One of the most well-known streaming services, Netflix, provides a wide range of popular movies and TV shows but also features original content. From book-to-screen adaptations to science fiction, horror, and history, Netflix’s original content varies as much as the other content on the service. If you enjoy the original series, check out these best Netflix original TV shows now.
12. Mindhunter (2017-2019)
Starting the list of best Netflix original TV shows, we have Mindhunter, a psychological crime thriller based on the 1995 true-crime book by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker. The series stars Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, and Anna Torv, and follows the founding of the Behavioral Science Unit in the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the late 1970s that started criminal profiling. Even though the series ran for only two seasons with 19 episodes, it’s a great look into history, especially for those who enjoy true crime stories.
IMDb score: 8.6
11. The Great British Baking Show (2010-Present)
Do you need some wholesome competition? If you’re a fan of baking shows but hate how vicious the competition, and judges, act, then you’re in for a treat with The Great British Baking Show. This is one of the best Netflix original TV shows as it follows a group of amateur bakers who compete against one another to impress two judges with their baking skills. Each week the contestants go through three different trials until one is unfortunately sent home. The contestants become fast friends, the judges are helpful and kind, and you can actually learn quite a bit about baking from just watching at home.
IMDb score: 8.6
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10. Peaky Blinders (2013-2022)
One of the best Netflix original TV shows is Peaky Blinders, a British period crime drama that stars Cillian Murphy, Helen McCrory, Paul Anderson, Sophie Rundle, and many more. The series has six seasons with over 30 episodes, so you can binge-watch the entire series on Netflix. The show itself follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders, a crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional gang is loosely based on a real urban youth gang who were active in the city from the 1880s to the 1920s.
IMDb score: 8.7
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9. Arrested Development (2003-2019)
From crime dramas to satirical comedies, Netflix has an abundance of TV show originals that suit all your watching needs. One in particular that stands out is Arrested Development, a sitcom that ran for five seasons with over 80 episodes. The show follows the Bluths, a formerly wealthy, dysfunctional family featuring level-headed son Michael Bluth, who takes over the family affairs after his father is imprisoned. The rest of the family is seemingly unbearable, creating chaos in every episode.
IMDb score: 8.7
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8. The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
Next on the list of best Netflix original TV shows is The Haunting of Hill House, a supernatural horror drama miniseries that has only ten episodes. Even though it’s a shorter series, it’s by far one of the most captivating for viewers. The series is loosely based on the 1959 novel by Shirley Jackson, where the plot alternates between two timelines, following five adult siblings whose paranormal experiences at Hill House continue to haunt them in the present day. They experience flashbacks depicting these terrifying events leading up to the eventful night in 1992 when the family fled the mansion.
IMDb score: 8.5
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7. Heartstopper (2022-Present)
By far one of the best Netflix original TV shows is Heartstopper, based on the comics written by Alice Oseman. The show focuses on two British teens, Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring, who attend an all-boys grammar school. Charlie is high-strung and openly gay, while Nick is a soft-hearted rugby player. Made to sit together in class, the two quickly become friends, and Charlie starts to feel more for Nick. Does Nick feel the same way, or is the sweet rugby player just heterosexual?
IMDb score: 8.5
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6. Anne with an E (2017-2019)
Sixth on our list of best Netflix original TV shows is Anne with an E, a new take on L.M. Montgomery’s classic novels. The series follows a young orphan in the late 19th century who is looking for love, acceptance, and her place in the world. Anne has endured years of abuse in orphanages and the homes of strangers until she mistakenly gets sent to live with aging siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. However, Anne’s unique spirit is for the best, changing everyone’s lives in the small town.
IMDb score: 8.6
5. The Crown (2016-2023)
Next on our list of best Netflix original TV shows is another historical piece, The Crown. Taking us back to when Queen Elizabeth II was just a young newlywed, the series follows the Queen as she navigates political rivalries and romances during the second half of the 20th century. The British Empire is in decline and a new era is coming, with the Queen trying to stay above it all while forging a relationship with the legendary Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
IMDb score: 8.6
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4. Black Mirror (2011-Present)
Fourth on the best Netflix original TV shows list plunges into the world of science fiction and techno-paranoia. Black Mirror features stand-alone episodes set only minutes from our own and shows how modern technology can backfire and be used against the creators. It is a contemporary reworking of the hit series The Twilight Zone, bringing to light the power, and danger, of the age of technology.
IMDb score: 8.7
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3. Stranger Things (2016-2025)
Reaching into the top three best Netflix original TV shows is Stranger Things, which has the final season premiering in 2025. Set in the 1980s in Indiana, a peculiar incident starts a chain of events that leads to a child’s disappearance. Disrupting an otherwise peaceful community is just the beginning as dark government agencies and supernatural forces converge on the town. At the same time, a small group of young children start to unravel the mystery.
IMDb score: 8.7
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2. BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)
Earning the second spot on our best Netflix original TV shows list is BoJack Horseman, an animated series that dives into the world of stardom, both good and bad. BoJack Horseman was the star of the hit show “Horsin’ Around” in the 80s and 90s, but now deals with diminishing popularity, depression, addiction, and maintaining his remaining relationships. But he can’t seem to stop hurting, living in a satirical Hollywood while wearing colorful sweaters.
IMDb score: 8.8
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1. Arcane (2021-Present)
Last but not least on our best Netflix original TV shows list is Arcane, the hit animated series based on two League of Legends champions. There is a delicate balance between the rich city of Piltover and the seedy underbelly of Zaun. Tensions increase with the creation of “hextech,” a way to control magical energy in Piltover, and a new drug in Zaun called “shimmer” that turns humans into monsters. As the rivalry splits families and friends apart, it brings to life champions including Vi, Jinx, Caitlyn, Jayce, Viktor, and Ekko.
IMDb score: 9.0
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