Netflix adds original programming at such a steady clip that it can be hard to keep up with which of its dramas, comedies and reality shows are must-sees. And that’s not including all the TV series Netflix picks up from broadcast and cable networks. Below is our regularly updated guide to the 30 best shows on Netflix in the United States. Each recommendation comes with a secondary pick, too, for 100 suggestions in all. (Note: Netflix sometimes removes titles without notice.)
‘Black Mirror’ (2011-present)
Created by Charlie Brooker, the science-fiction anthology series “Black Mirror” is like a 21st century version of “The Twilight Zone,” with a roster of guest stars featuring some of today’s most talented character actors, telling stories drawn from our modern technophobic anxieties. The episodes are slyly plotted and openly cautionary, challenging the audience to ponder how artificial intelligence, social media, computer-generated images and climate change are warping our perceptions of reality. In 2016, our critic called it “hands down the most relevant program of our time.” Nine years later, it’s still going strong. (For another example of mind-bending TV, watch “Russian Doll,” a science-fiction dramedy about a woman stuck reliving the same day.)
‘Adolescence’ (2025)
Part police procedural and part social drama, this British mini-series was co-written by the actor Stephen Graham, who plays a middle-class family man watching in horror as his teenage son (Owen Cooper) is accused of murdering a classmate. Each episode of this procedural mystery takes place in real time, allowing “Adolescence” to take some big, heavy issues — like the alienation and radicalization of modern youth under the influence of the internet — and break them into smaller, intense moments. Our critic wrote, “Its distinguishing features are its depressing realism and the fact that each episode is a continuous scene, which adds to the sense of panic and hurriedness.” (The serial killer thriller “You” offers another bracing take on toxic masculinity.)
‘North of North’ (2025-present)
Set in the Canadian Arctic, this low-key comedy has Anna Lambe playing Siaja, a young Inuk wife and mother who gets tired of being taken for granted by her husband and decides to do something new with her life — which is not easy, in a town of about 2,000 people, where everybody knows everybody. “North of North” is about the quirks of this snow-covered community, far from any big city, where people rely on each other to get through the perpetual cold. But the show is mostly about Siaja trying to become more independent by doing what her neighbors have done for generations: taking whatever resources she can find and putting them to use. (If you enjoy comedies where the location and culture is central to the humor, you should also stream “Derry Girls.”)
‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ (2025)
This Korean romance jumps back and forth across decades, from the 1950s to the 21st century, to tell the story of the enduring love between the poor, ambitious poet and politician Oh Ae-Sun (Lee Ji-eun) and her quiet, decent childhood sweetheart Yang Gwan-Sik (Park Bo-gum). Set mostly in a heavily socially stratified fishing village — and mostly at a time when cultural revolution was in the air in South Korea — “When Life Gives You Tangerines” is a vivid portrait of several historical eras, focusing on the hard-working people whose everyday lives are affected by the whims of the rich and powerful. (The Japanese drama “Asura” is similarly rich, following four sisters who re-examine their family dynamic after they discover their father has been having an affair.)
‘The Clubhouse: A Year with the Red Sox’ (2025)
The documentary producer and director Greg Whiteley — whose team is behind multiple hit docu-series, including “Cheer” and “Wrestlers” — turns his attention to baseball with his latest project. Whiteley got unprecedented access to the Boston Red Sox throughout the 2024 baseball season, tracking a team that had some success but ended the year falling short of the playoffs. There is a rare level of honesty here from talented young players like Jarren Duran, Triston Casas and Brayan Bello, who share the complex preparations that go into every game, along with the mental and emotional struggles they endure whenever they make mistakes. (Be sure to watch all of the other series from “The Clubhouse” crew, starting with “Last Chance U.”)
‘The Residence’ (2025)
Shonda Rhimes’s Shondaland production company is behind this inspired adaptation of Kate Andersen Brower’s nonfiction book “The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House.” Like the book, the series explains how the White House’s domestic staff helps behind the scenes with the affairs of state. But in the TV version, the death of the staff’s Chief Usher (Giancarlo Esposito) during a swanky state dinner adds a lightly comic mystery element. Uzo Aduba plays Cordelia Cupp, a special D.C. police consultant determined to find out what happened and who learns along the way about Washington’s complicated social dynamics. Our critic called the show “fun,” with “ample Agatha Christie references, a whooshing momentum and plenty of intrigue.” (Rhimes’s breakout hit “Grey’s Anatomy” is also available on Netflix.)
‘Dark Winds’ (2022-present)
This combination neo-western and neo-noir is adapted from the detective novelist Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn and Chee book series. Zahn McClarnon plays Joe Leaphorn, a lieutenant in the Navajo Tribal Police, who looks after his people while holding a healthy suspicion of outsiders. Kiowa Gordon plays Jim Chee, Joe’s deputy, who has worked undercover for the F.B.I., gaining intel on radical Indigenous political groups. “Dark Winds” combines complex mystery plots with an insider’s take on Navajo culture for a unique spin on the crime drama that feels like it’s taking place in an older, wilder America. Our critic said the show “has a sensibility that draws you in.” (“Unbelievable” is another hard-hitting crime drama in which the investigators’ personal identities help them do their jobs.)
‘Alone Australia’ (2023-present)
Unlike nearly every other reality show about people surviving in the wilderness, the endurance competition “Alone” — as well as its international spinoff, “Alone Australia” — has no camera crews. Instead, the participants have to record themselves as they build shelters, hunt and forage for food, and try to avoid predators for days, weeks and even months all by themselves. The isolation leads to some moments of self-reflection and quiet awe that are rare for a nature series, although the primary appeal of “Alone” is the chance to watch clever outdoorsy types carve out lives for themselves, far from civilization. Our critic wrote, “The skill and determination many contestants demonstrate is a welcome dose of wonder.” (Some seasons of the original “Alone” are also on Netflix.)
‘Running Point’ (2025-present)
Kate Hudson stars in this lively sports sitcom, based loosely on the life of the Los Angeles Lakers president Jeanie Buss. When a family scandal leaves a basketball-savvy woman in charge of the pro team that her father and brothers ran for decades, she has to overcome sexism, infighting and intense public scrutiny to put the floundering franchise back into playoff contention. The writer-producer team of Mindy Kaling, Ike Barinholtz and David Stassen position this show as the story of an underdog, proving she can handle the big personalities in the world of athletics. Our critic said “Running Point” has “an affable, sunny ease.” (Basketball fans should also enjoy the documentary series “Court of Gold,” a behind-the-scenes look at the 2024 Olympic tournament.)
‘The Recruit’ (2022-25)
In this action-comedy, Noah Centineo plays Owen Hendricks, a Washington D.C. lawyer just beginning his career at the C.I.A. While most of his older colleagues try their hardest to avoid standing out at the agency, Owen from day one keeps finding himself stumbling into missions involving rogue assets, internal corruption and so much money and resources that he ends up on the radar of the U.S. government’s top bureaucrats. Created by Alexi Hawley — a veteran of crime TV who also created “The Rookie” — “The Recruit” is fast-paced and funny, with just the right combination of cynicism and admiration when it comes to the organizations in charge of national security. (“The Diplomat” is another snappy show set in the world of high-stakes international politics.)
‘Mo’ (2022-25)
The stand-up comic Mohammed Amer turns his memories of growing up as a Palestinian refugee in Houston into a well-balanced mix of comedy and drama in his series “Mo.” Amer plays the title character: a burly, wry, Muslim American hustler trying to make a life for himself while staying off the government’s radar because his citizenship status is shaky. The show thoughtfully explores what it’s like to grow up in a country — and to embrace much of its culture — while often being made to feel unwelcome. Our critic wrote, “The show slides among English, Spanish and Arabic — and between goofy and serious — to create a rich and vivid portrait.” (For a different kind of dramedy about the American immigrant experience, watch “Never Have I Ever.”)
‘Cobra Kai’ (2018-present)
A “30 years later” sequel to the hit 1984 movie “The Karate Kid,” this fan-friendly series — which packs “a surprising emotional punch,” according to a reporter for the Times — brings back the original’s hero and villain, still played by Ralph Macchio and William Zabka. The story sees them facing off against each other again, as mentors to a new generation of karate students. The show has enormous nostalgic appeal, but it is more complicated than the usual “underdogs versus bullies” arc. Instead, “Cobra Kai” gets into the family histories and the socioeconomic circumstances that made these characters who they are. (“House of Ninjas” is another martial arts drama about how violent family legacies can be hard to overcome.)Watch it on Netflix
‘Territory’ (2024)
“Yellowstone” is the most obvious point of comparison for this Australian neo-western, given that both shows are about dynastic ranching families trying to hold on to their business as rivals converge — some shady, and some with more righteous claims to the land. “Territory” isn’t as soapy or pulpy as “Yellowstone.” It takes a more serious look at a place where generations of white settlers have fought to carve out a living in a harsh landscape that doesn’t really belong to them. “Territory” features a couple of actors well-known to American prestige TV audiences: Anna Torv (“Fringe,” “Mindhunter”) as a woman trying to hold her family together, and Michael Dorman (“Patriot,” “For All Mankind”) as her often underestimated rancher husband. (“Godless” is another smart western mini-series with women at the center of the story.)Watch it on Netflix
‘Younger’ (2015-21)
Created by the “Sex and the City” producer Darren Star, “Younger” stars Sutton Foster as a middle-aged divorcée who poses as a hip millennial in order to land a job in the New York publishing business. Over the course of its seven seasons, this shrewd and cynical series deals with more than just the generation gap, as Star and his team explore the fragile state of modern media. Our critic wrote, “It’s a lighthearted but wistfully knowing look at the gender imbalances and generational rifts that make life hard for even fabulous women.” (The high school sitcom “A.P. Bio” is another sharp show about someone who pursues a new career after his life takes an unexpected turn.)
‘Squid Game’ (2021-present)
This colorful, cleverly plotted Korean thriller tells a darkly compelling story about desperate people competing in dangerous contests. In “Squid Game,” a few hundred men and women, most of them deeply in debt, play deadly versions of children’s schoolyard games, fighting for a chance to win an enormous sum of money. The show has become an international sensation in part because of its flashy visual style, but also because it speaks to some common anxieties in an age of stagnant wages and diminished social mobility. Our critic wrote, “The delight of childhood here is warped by the cruel economics of the adult world, where one person’s delight is another’s misery.” (Another addicting Korean genre series is “The Frog,” about decades of dark secrets in a remote vacation community.)
‘Cunk on Earth’ (2023)
For over a decade now, the English comedian Diane Morgan has played a character named Philomena Cunk: a gravely serious television host whose documentaries about culture and history get most of their facts hilariously wrong. The five-part series “Cunk on Earth,” created by the “Black Mirror” mastermind Charlie Brooker, is an excellent introduction to Morgan’s sly, knowing spoof of the stubbornly ill-informed (as is the one-off special “Cunk on Life”). Cunk’s ignorance serves as a biting satire of a certain kind of TV personality, who uses pomposity to mask incuriosity. Our critic wrote, “The show’s comic strategy is simple but relentless.” (For another smart spin on nonfiction TV, watch “Documentary Now!,” which knowingly parodies classic nonfiction films.)
‘Outlander’ (2014-present)
“Game of Thrones” gets more attention, but “Outlander” has been just as successful at adapting a sprawling book series — and at mixing political intrigue with high fantasy. Based on Diana Gabaldon’s novels about a time traveling 20th century English doctor (Caitriona Balfe) and her romance with an 18th century Scottish rebel (Sam Heughan), the show offers big battles, wilderness adventure and frank sexuality. It has a rare historical scope as well, covering the changing times and factional conflicts in Europe and the Americas, across centuries. Our critic wrote that it should appeal to viewers who “have a weakness for muskets, accents and the occasional roll in the heather.” (The postapocalyptic zombie drama “The Walking Dead” is another addicting epic fantasy television series.)
‘A Man on the Inside’ (2024-present)
It’s rare to see a sitcom based on a documentary, but this adaptation of Maite Alberdi’s 2020 film “The Mole Agent” is a superb adaptation of some unlikely source material, with the series’ creator Michael Schur capturing the doc’s sweet story and wistful tone. Ted Danson plays Charles, a widowed retiree who gets hired by a private detective to go undercover at an old folks’ home to investigate a theft. The more he gets to know the residents, the more Charlie begins to think of them as peers, not suspects. Our critic wrote, “The show is as gentle and mild as baby soap, though it could hardly promise no tears.” (For another humanist comedy created by Schur and starring Danson, watch “The Good Place.”)
‘Arcane’ (2021-24)
Based on characters and concepts from the “League of Legends” video game franchise, this animated epic explores the strained relationship between the wealthy residents of a utopian city and the community of scavengers who live below them, in an underground community. The story centers on two orphaned sisters from down below, Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell), who over the course of several years find themselves torn between various factions of rebels and aristocrats, often on opposing sides. Their complicated relationship provides a frame for a sprawling tale of magic, technology and class conflict, rendered in eye-catching detail. Our critic promised, “Newbies can jump in cold and still be transported.” (“Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld” is another animated action-fantasy series aimed at anyone who grew up with video games, comic books and cable TV cartoons.)Watch it on Netflix
‘Black Doves’ (2024-present)
In this sharp political thriller, Keira Knightley plays Helen, a secret agent married to her target: a British politician (Andrew Buchan) whose career is on the rise. Ben Whishaw plays Sam, Helen’s close friend and colleague, who tries to help get her out of trouble with their ruthless boss (Sarah Lancashire) when an inconvenient murder threatens to expose their whole operation. This is a twisty, character-driven tale of treachery and deceit. A Times article about the modern wave of spy series noted the question this show raises: “What is the human toll of all this subterfuge and chaos?” (For a more historical perspective on cat-and-mouse games in Britain, watch the decades-spanning underworld crime saga “Peaky Blinders.”)
‘Ripley’ (2024)
Based on Patricia Highsmith’s classic thriller novel “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” this mini-series stars Andrew Scott as Tom Ripley, a small-time New York con artist hired to keep tabs on a free-spending rich kid named Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn) and Dickie’s girlfriend, Marge (Dakota Fanning), as they lounge around Italy. But as soon as Ripley gets a taste of the couple’s jet-setting lifestyle, he starts making plans to usurp it. The writer-director-producer Steven Zaillian shoots the show in moody black-and-white, taking the story back to his noir roots. Our critic wrote, “Highsmith’s pulpy concoction, with its hair-trigger killings and sudden reversals, is run through a strainer and comes out smooth.” (“The Queen’s Gambit” is another drama about a mercurial misfit, rich in retro style.)
‘Detroiters’ (2017-18)
The comic actors Sam Richardson and Tim Robinson both grew up in Michigan and did improv together in Detroit. They later returned to the city to star in this sitcom they co-created about a couple of best friends who run a small-time advertising agency, pouring their hearts and souls into goofy low-budget commercials. “Detroiters” is a salute to friendship and to Detroit, filled with local color and some hilariously raunchy jokes. Our critic praised its “likable idiocy,” and added, “There is a labor-of-love component to the show.” (Richardson and Robinson have continued to collaborate in the meme-generating sketch comedy series “I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson.”)
‘Better Call Saul’ (2015-2022)
The “Breaking Bad” prequel series, “Better Call Saul,” covers the early days of the can-do lawyer Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) as he evolves into the ethically challenged criminal attorney “Saul Goodman.” Jimmy occasionally crosses paths with another “Breaking Bad” regular, the ex-cop Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), during Mike’s first forays into the Albuquerque drug-trafficking business. Throughout this incredibly entertaining crime story, these two very different men discover the rewards and the perils of skirting the law as they anger powerful enemies and make trouble for their own allies. Our critic wrote, “Cutting against the desperation and violence that frame it, ‘Saul,’ in its dark, straight-faced way, is one of the funniest dramas on television.” (Also a must-see? “Breaking Bad,” of course.)
‘The Great British Baking Show’ (2010-present)
Home bakers gather in a tent in the English countryside, where they make pastries and breads in front of demanding judges and supportive comedians. The cooking competition show has been done in dozens of different ways, but there’s still something special about “The Great British Baking Show,” a life-affirming series in which contestants of various ages and socio-ethnic backgrounds hug one another, cry together and enjoy a sense of camaraderie. This remains one of the best shows in the genre, even with the multiple changes in hosts and judges over the years. Writing for The Times, Tom Whyman called it “the key to understanding today’s Britain.” (For another classy cooking competition, watch “Top Chef.”)
‘Lost’ (2004-10)
In 2004 — 20 years ago — ABC debuted the science-fiction adventure series “Lost,” beginning with a fantastic pilot episode in which a seemingly random group of airline passengers crash-lands on a mystical island. In the decades since, the show’s reputation has waxed and waned; although these days its rep is on an upswing, as old fans and new get drawn into the mind-bending puzzles, memorable characters, big-budget polish and impressive narrative scope that makes “Lost” so entertaining. Our critic wrote, “Behind all the suspense and scary music, ‘Lost’ shows traces of sly humor — and that is a rare and valuable thing on a network drama.” (The popular science-fiction and horror pastiche “Stranger Things” is one of the many series influenced by the mysteries and character-building of “Lost.”)
‘Sweet Tooth’ (2021-present)
It’s rare to find a postapocalyptic saga as focused on hopefulness and personal connection as “Sweet Tooth,” the writer-director Jim Mickle’s adaptation of Jeff Lemire’s comic book series. Christian Convery plays Gus, a human/animal hybrid who looks like a cross between a deer and a little boy. Alongside a burly guardian (Nonso Anozie) who has his own painful secrets, Gus sets off on a mission to find more of his kind, across a near-future America that has been transformed by a pandemic and a wave of mutations. Along the way these two cross paths with other people trying to fix a damaged world. Our critic wrote, “The show can be brutally dark, and its plague stories are sometimes uncomfortably resonant right now, but it’s also, well, hugely endearing.” (For another imaginative fantasy series, try “The Witcher.”)
‘Archer’ (2009-23)
The title of this raunchy animated series refers to a hard-boiled, womanizing, stubbornly juvenile assassin (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin), who is the star agent in a private black-ops organization… although he infuriates most of his colleagues. “Archer” is partly a parody of high-tech spy movies and partly a twisted riff on office politics; and over the course of its 14 seasons, the show’s writers kept finding ways to keep their premise fresh without sacrificing the stylish action sequences or dirty jokes. Our critic wrote, “In the age of correctness, everything about these characters is incorrect, a caustic brand of humor that isn’t for everybody but that has brought the show a dedicated fan base.” (“BoJack Horseman” is another sharp, funny animated series for adults.)
‘Girls5eva’ (2021-present)
Equal parts tuneful, hilarious and poignant, this rocket-paced sitcom follows four middle-aged singers — all part of a flash-in-the-pan chart-topping act over 20 years ago — as they attempt a comeback in an era that has all but forgotten them. The multitalented Sara Bareilles, Busy Philipps, Paula Pell and Renée Elise Goldsberry play the group, who enjoy being together again so much that they’re willing to suffer the indignities of the modern music business, where viral fame on the internet has more sway than good songs and decent record sales. Our critic said the show “has a laser focus on media, a breakneck joke pace and a jagged-edged feminist wit.” (For another self-referential sitcom, watch “Arrested Development.”)
‘Seinfeld’ (1989-98)
“Seinfeld” is often referred to by its creators, Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, as “a show about nothing,” but that is only partly true. Ostensibly about a self-absorbed stand-up comic (Seinfeld) and his cranky friends, the series became one of the most popular sitcoms of the 1990s thanks to its impressively intricate plots, which convert life’s minor annoyances into complicated and absurd adventures. Reviewing the early episodes, our critic praised Seinfeld himself, saying he is “fascinated with minute details and he collects them with a keen sense of discernment.” (Seinfeld keeps exploring his persnickety obsessions while interviewing some of the funniest people in showbiz in “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.”)
‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ (2015-20)
Easily the most upbeat sitcom ever made about a woman who escaped from an oppressively patriarchal religious cult, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” stars Ellie Kemper as Kimmy, who somehow keeps her youthful enthusiasm when she arrives in New York City after 15 years imprisoned in a bunker. A stellar supporting cast — including Tituss Burgess as Kimmy’s perpetually jobless roommate, Carol Kane as her activist landlord and Jane Krakowski as her overprivileged boss — brings range to this show’s unusually sunny, zingy vision of 2010s New York. Our critic wrote, “The series leavens wacky absurdity with acid wit and is very funny.” (The “Kimmy” creators, Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, also produced the equally hilarious but under-seen sitcom “Great News.”)
We also have lists of the best movies on Netflix, Max and Amazon Prime Video, along with the best TV and movies on Hulu and Disney+
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