The Best Netflix Shows Of All Time — Ranked
Netflix has had a lot of success bringing back beloved franchises and making them new again, and “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance” is an example of a revival they nailed. This 2019 series came out nearly 40 years after Jim Henson’s classic fantasy film, “The Dark Crystal,” but is actually a prequel in terms of its story. Critics and viewers, including fans of the original, unanimously loved “Age of Resistance” and its use of old-school puppetry over computer-generated effects. A second season has yet to be confirmed but fans are eager for more.
Who says spin-offs can’t be great shows on their own? “Narcos: Mexico” is a companion series to Netflix’s popular show “Narcos,” which we’ll hear more about later in the list. This story is set in the 1980s and follows the rise of a Mexican drug cartel, as well as the DEA agent trying to bring them down. Talented Latino actors including Michael Peña and Diego Luna star as men on opposite sides of the law. Impressively, “Narcos: Mexico” nearly drew as much praise from critics and IMDb users as the show from which it spun off.
The British crime drama “Top Boy” saw its first two seasons air on Channel 4 from 2011-2013, but Netflix bought the rights and revived the cult hit in 2019 for more gritty action. The series follows the exploits of a pair of drug dealers in London and stars a talented cast of nearly all black actors. The 2019 Netflix revival earned top marks with a 90% grade from critics at Rotten Tomatoes, giving the show an overall average grade of 95%.
Tina Fey’s quirky sitcom, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” kept viewers and critics laughing for four seasons before ending in 2019. The show has a near-perfect grade of 96% at Rotten Tomatoes, even if viewers at IMDb have been a bit more tepid in their support, giving the show an average grade of 7.6 out of 10. The series followed an eternally optimistic woman, played by “The Office” star Ellie Kemper, who gets used to city life in New York after spending 15 years as a kidnapping victim in Indiana. While new seasons aren’t being made, the Emmy-nominated show is coming back in May 2020 with a new interactive special.
Based on the popular book series by Lemony Snicket, Netflix’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events” was consistently beloved by critics and viewers during its too-brief run. In three seasons, the show covered events from all of the novels, which followed a trio of young orphan siblings who try to outwit the evil Count Olaf, who is after their inheritance. Neil Patrick Harris starred as Olaf and did a wonderful job bringing the nasty character to life. The show’s visuals were highly praised and the final season earned a perfect grade from critics at Rotten Tomatoes.
This British production with a memorable title has been praised for its writing and acting. It follows a unique relationship between two teenage classmates who embark on a road trip across England together, while one plans to kill the other. The show won a prestigious Peabody Award in 2018, with the committee calling it “a wonderfully unorthodox coming-of-age story.” Unfortunately for fans, it appears the story was finished after just two seasons and 16 episodes.
As of this writing, “Unorthodox” has only been out for a couple months, but its reputation is already stellar. The miniseries tells the true story of a 19-year-old Orthodox Jewish woman who runs away from her marriage and tries to find her own way in life for the first time. The show has received top marks from viewers and critics, with Rotten Tomatoes critics giving its first season a 94% grade and calling star Shira Haas’ performance “captivating.” The series has also been praised for accurately depicting the customs of the Satmar Jewish community.
“Castlevania” has been a beloved favorite of gamers since the 1980s, and Netflix has managed to make a TV series set in its world that has also earned a great reputation. This animated show has been running since 2017 and has consistently been praised for its visuals, lore and action. Seasons two and three each earned flawless grades at Rotten Tomatoes and a fourth season is on its way. As you’ll see on this list, Netflix has had a lot of success in animation and “Castlevania” is one of its best efforts.
Another British co-production that has been acclaimed for Netflix, “The Last Kingdom” debuted on BBC America in 2015 but moved to the streaming network starting with the second season. This historical fiction series follows the story of Uhtred, a Saxon-born warrior raised by Vikings who is attempting to claim his birthright. The show has been acclaimed as a thrilling epic from the start, earning a 91% average grade at Rotten Tomatoes, bolstered by the perfect grade earned by its third season in 2018. The long-awaited fourth season just debuted on Netflix days before this writing.
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