The 60 Best TV Shows Streaming on Netflix Right Now

It’s true that today, we have an abundance of streaming services and more content to consume than we have time for. But let’s be honest, Netflix is where the binge-watching revolution began. The streaming service has been churning out award-winning original shows for years, as well as securing rights to some of the best shows ever created in television history. But with thousands of programs available at any given time, knowing just which shows are worth investing your precious free time in can feel impossible. Luckily for you, we’re here to help you filter the fluff and discover Netflix’s true gems.

Scrolling through Netflix’s dozens of categories can either feel overwhelming, like looking for a needle in the world’s largest haystack, or uninspiring, when all the titles seem familiar and yet nothing catches your eye. But buried within its massive archive lies a treasure trove of creative, addictive, and innovative stories that have revolutionized television. From historical dramas to laugh-out-loud comedies, from sci-fi thrillers to true crime docuseries, you’re going to find on this list a queue full of shows to watch. Let us be your personal Netflix curators and help you chart the sea of choices, so you can find the kind of shows you’ll wish lasted twice as long but can’t wait to start over from the beginning the second they end.

Updated on December 1st, 2023, by Soniya Hinduja: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.

60 Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (2023)

1 Season

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In this animated adaptation of the acclaimed indie classic and the graphic novels, our beloved hero Scott Pilgrim faced somewhat the same challenges, but in slick new fashion. After falling for Ramona Flowers, the girl of his dreams, Scott encounters a threat from her previous boyfriends, all of whom come at him with strange, supernatural tests. To win her heart, Scott must overcome himself and the entire league of Ramona’s evil exes.

What Makes It Great?

With Bryan Lee O’Malley onboard and under the lo-fi direction of Abel Góngora, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off continues to preserve the biting wit and flavor of the cult phenomenon. In some ways, the animated spin-off is even better than the 2010 movie because it takes a deep dive into the characters and their triumphs and defeats. The show is not essentially a sequel. Instead, it takes an anti-sequel approach by disregarding the original winning story and placing Scott in situations where he’s killed too.

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59 Six Feet Under (2001)

In Six Feet Under, death is the central character. Written and created by Alan Ball with Rick Cleveland, the groundbreaking drama centers around the Fisher family that runs their small funeral home business in LA. Dealing with loss is a daily routine for them, but when the patriarch, Nathaniel Fisher Sr., dies, it leaves the two brothers Nate and David in a conflict. Each episode of the series begins with a poignant death, and over five seasons, the show becomes a thought-provoking drama about life, death, and everything in between.

What Makes It Great?

When it comes to depicting real life, the little fragilities of existing, and the triumphs and losses that define an individual, few TV dramas manage to be realistic and engrossing at the same time. Six Feet Under features career-best performances from stars like Peter Krause, Lauren Ambrose, and Michael C. Hall. They portray every emotion in the wide spectrum of humanity, be it grief or existential crisis, with sincerity, and that’s what makes the show binge-worthy.

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58 Young Sheldon (2017)

5 Seasons on Netflix (7 in total)

This classic CBS sitcom is set in the 1980s, and it follows nine-year-old Sheldon Cooper, who lives with his family in East Texas. Being a young genius who has been promoted for four years, Sheldon has an awkward time adjusting in a less intellectual world, and the show chronicles just that. From navigating the daily minefield of high school and the social landscape to keeping up with the schoolmates and misfit siblings, Sheldon makes it through solely because of his relentless quest for knowledge.

What Makes It Great?

As a spin-off prequel to The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon has this retro period aesthetic that is perfect for that heartfelt dose of nostalgia. While Jim Parsons lends his Emmy-winning craft as a narrator behind the scenes, it is newcomer Iain Armitahe that actually steals the show by inhabiting young Sheldon with such perfection that it’s impossible not to adore him. Its warmth comes from perfectly paced episodes and the familial humor that anchors Sheldon’s journey.

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57 Outlander (2014)

5 Seasons on Netflix (7 in total)

Going back in time to 1945, the show follows war nurse Claire Randall finally easing into everyday life after the Second World War when she finds herself transported back to 1743 Scotland. There, she encounters highlands and war, destruction and magic, politics and mystery. Drawn to a certain warrior named Jamie Fraser, Claire soon finds her place in the clan, and together tries to navigate the two worlds.

What Makes It Great?

Outlander is a genuinely faithful adaptation of the beloved novels written by Diana Gabaldon. The show is essentially a romance, but it gifts the genre with depth, nuance, grit, and stirring action seen through the lens of its powerful heroine. Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan showcase their electrifying chemistry, and paired with the rich period details, immersive narrative, and grand production values, the show is nothing short of phenomenal.

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56 Band of Brothers (2001)

1 Season

Across 10 exhilarating episodes, this Emmy-winning miniseries arrives as a remarkable wartime adaptation of Stephen E. Ambrose’s non-fiction bestseller. Band of Brothers tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division from their paratrooping training days in Georgia to the Allied liberation of Europe during the Second World War. Whether it is the anxiety of nervous rookies or the tough-as-nails combat of veterans, these men are bound by brotherhood and a battle to survive.

What Makes It Great?

The one-season wonder is a war drama, sure, but it is told through oral histories recorded by surviving paratroopers, which makes it a rare and compelling personal account of heroism as well as a proper depiction of humanity at its best. Featuring an A-list cast of actors like Damian Lewis and Scott Grimes, it immerses the audience into combat scenes, historical details, and visceral moving events of brotherly love amid war.

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55 The Fall of the House of Usher

1 Season

Loosely based on the classic tale written by revered author Edgar Allan Poe, this atmospheric horror series follows the last remaining Ushers – twins Roderick and Madeline – who have built a million-dollar pharmaceutical company and gained a reputable status in the industry. However, an ominous presence consumes their ancestral home, and when the Usher children start dying off one after the other, the twins face dangerous secrets and grapple with a dark legacy.

What Makes It Great?

Mike Flanagan is undoubtedly a master of psychological horror and his works have proved the fact to no end. The Fall of the House of Usher carries the same tone as The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass but still stands distinguished in its tailor-made premise, scares, paranoia, and lavishness. The cast, particularly Bruce Greenwood and Mary McDonnell, shine in their respective roles as the Usher twins.

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54 Midnight Mass

1 Season

Midnight Mass centers around a disgraced man returning to his isolated and creepy island community only to be faced with a series of mysterious events believed to have begun after the arrival of a charismatic new priest. Atmospheric and extremely unsettling, the show explores religious beliefs and supernatural suspense by creating a sublime blend of both subjects.

What Makes It Great?

Flanagan does it again with this thought-provoking, intelligent, and maddening miniseries. The show arrived on Netflix in 2021 and immediately topped the charts for its social commentary and impressive characterization. The buildup of tension paired with minimal dialogue marks for a gripping watch. Moreover, Hamish Linklater gives an Emmy-worthy performance as Father Paul Hill, the priest with a sinister secret.

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53 After Life

3 Seasons

After his wife, Lisa, dies of cancer, Tony Johnson suddenly transforms into a different person. He begins saying and doing exactly what he wants, consequences be damned. Surrounded by quirky friends and acquaintances at his small-town newspaper job, Tony copes with his grief by being honest, hilarious, and disregarding others. That is until he finds company in someone going through the same thing as him.

What Makes It Great?

Ricky Gervais created, directs, and stars in After Life, a bittersweet modern dramedy that will leave you crushed with its realistic portrayal of grief. The sadness and humor scream through Gervais’ clever writing and genuine performance. The supporting cast consists of Diane Morgan, Ashley Jenson, and Penelope Wilton, who mesh perfectly with Tony’s nihilistic personality.

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52 Money Heist

5 Seasons

The well-deserved winner of Best Drama at the International Emmy Awards, Money Heist follows a brilliant mastermind known as The Professor, who leads a group of eight thieves into an astounding robbery. The lot takes hostages and locks themselves in the Royal Mint of Spain after a ruse where they fail to escape. With the police surrounding the building, thinking they have it all under control, the robbers earn time to print money and confront the drama among each other.

What Makes It Great?

Several fans have noted that the series lost its charm in the latter seasons, but there is no denying the fact that Money Heist delivered non-stop adrenaline through its cat-and-mouse game in the initial seasons. With its constant twists, high-stakes action, and friction between its charismatic characters, the series took over the world and left us all breathless. The red jumpsuits, the Salvador Dali masks, and the folk song “Bella Ciao” became a global phenomenon.

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51 The Great British Baking Show

14 Seasons

In The Great British Baking Show, a dozen amateur bakes compete with one another in an ultimate ‘bake-off’ to prove themselves skilled and efficient in the art. Judges Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry put the contestants through a series of themed baking challenges. From show-stopping cakes to artisanal bread, the participants demonstrate their creativity in the 10-week competition, leaving you to crave some sweet delights.

What Makes It Great?

Sure, this one is reality TV, but the charm does not diminish because of its format or over-the-top dramatics. The show serves up a wholesome and competitive spirit in its platter. While the incredible desserts take center stage, the show’s true magic lies in the bakers who come from all walks of life and unite in their passion for the art. Overall, for 14 seasons, The Great British Baking Show has proved that it is one of the finest feel-good TV shows on Netflix.

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50 Virgin River

6 Seasons

Based on the best-selling novel series of the same name written by Robyn Carr, the series follows city girl Melinda “Mel” Monroe looking for a fresh start in her life. She arrives in the peaceful titular town and realizes there’s more here for her than she bargained for. Mel is a nurse practitioner who is suffering from great trauma after losing her husband and having a stillborn child.

What Makes It Great?

Despite beginning with a heart-rending event, Virgin River’s quirky close-knit community provides a healthy change, friendships, laughter, and maybe even love for Mel, which gives the audience an overall comforting vibe. The show features some of the most beautiful, picturesque visuals of forests and farms. Virgin River is more than just a feel-good romantic drama because it gives you a story that is refreshing, real, and relatable.

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49 Beef

1 Season

Beef follows Amy Lau, founder of Kōyōhaus, a plant store that has made millions. Being a workaholic who has sacrificed everything to provide for her family, Amy is exhausted out of her mind and simply wants to close a deal so she can finally have enough and relax. On the other hand is Danny Cho, who works on construction projects here and there but is overall broke. His one wish is to bring his parents from Korea to America, so they can also live a better life. When these two polar opposites, equally frustrated individuals get into a road rage accident one afternoon, then begins a beef that ruins both their lives.

What Makes It Great?

Created by Lee Sung Jin for Netflix, Beef has emerged as one of the most intense, hilarious, and unique shows of recent times. There are several reasons for this praise, but the greatest applause goes to Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, who are outstanding as the main characters. While the series seems entertaining in the first couple of episodes, it gets truly weird and f-ed up later. In the best way, though.

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48 You

4 Seasons

After his long appearance as the main character on The CW’s Gossip Girl, Penn Badgley returned to the small screens as bookstore manager Joe Goldberg. Starting with a misguided infatuation, his actions lead to chilling extremes as he smoothly inserts himself into the life of Beck and then exposes his obsession with making sure she’s cared for and not played with. Joe isn’t a stalker, he’s a manipulative psychopath, and with each season, he ruins the lives of unsuspecting women and gets away without so much as a scratch.

What Makes It Great?

What makes You so interesting and thrilling is the cat-and-mouse game that Joe plays with everyone who ever suspects him. With intimacy and intrigue, the series pulls you under its spell until you’re torn between hating him and accepting him the way he is.

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47 Shadow and Bone

2 Seasons

In a war-torn world split by a massive abyss, we follow the journey of an orphan mapmaker Alina Starkov. She believes herself to be of little worth but when she’s embarked on a fateful journey on a ship, we learn that Alina possesses an extraordinary power that could be the key to uniting her country. However, the same power makes her a target and thrusts her into the lavish world of the elite ‘Grisha.’ Under the tutelage of General Kirigan, Alina discovers the true extent of her powers.

What Makes It Great?

Leigh Bardugo is an incredible author. Her fantasy novels have shaken the literary world to the core. So to have Hollywood adapt one of her best-selling series into a fully-realized Netflix series is as ambitious as it is risky. Fortunately for the creators, Shadow and Bone stays true to the source material and delivers enough supernatural intrigue for us to wait for more seasons. From the world-building to the steamy slow-burn romance, the series picks up every best thing about the books and makes them richer.

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46 Lucifer

6 Seasons

Lucifer Morningstar, fondly known as the Lord of Hell, is bored with ruling the underworld and living the same lavish and sinful life he’s lived for as long as he can remember. So now, the devil himself decides to trade his throne and retire to Los Angeles, where he runs a nightclub. But when a murder takes place outside the premises, something inside him awakens and he decides to consult with LAPD’s homicide division.

What Makes It Great?

For the very first time in a billion years of his existence, Lucifer feels like there is hope for him too and the series creator does a brilliant job and showcasing the subtle emotion. Tom Ellis undoubtedly brings charm and swag to his role as an angel-turned-consultant. But what’s truly gripping about Lucifer, the series, is that it’s more than just a procedural comedy. While solving crimes, we also indulge in family drama, existential crisis, and the simple joys of humanity.

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6 Seasons

Jeff Winger was a successful lawyer until his license to conduct his profession was revoked under the charge that he didn’t have a legitimate bachelor’s degree. Now compelled to join the Greendale Community College, Jeff must find a way to fit in and complete his education. He forms a “study group,” which is joined by students from diverse backgrounds and personalities, and together the ensemble bonds over constant existential crisis and campus misadventures.

What Makes It Great?

Community ran for six seasons (and a movie?), and while the cast did a spectacular job sparking cult devotion, it was the creator Dan Harmon’s direction that made sure the show remained constantly rewatchable. By infusing modern satire with heartwarming themes, this unconventional chosen family taught us the meaning of life.

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44 Friday Night Lights

5 Seasons

Before Ted Lasso or Cobra Kai got the audience excited about sports or martial arts being a part of television and telling moving stories, this football-based TV show drew in a mass of viewers, even the ones who weren’t particularly fans of the sport. Inspired by a nonfiction book written by H. G. Bissinger in 1990, Friday Night Lights is set in the rural town of Dylan, Texas, and it follows coach Taylor who raises a family of players determined to win the state football championship.

What Makes It Great?

Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler anchor the show, while Taylor Kitsch carries the players around. Despite being canceled once, program creator Peter Berg worked hard to spin gold in depicting how the most ordinary families can unite and create history – in real life and on television.

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43 ONE PIECE

1 Season

One of the most anticipated Netflix Originals of the year, ONE PIECE proves that Hollywood shouldn’t give up on live-action projects just yet. The reason? In just eight episodes, the series has been incredibly accurate and filled with adventure, humor, and heart. Based on the all-time best-selling manga, the island-hopping story comes alive with its introduction of Monkey D. Luffy, who leads a crew of fellow pirates on a spectacular voyage across the Grand Line to find the ultimate treasure that would make him the Pirate King.

What Makes It Great?

Much like the anime that made the media form accessible to an international audience, this Netflix adaptation features stunning locations, grand shots of islands and oceans, realistic-looking set designs, and spectacular action sequences. Even though the cast is filled with newcomers, they become instant favorites because of how earnest they are in their performances. Let’s not forget that this is a saga 25+ years in the making. So to say that the expectations were high is an understatement. Overall, One Piece is a generational adventure that not only brings together fans from across the world but in the process delivers a series that shows promise and potential.

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42 Grey’s Anatomy

19 Seasons

With 19 seasons and counting, Grey’s Anatomy has cemented itself as one of the greatest hospital dramas in the history of television. The main reason for its popularity is its dynamic set of characters played by an amazing cast including Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Chandra Wilson, Patrick Dempsey, and more. Set at Seattle’s Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, the show follows Meredith Grey, an aspiring surgeon and daughter of an experienced doctor, navigating everyday life at work with fellow interns. Never getting too despairing, the series centers around the characters facing complex medical, ethical, and personal issues.

What Makes It Great?

Several medical dramas have taken over the small screens in recent years. Whether they’re set as a slice-of-life or as a thriller, there is no denying that they have a strange allure that makes you eager to binge episode after episode. However, by ​​​steering away from the daily soap category, Grey’s Anatomy triumphs in powerful directions and multi-dimensional characters who develop across several seasons. Although the original cast has now been replaced, the show hasn’t lost its signature touch and continues to dominate the genre.

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41 Supernatural

15 Seasons

Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles lead this groundbreaking series that carried forward the legacy of the genre’s pioneer, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, by taking an entirely different route but being just as fun and addictive. Supernatural revolves around two brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, who follow in the footsteps of their father and spend their days and nights battling demons, angels, leviathans, and monsters across an open road.

What Makes It Great?

The show dominated the supernatural landscape with its quality writing, perfectly paced storytelling, and incredible direction. Moreover, the chemistry between Jared and Jensen is so intense that their devotion as brothers who would constantly sacrifice everything and choose family over anything never goes unnoticed. Apart from being dark and horrifying, the show also offers a satisfying escape from the real world by familiarizing us with its folklore and themes of community.

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