want in a period piece.
ELIZA MORSE/NETFLIX9/80Sweet Magnolias (2020–present)
Described as “a sweet escape,” “a romantic hit,” and “as refreshing as a glass of sweet tea on a hot Southern day,” Sweet Magnolias was a massive hit in the summer of 2020. While quarantined at home, viewers couldn’t help but find virtual friends in Maddie Townsend, Dana Sue Sullivan, and Helen Decatur.
Netflix10/80Love Is Blind (2020–present)
If you're wondering why everyone in your social media feed was talking about Love Is Blind in February 2020, it’s because the “social experiment” is arguably Netflix’s best reality series. In it, a group of singles go on a series of dates without seeing the other person. Without giving too many spoilers away, some even fall in love and get married.
EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX11/80The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)
The follow-up season to The Haunting of Hill House (totally different story, lots of the same actors) is as compelling and layered as its predecessor. It’s scary, yes, but also has a lot to say about love and loss and the traumas we carry with us.
ALISON COHEN ROSA/NETFLIX12/80Dash & Lily (2020)
The charm of this show and its two leads is undeniable. Lily and Dash enter each other’s lives after Lily leaves a scavenger hunt of sorts in the famed New York City bookstore The Strand. They proceed to get to know each other without even meeting by writing back and forth in a journal and guiding each other to their favorite NYC spots. It’s all set at Christmastime, but it’s arguably a year-round good watch.
PHIL BRAY/NETFLIX13/80The Queen’s Gambit (2020)
Anya Taylor-Joy stars in this wildly popular series about an orphaned chess prodigy’s journey to become the greatest player in the world. This show is also the reason everyone in your life suddenly picked up the game, so get in on the action if you haven’t already.
Curtis Baker/Netflix14/80Outer Banks (2020–present)
This sun-soaked adventure mixes the aesthetics of The OC with the class conflict of, well, The OC. But that’s where the similarities pretty much end. This teen drama follows a group of local teens (the Pogues) from the beachy Outer Banks of North Carolina who find themselves in the middle of an intense treasure hunt as leader John B. (Chase Stokes) searches for his missing father.
LARA SOLANKI/NETFLIX15/80Never Have I Ever (2020–2023)
This Mindy Kaling–produced show (loosely based on her own experiences growing up in Boston) is a delight. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is outstanding as Devi Vishwakumar, a 15-year-old in suburban Southern California navigating life as a first-generation Indian American teen. From its poignant stories about grief to hilariously awkward and relatable moments from high school, it’s an absolute must-watch.
Netflix16/80Too Hot to Handle (2020–present)
The most fun you’ll ever have watching a group of hot people try not to take their clothes off. The concept is simple: Singles attempt to find love on an island by abstaining from sex. Oh, and they’re watched by a cheeky AI robot and fined for any transgressions.
©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection17/80Emily in Paris (2020–present)
Love her, hate her, can’t understand why she’s not trying harder to learn French—Emily certainly was in Paris. The glitzy, gauzy show everyone loved to meme has been picked up for a third and fourth season, so you'll basically never run out of Emily content.
EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX18/80Julie and the Phantoms (2020)
Do not shy away from this show because you think you’re too old for it—you would be missing out on a pure delight. While grieving the loss of her mother, Julie rediscovers her love of music thanks to her backing band…who also happen to be ghosts.
Sam Taylor/Netflix19/80Sex Education (2019–2023)
Imagine going through your awkward high school years with a mom who is a sex therapist. That’s the life Otis is living on this British comedy-drama that pretty perfectly captures the awkwardness of that time in your life.
©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection20/80Selling Sunset (2019–present)
There’s something weirdly hypnotic about Selling Sunset, the loosely structured reality series about young, glossy real estate agents selling glossy mansions in Hollywood. It’s all the minor-stakes drama and petty cliquishness of The Hills, plus interior design porn. After one episode, you may wonder why the show was such a hit. After two episodes, you may be addicted.
Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix21/80When They See Us (2019)
Ava DuVernay has said she thought of her four-part miniseries on the five Harlem teens wrongfully convicted of rape as a film. Because of her approach, each episode is cinematic and incredibly compelling—which might explain why the project scored a whopping 16 Emmy nominations, including outstanding limited series.
Netflix22/80Dead to Me (2019–2022)
Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini play women who meet in a grief support group and forge a (somewhat unlikely) friendship in this Netflix original, which is a brilliant mix of comedy, drama, and thriller. We won’t spoil too much, but the show is an emotional (but fun!) ride.
Courtesy of Netflix23/80Styling Hollywood (2019)
Styling Hollywood takes you inside the world of celebrity styling and interior design, courtesy of husbands Jason Bolden and Adair Curtis. Along with their team at JSN Studios, we get to see the pair work with clients like Gabrielle Union, Taraji P. Henson, and Eve. Our only complaint? The debut season has only eight episodes.
Netflix24/80Tidying Up With Marie Kondo (2019–present)
Prepare yourself: After watching just one episode of this reality series, you’ll want to declutter your entire life. Marie Kondo’s renowned tidying skills are equal parts comforting and inspiring.
Adam Rose/Netflix25/80Tiffany Haddish Presents: They Ready (2019)
Since she is one of the funniest humans on the planet, we fully trust Tiffany Haddish to introduce us to a new batch of up-and-coming comedians in this series of half-hour stand-up specials. Another selling point? The always hilarious Wanda Sykes also produced They Ready.
Seacia Pavao/Netflix26/80The Society (2019)
Think Lord of the Flies meets Lost, mixed with all the soapiness of your favorite teen dramas like Gossip Girl or The O.C., and you’ve got The Society. The show is set in an affluent Connecticut town where a group of high school students returns from a foiled camping trip to find that everyone has disappeared. Not only do they have to try to figure out what happened, but they also have to decide what kind of, well, society they want to create for themselves.
Unfortunately the show was canceled before season two could return to unravel the big mystery, but it’s still a good way to spend a few afternoons at home.
Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix27/80Rhythm + Flow (2019)
Netflix got into the competition-show game with Rhythm + Flow. Watch as Cardi B, Fat Joe, and T.I. try to find the next big hip-hop star over the course of 10 episodes. The winner gets a $250,000 prize—and the ultimate brag that they met Cardi B.
Tina Rowden/Netflix28/80Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings (2019)
Go along on a journey with national treasure Dolly Parton as she tells the stories and meanings behind some of her biggest hit songs. Each episode takes one of Parton’s famous songs and reinvents it as a heartwarming, family-friendly tale. It’s as comforting and endearing as the singer herself.
Courtesy of Netflix29/80The Chef Show (2019–present)
Jon Favreau and chef Roy Choi experiment with different recipes and dine with some of their Hollywood friends in this cooking show. This is the show where we learned Gwyneth Paltrow didn’t know she was in a Spider-Man movie, so who knows what a new season might bring.
Courtesy of Netflix30/80The Politician (2019–2020)
The Politician comes from Ryan Murphy, so of course it features an all-star cast, including Ben Platt, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Zooey Deutch. Platt plays a teen with the lofty ambition of one day becoming president of the United States—but first he must conquer high school politics.
31/80Russian Doll (2019–present)
In the critically acclaimed series, Natasha Lyonne plays Nadia, who keeps dying on and reliving her 36th-birthday party, trapped in a time loop like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day.
©Lifetime Television/Courtesy Everett Co / Everett Collection32/80You (2018–present)
Penn Badgley is basically Dan Humphrey but creepier in this series about a bookstore clerk who starts stalking a woman he’s dating. But we’ll stop there: It’s best to go into this show spoiler-free because the many twists and turns are truly wild.
Manuel Fernandez-Valdes/Netflix33/80Elite (2018–present)
If you’re into teen dramas—especially the ones with murder—and you haven’t seen Elite, get to a computer, stat. While this Spanish thriller following the teens of Las Encinas started as the search for the killer of a beloved student, it’s one of those rare shows that don’t fail to top its original mystery season after season. There’s a reason it ranked number five on Glamour’s list of the best teen dramas from the past 20 years.
Christopher Smith/Netflix/ Courtesy Everett Collection34/80Queer Eye (2018–present)
We’re thrilled we keep getting new installments of the updated Queer Eye series, which stars Antoni Porowski (food), Bobby Berk (design), Karamo Brown (culture), Tan France (fashion), and Jonathan Van Ness (grooming). Because so far the Fab Five have brought much needed friendship and cheer to communities across the United States. Adding it to our list of best tearjerkers on Netflix.
Steve Dietl/ Netflix / courtesy Everett Collection35/80The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
This chilling series is loosely based on Shirley Jackson’s masterful novel of the same name. The show version chronicles the lives of a family who is reckoning with all the terrifying things that happened in their haunted childhood home. Maybe watch this one with the lights on, okay? The second season, The Haunting of Bly Manor, has a stand-alone story and premiered on Netflix in 2020.
Adam Rose / Netflix36/80Nailed It! (2018–present)
Hosted by comedian Nicole Byer and chef Jacques Torres, this baking competition show is perfect if you’re in need of a laugh. (And let’s be real: Who isn’t these days?) Watch as amateur bakers try—and spectacularly fail—at making complicated recipes in order to win a cash prize.
Jeff Weddell/Netflix37/80The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018–2020)
Kiernan Shipka stars as the titular teenage (half) witch in this series set in the same universe as The CW’s Riverdale. The dramatic series finale debuted on Netflix in 2020.
Lara Solanki/Netflix38/80Dear White People (2018–2021)
Dear White People—originally a movie starring Tessa Thompson in a role now played on the series by Logan Browning—follows a group of Black students at a predominantly white (fictional) Ivy League school. It’s funny, cutting, insightful, and compelling. Add it to your queue, stat.
NBC39/80Manifest (2018–2023)
Manifest, which began on NBC in 2018, was canceled after season three. But fans who discovered the series on Netflix in 2021 were so vocal about their love of the series—which follows passengers on a flight that seemingly landed five years in the future—that Netflix swooped in to bring it back for a fourth and final season.
©Netflix / courtesy Everett Collection40/80The House of Flowers (2018–2020)
This Spanish-language dark comedy follows the De la Mora family, a wealthy clan that runs an upscale flower business while hiding a few secrets. The series features many touchstones of the telenovela—major cliff-hangers, lots of drama—while poking fun at it. Fans of The House of Flowers also praise it for its progressive storylines about transitioning, interracial relationships, and more.
Netflix41/80Derry Girls (2018–2021)
Set in Northern Ireland, Derry Girls takes you inside the lives of a group of high school girls in the ’90s dealing with all the complexities of being a teenager—crushes, detention, cliques, and the like—in a time of political unrest. It’s a beautiful story about how these teens maintain a sense of normalcy while the world around them is in chaos.
Ali Goldstein/Netflix42/80GLOW (2017–2019)
If you like ’80s fashions and nuanced storytelling, GLOW—a series about the women’s wrestling circuit—is absolutely for you. Sadly, the show was canceled in 2020.
Courtesy of Netflix43/80Mindhunter (2017–2019)
If you’re looking for this best crime shows on Netflix, stop here. In Mindhunter, FBI agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany) deep-dive into the psyches of serial killers in the 1970s. Many episodes are helmed by Zodiac director David Fincher, so prepare yourself to be fully creeped out. After you’re done, you can read the book it’s based on, which was written by a former FBI agent.
©CW Network/Courtesy Everett Collection44/80Riverdale (2017–2023)
This absolutely bonkers adaptation of the classic Archie cartoons finds Betty, Veronica, Jughead, and Archie battling serial killers and cults. There’s simply never a boring moment in this creepy little town.
Netflix45/80Atypical (2017–2021)
Atypical started off about a teenage boy on the autism spectrum navigating teen romance but has since grown into a beloved family dramedy about the entire Gardner clan.
©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection46/80Lucifer (2016–2021)
Based on a series of comics, this adaptation of the fall of God’s favorite son finds him a sweet-talking nightclub owner in modern-day Los Angeles, using his special insight into the evil side of man to solve crimes. Listen, this show is just plain weird, but somehow it works.