Looking for the best Netflix shows in the US right now? We update this list of the 30 best Netflix shows every week with new recommendations of series to stream. Sure, Netflix has lost The Office in 2021, a binge-watching favorite of ours, but below we’ve highlighted plenty of other great sitcoms that are worth watching on the service.
Our best Netflix TV shows list factors in big hitters like Stranger Things and The Crown, alongside newer offerings like Bridgerton or Cobra Kai. Netflix US has so much content to watch that we try to keep the process of finding something new to stream nice and simple for you – we’ve just added big Netflix true crime hit Murder Among the Mormons to this list, for example, which is well worth a look if you like that genre.
You’ll also find favorites like The Witcher, Breaking Bad and The Umbrella Academy in our list of the best Netflix TV shows below. Be sure to read our list of best Netflix movies, too, or best Netflix documentaries if you’re in the mood for factual entertainment.
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Murder Among The Mormons
Netflix’s true crime documentaries are a fairly mixed affair overall, but Murder Among the Mormons hits the mark. It’s about convicted forger and bomber Mark Hofmann, who created highly convincing and coveted fake documents related to the Church of Latter Day Saints, and this documentary explores his rise to fame and eventual downfall. It’s less exploitative than a lot of true crime fare – and a fascinating story if you weren’t around when the events in question actually went down.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
Good Girls
If you’re a bit burned out on prestige-style weighty dramas, this NBC series might be the perfect tonic. It’s about three women (played by Christina Hendricks, Retta and Mae Whitman) who turn to crime because they’re sick of the daily grind. Naturally, they get in over their head pretty quickly – yet their criminal ambition only grows over time. This is a fun show with a great cast, and is an easy watch. No wonder it’s become something of a Netflix hit in these weighty times, being a fixture in the service’s top 10 most-watched shows.
Seasons on Netflix: 3
Chappelle’s Show
Highly influential sketch show Chappelle’s Show vanished from Netflix US last year, but has now returned to the service after comedian Dave Chappelle made a deal with the series’ owners that paid out well. That means you can now enjoy this innovative series’ run of amazing jokes and recurring characters in full – including one of our favorite skits, which accurately portrays PS2-era Grand Theft Auto as it would play out in real life.
Seasons on Netflix: 3
The Sinner
This popular crime series focuses on a different case each season, with Bill Pullman – who’s almost interchangeable with Kurt Russell and Jeff Bridges in his appearance these days – playing tortured detective Harry Ambrose.
The first season sees Ambrose looking into the seemingly senseless killing of a stranger by a woman called Cora (Jessica Biel). While the story gets a little preposterous in how it unravels, the performances by Pullman and Biel make this worth checking out.
Subsequent seasons focus on other cases, and feature new ensemble casts. The most recent, third season of The Sinner focuses on Ambrose investigating a car crash where the driver died and a passenger survived, though all is not as it seems. Matt Bomer stars in that run of episodes.
Seasons on Netflix: 3
Lupin
The word ‘Lupin’ might make you think of a million anime movies, and this French series literally uses thief character Arsène Lupin as a point of inspiration for its protagonist. Omar Sy plays Assane Diop, the son of a Senegalese immigrant who was wrongly imprisoned for theft, at the behest of his powerful employer. Decades after his father commits suicide, Assane plots revenge on the employer’s family, using ‘gentleman thief’ skills inspired by the Lupin character. The Incredible Hulk director Louis Leterrier is behind this watchable series – with only five episodes available right now, it won’t take you long to get through it.
A second part of five episodes is due to drop later in 2021 on Netflix.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
Bridgerton
This bold and sexually-charged Netflix period drama, based on Julia Quinn’s romance novels, has quickly become the talk of the ‘ton’. It follows a coterie of young socialites as they navigate a season of balls, betrothals, and betrayals in 1813 London – and attempt to outmanoeuvre the mysterious Lady Whistledown, whose ‘gossip sheets’ are able to make or break a debutante’s reputation overnight.
It’s largely a blast, with sharp screenwriting, costumes and backdrops bursting with color, and playful covers of Taylor Swift or Ariana Grande on period-appropriate instruments. Its diverse casting is a relief, too, underlining Bridgerton’s willingness to modernize and shake up an often stuffy genre.
It’s not all smooth sailing, particularly in its troublesome treatment of sexual assault in one unfortunately memorable episode. Given the talent on board, and the generally warm reception, though, we hope the show’s creatives can treat its relationships with a bit more care in just-confirmed season 2 of the show.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
Cobra Kai
Once a YouTube original, Netflix recently snapped up the rights to Karate Kid continuation TV show Cobra Kai. Set 34 years after Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) was defeated by Danny LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), the former opens the Cobra Kai dojo once more to teach a new generation of kids how to fight. This sparks Johnny and Danny’s old rivalry, with Danny being the show’s villain this time, a clever flip of the original film’s premise.
If you love Karate Kid, this show is a lot of fun, and both its leads are in surprisingly great condition considering they’re each performing fight stunts in their fifties. Season 3 just dropped on Netflix, and Cobra Kai season 4 is in the works, too.
Seasons on Netflix: 3
The Haunting of Hill House/Bly Manor
If you’re looking for the best Netflix horror TV show, The Haunting of Hill House is it – followed by this year’s successor series in what’s becoming an anthology, The Haunting of Bly Manor. Hill House is about a family returning to their old home to reckon with the events that drove them away from it, a story with many genuinely terrifying moments, brought to life by a terrific ensemble cast (including Carla Gugino and Henry Thomas).
Bly Manor, meanwhile, doesn’t entirely reach the same scary heights – it’s about an American au pair who looks after some widowed children in another giant old house which itself has plenty of spooky goings-on, but it’s a gothic romance at its heart, and admirably different to Hill House. Both are worth binge-watching on Netflix.
Seasons on Netflix: 2
Big Mouth
Big Mouth is so successful for Netflix that it’s renewed the gross-out animated comedy up until season 6 – season 4, meanwhile, just dropped in December 2020. It’s about a group of 7th grade kids who are toughing it out through the trials of puberty while living in New York City.
Each of the kids are haunted by hormone monsters, influencing their decisions. It’s pretty disgusting at times, but very funny, helped by a fantastic ensemble of voice actors including John Mulaney, Jordan Peele, Jenny Slate and Nick Kroll. Worth watching if you’re a fan of adult animated comedy generally.
Seasons on Netflix: 4
The Crown
The Crown was Netflix’s first big swing at a British prestige drama, the likes of which normally come from the BBC. The show’s enormous budget results in a lavish depiction of the life of Queen Elizabeth II, first played by Claire Foy, and most recently portrayed by Olivia Colman in season 3, with a killer ensemble cast to boot.
Even if you have mixed feelings about the royal family in real life, this honest-feeling show is well worth watching. The Crown season 4 – exploring Charles and Diana’s relationship, and featuring Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher – is available now, and it’s as juicy and compelling as ever. Two more seasons featuring Imelda Staunton as the Queen are planned, too, with The Crown season 5 expected in 2022.
Seasons on Netflix: 3
The Queen’s Gambit
This seven-episode miniseries is the latest great Netflix show – and while the subject of chess might not sound exciting, The Queen’s Gambit manages to weave it together with a tale of self-actualization, romance and drug abuse. Anya Taylor-Joy stars as Beth Harmon, an orphan trained to play chess by a talented janitor, before she challenges the very male-dominated chess scene with her skills. Essentially, her talents land her a slightly better life, but not without a price.
Even if you don’t really know how to play chess, these competitive scenes are exciting to watch in The Queen’s Job, and Taylor-Joy does a great job of bringing to life a character whose exceptional talents hide the fact that she’s constantly grappling with addiction. Based on the novel of the same name, this adaptation counts Scott Frank as one of its co-creators, who previously made another of the best Netflix shows – the Western drama Godless.
This is a great Netflix binge watch: seven episodes is just the right number. Well worth watching.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
Bodyguard
Bodyguard is the most recent show from Jed Mercurio, the British writer and director behind Bodies and addictive, edge-of-your-seat police procedural, Line of Duty. Bodyguard, however, takes the action up a notch as the titular security guy (Richard Madden) is assigned to protect a senior politician (Keeley Hawes), until their professional relationship unravels into a steamily personal one.
It was criticized at the time of release as not being entirely realistic, but you probably won’t care as you’re swept up by Bodyguard’s relentless, breathless momentum.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
The Great British Baking Show
Netflix’s range of food shows are world-beating, from The Chef Show to Sugar Rush. This Great British Baking Show, a popular import from the UK, is a long-running favorite, now rolling out weekly in its eighth cycle. It’s about a bunch of amateur bakers competing to be the best, with themed weeks to navigate around bread, biscuits and other foodstuffs – it can get dramatic, but it’s a deeply comforting show to watch. A massive hit in the UK, US viewers have taken to it, too. This year’s hosts are mainstay Paul Hollywood, Noel Fielding, Prue Leith and Matt Lucas.
Seasons on Netflix: 8
Schitt’s Creek
Canadian sitcom Schitt’s Creek has caused an upset at the 2020 Emmy Awards by beating the likes of The Good Place and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel to the Outstanding Comedy Series award. And why not? Eugene and Dan Levy’s sitcom about a rich family forced to move to a town they once purchased as a joke is both hilarious and heartwarming – and has slowly gained a big following through its presence on Netflix. Netflix has now added the sixth and final season of the series, and it really is one of the best Netflix shows.
Seasons on Netflix: 6
The Good Place
At last, Netflix has the fourth and final season of afterlife-themed sitcom The Good Place to watch after it finished on NBC earlier this year. While the first season is still its strongest – a big twist means that seasons 2 and 3 spend a lot of time treading water – it’s one of the funniest TV shows around when it comes to raw joke writing. And the characterization of its four leads – Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani and Jason – is the reason to keep watching.
If you’ve never seen it before, the show starts with Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell) being sent to heaven after her death, despite being a pretty awful person during her lifetime. The mystery of how she ended up there, in a neighborhood under the stewardship of the entity Michael (Ted Danson), is slowly unpicked into a much deeper plot.
Seasons on Netflix: 4
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Considered one of the great modern animated series, Avatar: The Last Airbender is set in a world where a select few can ‘bend’ the elements (fire, water, air and earth) to their will. Aang, a young boy and the last of his people, is the ‘Avatar’, who will journey to harness all four elements and keep the peace between the nations of his world. It’s an anime-infused, beautiful-looking series that’s worth checking out, even if you feel like you might be a little too old for a kids’ cartoon.
The sequel series The Legend of Korra is now available on Netflix, too, as of August 2020, so you’ll have plenty of episodes to get through if it turns out to be your sort of thing.
Seasons on Netflix: 3
The Umbrella Academy
Netflix showed it didn’t need to collaborate with Marvel to make a great superhero show, as this quirky adaptation of the Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá-created series of comics proves. In Umbrella Academy, superpowered siblings – the Hargreeves – reunite after their adopted father is murdered, and together face a possible apocalypse.
With an excellent ensemble cast that includes the likes of Elliot Page and Robert Sheehan, this breezy and fun show almost makes up for the lack of new Marvel content coming to Netflix. The Umbrella Academy season 2 is available now, too, taking the Hargreeves somewhere else entirely, and it’s even better than the first season, and The Umbrella Academy season 3 is now in the works.
Seasons on Netflix: 2
The Last Dance
Released on Netflix in July 2020 after originally airing on ESPN, The Last Dance is the biggest and best sports documentary of the year. With comprehensive access and unseen footage from the time, this eight-part series focuses on Michael Jordan’s basketball career, specifically his final season playing for the Chicago Bulls in 1997-98.
The talking heads here include Jordan himself, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, who each discuss their role in the team’s unstoppable run. Even if basketball isn’t really your thing, the insight here into what made such a successful team is fascinating, as are the unpleasant clashes behind the scenes. It’s one of the best Netflix documentaries you can watch right now.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
Dark
Dark is a dense, time travel-infused show that’s utterly enthralling once you’ve given it a chance. We recommend watching all three seasons of this now-complete Netflix sci-fi show in one extended session over the course of a few weeks, just so you can follow the events of what’s going on closely. We also advise not reading much else about it: go in and be surprised by how well-plotted and cast this German-language series is.
This is the best Netflix show to watch right now if you’re looking for a drama that’ll give your brain a workout.
Seasons on Netflix: 3
New Girl
Netflix US hasn’t had Friends all year, but if you’re missing that sitcom, New Girl is probably its closest relative on the streaming service. With a surprisingly prolific 145 episodes, New Girl (at first) is about Jess (Zooey Deschanel), who moves in with three unusual housemates after her boyfriend cheats on her. Those housemates are Nick (Jake Johnson), Schmidt (Max Greenfield) and Winston (Lamorne Morris).
New Girl can get a little repetitive, especially with that many episodes under its belt, but later seasons are mixed up by the return of pilot episode star Coach (Damon Wayans Jr) and the addition of Megan Fox to the cast when Deschanel takes maternity leave. This is one of the best Netflix shows if you just want something light and fun to have on in the background.
Seasons on Netflix: 7
Halt and Catch Fire
Halt and Catch Fire is about the earliest days of computing, and a group of geniuses challenging IBM at their own game. Really, though, it’s the basis for an intense character-led period drama set in the ’80s, with a fantastic ensemble cast (Lee Pace, Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis, among others).
Halt and Catch Fire is often compared to Mad Men, since both aired on AMC in the US, and each is a period drama about an important American industry with similarly deep character development. Unlike Mad Men, though, it was immensely overlooked during its initial run, and is definitely one of the best Netflix shows around right now, even if it’s fair to call it a hidden gem.
Seasons on Netflix: 4
Hannibal
Netflix US has added all three seasons of Hannibal to stream, and you’re in for a treat if you’ve never seen it. While this crime thriller was cancelled after season 3, that doesn’t actually matter: this adaptation of Thomas Harris’ books about cannibal Hannibal Lecter tells a complete story. FBI profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) works closely with psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) to solve cases involving serial killers, while Lecter commits heinous crimes in secret.
What starts as a stylish procedural, though, becomes a more complex, serialized show in season 2. By season 3, which adapts the Red Dragon story, Hannibal becomes wonderfully avant-garde, essentially crafting a bizarre and bloody romance between Graham and Lecter. Creator Bryan Fuller imbues this show with his own sense of style, and the fantastic supporting cast features the likes of Laurence Fishburne and Gillian Anderson.
Seasons on Netflix: 3
The Witcher
Netflix’s first big fantasy series is an adaptation of The Witcher books by Andrzej Sapkowski, which were already adapted into a series of popular games. If you were disappointed by the end of Game of Thrones, it’s a treat. Henry Cavill plays monster hunter Geralt of Rivia in a story that spans decades and wars between nations, though the best parts of season 1 are the monster-of-the-week episodes that see Geralt facing off against a dark creature. These usually have twist endings, too, and they’re a treat.
The Witcher doesn’t quite feel like ‘prestige’ TV in the way Game of Thrones tried to be, but that’s not a bad thing. This is an enjoyable, funny fantasy series that still looks extremely expensive. With a great supporting cast and a well-drawn world, there’s plenty to be excited about in The Witcher season 2, which is in the works for 2021. And if you’re struggling to follow the show’s unusual time-hopping structure, check out The Witcher timeline to figure it all out.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
Queer Eye
Need a dose of feel-good TV to help cope with today’s rocky political landscape? Check out Queer Eye, a show about being the best you with help from five of the coolest dudes on the planet. The show will gets its fifth season in 2020 and we’re still loving the premise of taking people stuck in a rut and hoisting them to the self-respecting, self-loving person we all want to be. Season 5 is now available.
Seasons on Netflix: 5
American Crime Story
Both seasons of FX’s American Crime Story are among the best shows on Netflix, though they’re listed under separate entries depending on the case they’re based on. The first, The People Vs OJ Simpson, digs deep into the shocking murder trial, including the legal teams on both sides. It features an amazing ensemble cast, notably Sarah Paulson, Sterling K Brown, John Travolta and an excellent David Schwimmer.
The second, meanwhile, The Assassination of Gianni Versace, is about the murder of the famous fashion designer by spree killer Andrew Cunanan (brought to life in scary, thrilling fashion by Darren Criss). The series then flashes back to show what happened to Cunanan’s previous victims.
It’s fair to say each has a slightly trashy veneer, and you never really feel like you’re watching something entirely factual. But they’re engaging interpretations of shocking events from recent history, and each is used to shed light on the world we live in now.
Seasons on Netflix: 2
Money Heist
Don’t let the strangely goofy name put you off. Money Heist, or La Casa del Papel as it’s known in Spanish-speaking countries, is a thrilling heist drama about a group of criminals brought together by an enigmatic figure called The Professor to rob the Royal Mint of Spain. With dense characterization, big twists and career-making performances, this is an unusual and clever heist show that’ll grip you right away.
While it’s been a huge hit with a Spanish-speaking audience for the longest time, Money Heist has now found a big audience in the English-speaking world, too. A new set of episodes just dropped on Netflix, meaning you’ve got 31 episodes to watch if you’ve never seen it before, divided over two separate overarching stories about the same set of characters.
Whatever you do, make sure you switch the default dub off and listen to the original Spanish audio with subtitles. This series could be the best Netflix show you’ve not seen yet.
Seasons on Netflix: 2 (divided into four parts)
The NBC cult comedy favorite from the co-creator of Rick and Morty has landed on Netflix, and it’s picking up an all-new audience about a decade after it originally aired. This sitcom about a community college study group starts as a more conventional show about its educational setting, but Community reaches the next level when it starts experimenting with pop culture parodies and high-concept episodes.
If you’re new to the show, keep watching until season 1’s action extravaganza ‘Modern Warfare’, which firmly establishes Community’s identity for later years. Some seasons are fantastic (2, 3 and 5), some are just quite good (1 and 6) and one is worth avoiding entirely (4). This is a perfect binge watch for this moment. Get on it.
Seasons on Netflix: 6
Ozark
Ozark was hit by comparisons to Breaking Bad early on, for its tale of a seemingly good guy who’s dragged into deep criminal activities. But it’s a very different beast, not least in its visually distinctive titular setting. By its third season, it’s forged its own path as a family drama.
Marty Bryde (Jason Bateman) moves his family to the Ozarks in Missouri, where he has to launder $500 million for a drug lord who threatens his family, including his wife, Wendy (Laura Linney). This dark, adult series is a dramatic breakthrough role for comedy veteran Bateman, who also directs episodes in each season. You’ve got to be in the right mood for it, but if you enjoy shows like Fargo, you’ll find this a compelling watch.
Ozark is one of the most underrated series on Netflix, and is worth watching just for Wendy’s character development and Linney’s performance.
Seasons on Netflix: 3
Better Call Saul
Breaking Bad prequel spin-off Better Call Saul has almost been around for as long as its predecessor, with its fifth season airing right now on AMC. You probably caught the first few episodes of season 1 in the wave of hype around Breaking Bad’s finale, but it’s worth giving later seasons of this spin-off the same level of attention.
Jimmy McGill’s transformation into Saul Goodman is a steady, delicate character study that brings in a whole ensemble cast of memorable new faces, notably Jimmy’s older brother Chuck (Michael McKean). It also gives us more time with Breaking Bad favorite Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), and other iconic figures from that series which we won’t reveal here. Carrying slightly more dark humor than the preceding series, it’s absolutely worth catching up on before it ends in 2021 with Better Call Saul season 6.
Seasons on Netflix: 4
Sex Education
Starring Gillian Anderson and Asa Butterfield alongside a slew of previously unknown actors, this British comedy is a treat. It’s about the students, parents and teachers of Moordale Secondary School, where Butterfield plays Otis, the son of sex therapist Dr Jean Milburn (Anderson). He teams up with Maeve (Emma Mackey) to open their own in-school sex education clinic, and help fellow students out with their various issues.
It’s a very empathetic and heartwarming show that expertly explores topical issues around sexual identity and gender, and it’s really funny to boot. Sex Education season 3 is filming now, and we’re expecting it in 2021.
Seasons on Netflix: 2
Mindhunter
David Fincher is no stranger to Netflix, since he directed the first ever episode of House of Cards, but Mindhunter is Fincher going … well, full Fincher. It’s based on John Douglas’ book of the same name and charts the life of an FBI profiler whose job it is to track serial killers. It’s set in the ’70s and later the early ’80s, and sees its trifecta of lead characters interviewing famous serial killers in often tense encounters.
Fincher is extremely hands-on, too, directing four episodes of season one and three of season two. Unfortunately, Mindhunter season 3 is on “indefinite hold”, but we’re hopeful for its eventual return, given that this is some of the director’s best work to date.
Seasons on Netflix: 2
Stranger Things
When it comes to TV and movies, the ’80s is the nostalgia decade of the moment. Filmmakers can’t get enough of Ghostbusters, shell suits and Sony Walkmans.
Stranger Things is another brilliant homage to this era. Leaning heavily on Spielberg, John Carpenter and Stephen King, the story revolves around a small town, a group of friends, a missing person and a dodgy science lab. Writing anything else would give away the myriad twists in a show that is full of brilliant creepy fun.
The third season hit last year and it was fantastic, and each subsequent set of episodes just deepens your investment in these kids’ stories and friendships. Season 4 of Stranger Things is now filming.
Seasons on Netflix: 3
Dear White People
If you like your cultural analysis with a dose of humor, Dear White People is the show for you. Starring Logan Browning at the conflicted Sam White, Dear White People navigates the tricky grounds of race relations in America in the post-Obama-but-yet-not-post-racism era.
The first few episodes back away from hitting on anything too heavy but come episodes five and six, you get a biting sense of why this show is so needed at this point in our history. Funny, clever and dripping in wit, Dear White People isn’t so much an attack on American ideals as it is a series about exploring, explaining, defending and deliberating the issues facing people of color in the US.
Seasons on Netflix: 3
Russian Doll
Orange Is The New Black’s Natasha Lyonne stars in this dark comedy as Nadia, who keeps dying and reliving her 36th birthday party in a surreal time loop – much like Groundhog Day.
With its cynical and witty examination of living and dying, Russian Doll switches rapidly between laugh-out-loud hilarity and devastating sadness – it’s a must-watch. In June 2019, Netflix announced it had renewed Russian Doll for a second season, which is well-deserved.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
Bojack Horseman
Bojack Horseman has just completed its six-season run, and, well, its finale left one of our writers in tears for most of a weekend.
Following the life of washed up actor Bojack as he struggles with alcoholism, toxic relationships, and family issues, the series is just as heartwarming as it can be heartbreaking. For those who are worried it may be too dark for them, fear not – there’s loads of slapstick humor, word play, and stunning animation to keep everything balanced.
Seasons on Netflix: 6
Breaking Bad
More addictive than the meth pushed by Walt and Jesse, Breaking Bad is brilliant binge-watching television. The initial plot is simple: a straight-laced teacher is told he has cancer and to make sure he leaves his family with the best possible life, he turns to drug making and dealing.
There’s method to his madness as he ends up being pretty good at it. Creator Vince Gilligan has created such a good group of characters, he is currently mining the same world again with Better Call Saul, which arguably reaches similar heights and is also available on Netflix, as mentioned. Netflix also released a movie sequel focused on Jesse in late 2019, El Camino.
Seasons on Netflix: 5 (and one movie)