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Netflix has been a big part of the television industry these last several years, opening the doors for the consumption of more diverse and unique content. To simply put it, there are many shows on Netflix... that you could only ever picture being on Netflix, because while most other networks (whether in the U.S. or other countries) like to 'play it safe', Netflix is pretty much open to anything, which has lead them to developing quite a rich library of originals series over multiple different countries and genres.
According to the TV Time app, I have now watched 100+ Netflix original series. So to commemorate this, I've decided to make a list of what I think are the best offerings I've seen from the #1 streaming network so far.
Top 20 Netflix original series (I've seen so far):
NB: For this list I'll only be considering shows distributed globally as "Netflix originals" (that are still currently available on the streaming service). No acquired content (Riverdale, Better Call Saul etc.). No international exclusives (Parfum, Kalifat etc.). No continuations (La Casa De Papel, Black Mirror etc.).
20. Boca a Boca
Genre: Thriller; Teen-drama
Country of origin: Brazil
Released: 2020 - miniseries
This is a series I didn't like much the first time around, but will now admit that despite its flaws, is one of the more unique selections in the Netflix catalog. Boca a Boca's art style and imageries leaves quite the impression, and plot-wise it's enjoyable too if you don't mind a bit of ridiculousness and cheesy moments here and there. It's about a virus epidemic in a rural town, one that spreads via saliva and leaves zombie-like effects, and one that quickly takes toll on teenagers in the area. Boca a Boca's main appeal lies not in its premise, but in its push to be artsy. It's juxtaposition of pasture, cows and rurality mixed with neon colors, art masks, parties and synth-pop is uniquely captivating. It's a stylistic series, and though it might be a bit far-fetched and leaving much to be desired plot-wise, there's no doubts about its originality. If you can appreciate experimental works that's not all there, well Boca a Boca is a short and fun watch.
19. Selection Day
Genre: Sports; Drama
Country of origin: India
Released: 2018 - 2 parts
There aren't many scripted shows about cricket, in fact there aren't many scripted shows about most sports, but with cricket being even less popular than most, it's even more so the case. Selection Day is one of 2 (that I am aware of), and it is actually pretty good, and with no absence of the actual game being played, as the series finds a good balance between personal and sports drama. Based on Arvind Adiga's eponymous novel of the same name, Selection Day is the story of 2 brothers and teenage cricket prodigies who moves to Mumbai from their village to fast-track their careers. They both face struggles of their own identities and ambitious, with their overbearing father being the 'icing on the cake', as they enter a cricketing world that's much more political than they realized.
18. Queen Sono
Genre: Crime-drama; Thriller
Country of Origin: South Africa (filmed in multiple African countries)
Released: 2020 - 1 season ('Canceled due to COVID')
Queen Sono was one of Netflix' most ambitious projects. Shot in at least 6 different African countries/cities and featuring a variety of languages (subtitles is a must when watching), Queen Sono has political elements relating to African politics itself, romance tensions and family drama that ties into the main story, and of course it's spy-thriller aspects comes with advanced technologies, suspenseful missions and lot's of fighting and shoot-outs. There's a lot going on here, from rebel groups trying to free Africa from colonization, to our main character investigating the death of her long-time freedom fighter mother, to a crazy Russian lady trying to kill said main character. It all makes for very complicated storytelling, but it's cohesive. Queen Sono is a thrilling and very fun to watch spy thriller, and though it's laced with classic spy-thriller tropes, which some viewers may even called 'cliche', you still get a great sense of unfamiliarity from the series. In some way Queen Sono is like a showcase of Africa itself. Sure, the cast constantly switching between several different languages can make it a bit difficult to keep up with dialogue, the fight choreography isn't great, and some of the acting isn't great either, but Queen Sono offers a lot and it's easy to grasp onto any of it's several ongoing stories.
17. Dark Tourist
Genre: Travel
Country of Origin: New Zealand (shot in various regions over 5 continents)
Released: 2018 - 1 season
It's the sole documentary-series on this list, and deservingly so. Dark Tourist is a travel series about the phenomenon of dark tourism, presented by journalist David Farrier. All the sites (well... most of the sites) we see in this series are no less than fascinating. From tours of La Catedral with Pablo Escobar's former hit man, to abandoned nuclear areas in Japan, to the closed city of Baikonur in a secluded country, to experiencing the strange rituals of indigenous ethnic groups in South East Asia etc. Dark Tourist gives an exploration of not only places, but people and culture, with a good history lesson or 2 from our host as well. Sure there are 1 or 2 episodes that aren't 'dark', and they do sometimes face limitations at some of the most interesting places, but that doesn't hinder this travel series from being a very intriguing and informative 8 hours of television.
16. Daybreak
Genre: Post-apocalyptic; Teen-drama
Country of origin: U.S.
Released: 2019 - 1 season
Daybreak is one that fell under the radar, maybe merely because of what it seems to be at first sight, but this is one of the most refreshing series Netflix has ever released. A series that's similar in spirit to Ned's Declassified or Insatiable, Daybreak is wild, exciting, hilarious and by all means creative. It takes a lot of tropes and ideas from a lot of other shows and movies and merges them into its own distinctive thing.... kind of like a parody-movie, but not exactly. There are also up-to-date pop culture references (like seriously, you gotta love a series that in-touch with current slangs, you don't normally get that), and I absolute love the feminist spin they put on the whole 'damsel-in-distress' trope.
15. Love Death + Robot
Genre: Science fantasy
Country of origin: U.S.
Released: 2019 - 2 seasons
Netflix has never been the place to go to for consistent animated stories, so this is the only animated series on this list, but for good reason. Delivering bleakness and black comedy in distilled form via stories that rarely last more than fifteen minutes, Love Death + Robots gives us beautifully colorful animated visuals to admire, but is at its finest when it’s short, sweet and satirically nasty. Love Death + Robots' strength is in its variety, giving us not only new stories and different characters each episode, but also a different animation style, which are more than often well done.
14. Orange is the New Black
Genre: Comedy-drama
Country of origin: U.S.
Released: 2013 - 7 seasons
If I had to pick one series that I thought stood the test of time for this list, it would be Orange is the New Black. Being one of the first few Netflix originals ever released, at the start Orange is the New Black displayed the true to life stereotyping and racial tensions present in any prison in interesting but constructive ways. The show did less and less mirroring of reality as it went on, wrote plots based on what was trending on social media, and even became very political itself at the end there, but was always watchable if only for its characters which were all flawed but likable. Even the worst of them were redeemable, Jenji Kohan wrote these characters so well it was hard to not get emotionally attached. Orange is the New Black also kept presenting itself in a fun manner, which in turn made the darker parts of the show feel very serious when necessary. This is something that worked in their favor.
13. Kingdom
Genre: Horror; Thriller; Historical-drama
Country of origin: South Korea
Released: 2019 - 2 seasons
Kingdom is as engrossing as it is stomach-churning, and it is everything that you'll want out of a zombie show. Not all gruesomeness and zombie chasing scenes, but there's a bold at the center of it. Its setting, costume design, and overall writing are impressive all-around, and convinces you that Kingdom is entirely a different type of Zombie show. It also respects the culture, the history, and somehow embeds a crazy-infested story within the confines of the setting. It works well, and it is refreshing to see a zombie story merged into a different part of history.
12. Master of None
Genre: Comedy-drama
Country of origin: U.S.
Released: 2015 - 2 seasons
Now, who's hot, who not? Tell me who rock, who sell out in the stores? You tell me who flopped, who copped the blue drop? Whose jewels got rocks? Who's mostly Dolce down to the tube sock? The same old pimp, Mase, You know ain't nothing change but my limp... Can't stop till I see my name on a blimp... Guarantee a million sales, call it level up... You don't believe in Harlem World, n****, double up... We don't play around, it's a bet, lay it down... N****s didn't know me '91, bet they know me now... I'm the young Harlem n**** with the Goldie sound... Can't no Ph.D. n****s hold me down... Cudda schooled me to the game, now I know my duty... Stay humble, stay low, blow like Hootie... True pimp n****s spend no dough on the booty... And then you yell, "there go Mase!" there go your cutie!!
11. When They See Us
Genre: Crime-drama; True crime
Country of origin: U.S.
Released: 2019 - miniseries
A four-part limited series about the story of the Central Park Five case where five Harlem teenagers were accused of raping a white woman in 1989, When They See Us is a tragic tale. One that's impassioned, worthy, and very moving, but at the same time excruciatingly infuriating as the emotional weight of this wrongful events leaves its impact. Jharrel Jerome very deservingly earned a Primetime Emmy award for his dominate performance as Korey Wise in the final episode as well. It's a series that undoubtedly one of the best to have come out in the past 3-5 years, but not something you'll be so eager to rewatch because of how heartbreaking it is.
10. Stranger Things
Genre: Sci-fi
Country of origin: U.S.
Released: 2016 - 4 seasons
The storytelling, cinematography, writing and production pays homage to pop cultured 1980’s sci-fi films. The production is spot on in it’s portrayal of a small town in the 80’s, and is definitely based off 80’s films such as E.T, The Goonies etc. Stranger Things is very nostalgic and plays on the audiences fondness for 80’s themed movies and shows. The nostalgia is a driving force in the show, but even for all its similarities to movies and shows of the past, Stranger Things has its own story to tell, and it tells it very well. Stranger Things provides the perfect blend of mystery, sci-fi, horror and humor. All these elements coexist very well within the show. I also have to commend the show on its wonderful pacing. 8-episodes were just the perfect amount to tell this story. It never felt stretched out or bogged down.
9. Kärlek & Anarki
Genre: Romantic comedy
Country of origin: Sweden
Released: 2020 - 1 season
Promoted as Netflix' 2nd Swedish original series (following Quicksand), Kärlek & Anarki is about Sofie, a married middle-age woman with 2 kids working as a consultant at a publishing house, who enters a flirtatious game of sorts with the young IT temp, Max. It's like a game of truth and dare, but without the truth, as Sofie and Max challenge each other to do zany and outrageous acts. The series breaks down the walls of established workplace and social norms, and uses that as its main source of humor... to much success. Surprisingly, given its premise and office setting, Kärlek & Anarki is very well written too. Not just a story about an office romance but also one about a failing marriage and a publishing house fighting obsolescence, the series is cohesive, consistent and presents its characters with much depth.
8. Élite
Genre: Thriller; teen-drama
Country of origin: Spain
Released: 2018 - 4 seasons
Now the latest seasons of Élite are far from praise-worthy, but for its first 2 seasons, this series very much a cheap soapy teen-drama masterpiece. A series that takes classic crime-drama narrative styles, adds it to the typical teen-drama setting, and makes it its own, Élite has a wonderful ensemble of characters to love and hate, a cast that's more than capable, stunning visuals, great music selection and lots of glamorous fashion. What makes this first season of Élite great is how it weaves all the backstories, ongoing drama and characters' motives into an interconnecting web. It often very dramatic, keeping you on your toes throughout but never crossing that thin line over into absurdity. It's cohesive, consistent, with just the right amount of unrealistic soapy drama to be convincing but not too far-fetched. Then of course there's also the character work. The complexities of each, and the weight they are given to bear.
Season 2 of Élite is the season that continued to do everything right, but with even more merit. The production was noticeably raised a level, with much more stunning visuals and locations/sets, and a broader selection of fashion and music. Plot-wise it picks up the pieces from the tragedy that struck season 1 and added more to it. But this time, it was done around a slightly different narrative style. Élite didn't just rinse and repeat what they'd did previously (something they'd eventually do), going from a whodunnit to a missing person case, but following the same approach. And somehow, Élite was able to make it more enticing. Because with an established story that hadn't yet run its course, and with established characters that had everything to lose, there was so much more at stake here. Season 2 of Élite is a rollercoaster ride of secrets, lies, mysteries and affairs. So in similar vein to the first, but it finds some newfangledness in doing the unexpected.
7. 오징어 게임
Genre: Survival; Thriller; Horror
Country of origin: South Korea
Released - 2021 - 1 season
A series that I had the pleasure of watching on the day of its release (out of boredom and my repulsion of watching another season of Sex Education), it's almost mind-blowing how globally recognized this Korean blend of thriller, horror and survival-drama became. I was lured into Squid Game by it's colorful and crafty yet creepy playground-esque production design that shines through even the poster. But even if you have a vague idea of what this series is going to be beforehand, it may surprise you how well it builds such a compelling and investable main character within just 15 minutes; how well it also develops a guiltily exciting, nail-biting and devastating story from an interesting yet familiar concept; and how significantly the characters' moralities, vulnerabilities and empathies comes into play throughout the series. Squid Game is a series about capitalism and how it affects human nature, as our characters put themselves in an all or nothing situation for a shot at a better life. But how far are they willing to go? That comes as a surprise to most of the characters themselves. Sure it's often an intense and bloody affair, but it's also quite a humorous one, and often very poignant as well, providing quite a rollercoaster ride of emotions with every single episode.
6. D.P.
Genre: Military; Drama
Country of origin: South Korea
Released: 2021 - 1 season
D.P. is a thriller about conscription in South Korea, that requires male citizens between the ages of 18 and 28 to perform compulsory military service for 2 years. It follows Private Ahn Joon-ho, a humble junior who by mere coincidence ends up as a D.P. going on adventurous mission with the overdramatic jokester Corporal Han Ho-yul to capture deserters. There are fight scenes, chases and frequent light-hearted humor, but D.P. isn't just fun and games. It exposes the gruesome nature of what these soldiers have to go through, taking an unflinching look at bullying, the effect it has on mental health and larger societal questions about the mandatory military service in Korea. It's a very well produced series, with setting, choreography and cinematography on par with the average big-budget action movie. It's also very well acted, with Jung Hae-in and Koo Kyo-hwan especially giving wonderful performances. Plot-wise it's almost close to a case-of-the-week format, but continuous thread running throughout each episode that slowly builds to quite an emotional finale.
5. Narcos
Genre: Biographical; Crime; period-drama
Country of origin: U.S.
Released: 2015 - 3 seasons
Intense, enlightening, brilliant, unnerving, and addictive, Narcos is high-concept drama at its finest, and was one of Netflix' first big name releases. Set and filmed in Colombia, seasons 1 and 2 of Narcos are based on the story of drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, who became a billionaire through the production and distribution of cocaine. The series also focuses on Escobar's interactions with drug lords, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents, and various opposition entities. Sure the mix of English narration and Spanish dialogue may take some getting use to, but this gritty and crude dramatization of the rise of Pablo Escobar into the most notorious and lethal drug kingpin of South America, is nonetheless compelling, and the story moves briskly, making it one of the greatest shows Netflix has ever produced.
4. Dark
Genre: Sci-fi
Country of origin: Germany
Released: 2017 - 3 seasons
In place of the show’s ceaseless adrenaline rush, Dark offers a hushed, brittle artiness that will be familiar to fans of the French ghost story Les Revenants or the British-French thriller The Missing. But you could argue also that Dark is the German-Stranger Things, with a much better claim to the title as it is much 'stranger' and 'weirder' though joyless and bleak. With tension building up to the point where it's creepy and unnerving, Dark even keeps its main theme a mystery until its 3rd episode (though it's pretty easy to figure out), and it turns out to be time-travel, and thus it has a lot of voice-over philosophizing about it. Simple ideas about fate and determinism are worked out at great length and in complicated ways that will appeal to those who like their sci-fi on the heavy side. But the most challenging part of Dark isn't its laws of time-travel as some may think. it's simply keeping track of the characters and their relations as it jumps among three timelines (2019, 1986 and 1953) and four families.
3. Sense8
Genre: Sci-fi; Drama (multi-genre'd)
Country of origin: U.S (filmed in multiple countries)
Released: 2015 - 2 seasons
Sense8 manages to be a sci-fi thriller, an over-the-top action flick, a cop show, a legal drama and a Bollywood romance drama all at once. And though Sense8 drops a few of these genres as the series progresses, favoring to focus more on its sci-fi elements which has always been the center of the series, there are no other series like Sense8 and doubtfully there'll ever be again. With a concept that's hard to execute and presumably even harder to produce, Sense8 uses its unique concept of 'sensates' and 'clusters' to endorse the idea of love and connectivity between all people no matter what race, sexuality or nationality. It is a show designed around the love of building strong connections with people, finding it however and whenever you can. Sense8 expresses this with a great deal of intimacy and endearment, using celebrations, sex scenes and emotionally uplifting music selections to do so. But there's also a great deal of action and fighting as our heroes take on the clear-cut villains of the world. Action, sci-fi, romance etc. Sense8 offers something for every viewer that may come its way, and its visuals and cinematography are even more so memorizing and immersive.
2. The OA
Genre: Mystery; Sci-fi; fantasy; supernatural
Country of origin: U.S.
Released: 2018
The first season of The OA had some mysterious intrigue, but left many viewers confused or turned off by its convoluted storytelling and it dedication to dive headfirst into oddness. It garnered quite a lot of negative reactions (to say the least), but with "Part II" doubling down on its commitment to strangeness, and expanding on the ideas we saw in the 1st installment, the series made anyone who judged too quickly looked like fools for not waiting to see how it all plays out. The OA: Part II isn't just a great piece of work, it's a sequel that made it's first installment so much better... because now it all made sense. With puzzle-solving mysteries, adventures to other dimensions, and enticing otherworldly creatures all brought to our screens in very imaginative fashion, The OA is one of the most gorgeous and unique blends of fantasy and sci-fi you'll ever see, and even if not acknowledged by most as such, one of the best Netflix originals ever produced.
Desenfrenadas
Genre: Coming-of-age; Comedy-drama
Country of origin: Mexico
Released: 2020
Netflix has a lot of hidden gems, at the rate of which they produce and release shows, it's only natural that a few fall under the radar. Desenfrenadas is a series I consider to be thee hidden gem of all Netflix originals. A short 10-episode multifarious series that is a character-driven journey of self-discovery, a feministic think-piece depicting the ill-treatment towards women from men, and a presentation of the contrast between rich and poor in today's society, and also an exploration of Mexican culture all in one. Desenfrenadas is a fun, emotional and an all round wholesome piece of work, with storytelling and character-work that's a lot more nuanced and in-depth than you might think it is at first sight. The series follows 4 main characters. Rocío, Carlota and Vera are the 3 we are introduced to first, all friends from highschool, and the dynamic between them, fueled by bickering, banter, and compassion, feels so genuine as if that is also the case for the actresses in real-life. In the spur of the moment the 3 embark on a semi-planned trip from their hometown Mexico City to Oaxaca. On the way they encounter Marcela (Coty Camacho), a Mixteca from a less fortunate background running from trouble, and after bonding, that's when her troubles also become theirs.
Desenfrenadas is a well-detailed, authentic and scenic character-driven dramedy that gets better and better with each episode. It's fully engaging, and captivating at times even. Shot on several different locations from Oaxaca to Huatulco to Puerta Escondida etc. the settings takes on a life of their own and becomes characters in its own right, and with each interaction, the girls gain something, so do the viewer, whether it's callbacks from their own past or life lessons lessons to help them in the future. This is the perfect example of setting being useful, and it's especially true for the 6th episode titled "mujeres tormenta", which is 34 minutes of anxiety slowly becoming tranquility. It's really the episode that solidifies the series as something profound. The girls get stuck in storm and are taken in to a rancheria by a kind old couple. This is where they learn that there are other ways of doing things, other ways of living, and how content one can be living a simple life. You can feel the impact that this episode has on the characters, and that impact crosses over into the next episode, an episode that is also the visual highlight of the series titled "Los atardeceres que les regalé a mis hermanas". An episode with fun, trippy beach vibes, but also an episode where the girls break their leashes and adhere to the desires that have lied dormant within them. But I don't mean to make Desenfrenadas sound like an overly sentimental chore that's touching and piteous at every corner, because for the most part, it is a very lifeful, energetic and sometimes even hilarious series. It isn't one to over-rely on melodrama, suspense, or excitement, and it isn't too obsessed with ending episodes on shock, cliffhangers or something eventful either, but by the end of each episode, you feel entertained, satisfied, and excited for the next. You connect with all the locations and the stories and advice each comes with as much as the characters do. And as for them, how can you not connect with them as well. They are as charming as they are complicated, and surprisingly relatable to even those who are nothing like them. They will gain your sympathy, and you will laugh when they laugh, and cry when they cry. The backstory and depth of the 4 main characters, along with the exposure of their vulnerabilities and the vast level of development each receive over the course of these 10 episodes is very fulfilling. Essentially, that is what this series is about, the emancipation of its 4 main characters. And that means something different for each character.