The 50 best shows on Netflix in May 2025

There are almost always surprises among the best shows on Netflix. High-profile projects like The Four Seasons are almost always going to be a hit. This show in particular has a powerhouse cast, including Tina Fey, Will Forte, Steve Carell, and Colman Domingo. It would have been more surprising if this miniseries wasn’t among the most popular shows on Netflix.

However, the success of The Eternaut is a big shock because it’s an Argentine show based on a comic that’s barely been read in America. And yet the sci-fi series has already jumped into Netflix’s list of the top 10 shows, which demonstrates the power of the idea behind the original story.

You can find these series and more among the best shows on Netflix. We update this list every Friday to give you the best streaming options for your weekend viewing.

We’ve also rounded up all the best new shows to stream this week, the best movies on Netflix, the best shows on Hulu, the best shows on Amazon Prime, and the best shows on Disney+ because we take our streaming seriously. Watching while traveling abroad? Use a Netflix VPN to access your country’s catalog from anywhere in the world.

New this week

The Four Seasons

Alan Alda wrote and directed The Four Seasons film in 1981, but he takes on a supporting role in Netflix’s modern update. Kate (Tina Fey) and her husband, Jack (Will Forte), have been going on vacations a year with their friends for as long as they can remember. But this time, health troubles are clouding the marriage of Claude (Marco Calvani) and Danny (Colman Domingo) while Nick (Steve Carell) is ready to split from Anne (Kerri Kenney-Silver), his wife of 25 years.

More than anything else, Nick’s actions strain the group’s dynamic, especially when he starts dating a much younger woman, Ginny (Erika Henningsen), and brings her to the group activities with the other couples. Can the friendship of these couples survive the changes in their lives?

Genre: Drama, Comedy
Stars: Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Will Forte, Colman Domingo, Erika Henningsen, Kerri Kenney-Silver
Seasons: 1

The Eternaut

The Eternaut is a famous Argentine comic that was only published in America within the last ten years. Netflix’s adaptation of Héctor Germán Oesterheld and Francisco Solano López maintains the original setting, so you may want to turn on the subtitles for this one. In Buenos Aires, almost the entire population of people dies when snow falls out of season. Even incidental contact with the snow can kill.

This is no mere accident of nature. It was an attack, but the questions of who did this and how will have to wait for Juan Salvo (Ricardo Darín). Juan is one of the few survivors who was lucky enough to be indoors when the snow fell. Now, Juan will risk anything to reunite with his ex-wife, Elena (Carla Peterson), and their daughter, Clara (Mora Fisz). But the dangerous new world that emerges may cut any family reunion short.

Genre: Sci-fi, Drama, Thriller
Stars: Ricardo Darín, Carla Peterson, César Troncoso, Andrea Pietra, Marcelo Subiotto
Seasons: 1

Drama

Ransom Canyon

Think of Ransom Canyon as Yellowstone with the romance turned up to 11. The potential couple at the heart of the show are a widowed rancher named Staten Kirkland (Josh Duhamel) and a local farmer, Quinn O’Grady (Minka Kelly), who was close friends with Staten’s wife. In theory, these two shouldn’t have any problem hooking up, but Staten hasn’t let go of his grief, and things are messy between them.

Staten’s brother-in-law Davis (Eoin Macken) is looking to make things even messier because he wants Quinn for himself. Davis and Staten may be related by marriage, but they’re not even on the same page regarding a corporation’s attempt to buy up property in the town. Davis is all in favor of helping the interlopers make money, while Staten will do anything to save his ranch and his town from these corporate vultures.

Genre: Western, Romance
Stars: Josh Duhamel, Minka Kelly, Eoin Macken
Seasons: 1

The Night Agent

In the first season of The Night Agent, FBI Agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) is a little out of his depth as he attempts to protect Rose Larkin (Luciane Buchanan) from a dark plot against the government. For season 2, Peter received a promotion and a new partner, Annie (Brittany Snow). However, it doesn’t take long for Peter’s latest assignment to blow up in his face.

Now, Peter once again has to question who he can trust as his latest case exposes tensions between America and Iran. Rose isn’t out of the picture either, as she’ll do anything to get back in Peter’s orbit, even if it puts her right back in danger.

If you want to jump right in with season 2, check out The Night Agent‘s season 1 ending explained.

Genre: Mystery, Drama
Stars: Gabriel Basso, Hong Chau, Luciane Buchanan
Seasons: 2

NCIS

Genre: Drama, Action
Stars: Mark Harmon, Sasha Alexander, Michael Weatherly, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum
Seasons: 11 available on Netflix

If you don’t watch broadcast networks, then you may not realize that NCIS is one of the biggest shows on TV. Who would have predicted that this JAG spinoff would give way to a series with 22 seasons under its belt and several spinoffs? Netflix only has 11 out of the 22 seasons, but the streamer recently added the first five seasons so fans can go to the beginning.

Mark Harmon leads the cast as Supervisory Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, a member of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service out of Washington. There’s very little that falls outside of the jurisdiction of the Major Case Response Team as they investigate criminals, traitors, and potential terrorist threats around the world as needed.

American Primeval

There have been plenty of Westerns and frontier stories, but few as raw as American Primeval. This miniseries doesn’t romanticize the Old  West, and it’s an often brutal look at the people who lived in those times and the atrocities they were willing to commit in the name of making a better future for themselves and their families. Sara Rowell (Betty Gilpin), for example, will do almost anything to protect her son, Devin (Preston Mota). That’s why she puts their lives in the hands of a stranger, Isaac Reed (Taylor Kitsch), who attempts to lead them, and a Native American girl, Two Moons (Shawnee Pourier), to safety.

Meanwhile, Brigham Young (Kim Coates) is obsessed with making a home for himself and his religious followers, even if it means engineering a massacre of the tribes who already live on the lands he wants to claim. Everyone’s hands are bloody in this world, and there are seemingly few lines that Young isn’t willing to cross.

Genre: Western, Drama
Stars: Taylor Kitsch, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Jai Courtney, Kim Coates, Shea Whigham, Betty Gilpin
Seasons: 1

Virgin River

After a long courtship across five seasons, Melinda “Mel” Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack Sheridan (Martin Henderson) are finally looking to tie the knot in Virgin River season 6. But when have TV wedding plans ever gone off without a hitch? There’s plenty of drama and mishaps ahead for the couple, but there’s no question about the love they share for each other.

Other relationships play out in the background, including threats to the medical practice of the town’s doctor, Vernon “Doc” Mullins (Tim Matheson), There’s also the possibility of a resolution to his longstanding feud with Mel’s father, Everett (John Allen Nelson), which plays into the wedding storyline as well.

Genre: Drama, Romance
Stars: Alexandra Breckenridge, Martin Henderson, Colin Lawrence, Jenny Cooper, Lauren Hammersley, Annette O’Toole
Seasons: 6

Territory

Territory is essentially Australia’s answer to Yellowstone and Succession. Anna Torv (Fringe and The Last of Us)  stars as Emily Lawson, a woman who married into the Lawson family when she wed Graham (Michael Dorman) despite the objections of his father, Colin Lawson (Robert Taylor). That’s why Colin made his youngest son, Daniel (Jake Ryan), the heir to Marianne Station, the biggest cattle station in Australia … and possibly the world.

When Daniel winds up missing and potentially dead, it sets off a fresh fight for the future of Marianne Station both within the Lawson family and outside it as well. The Lawson’s enemies and rivals smell blood in the water, and the remaining family members will have to fight to hold on to what’s theirs.

Genre: Western, Drama
Stars: Anna Torv, Michael Dorman, Robert Taylor, Sam Corlett
Seasons: 1

The Lincoln Lawyer

Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) is back in the third season of Netflix’s legal thriller The Lincoln Lawyer. And yes, Mickey is still operating out of the back of his Lincoln Navigator rather than an office. This season’s primary case has very personal stakes for Mickey because his friend, Glory Days (Fiona Rene), has been murdered. And the only credible suspect is Glory’s friend, Julian La Cosse (Devon Graye).

Mickey wants to believe in Julian’s innocence, if only for the sake of the woman they both cared for. Proving that in court may be the challenge, as Mickey still has lingering feelings that he might be helping a killer … and it wouldn’t be the first time.

Genre: Drama, Thriller
Stars: Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Neve Campbell, Becki Newton, Jazz Raycole, Angus Sampson
Seasons: 3

Suits

The summer of 2023 was the summer of Suits on Netflix. But the streamer only had the first eight seasons of Suits, which were largely about attorney Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht), and his associate lawyer, Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams). Mike never actually went to law school or passed the bar, but his legal knowledge was so impressive that Harvey hired him and agreed to keep it a secret.

By the time season 9 of Suits arrived, Mike had already been written out the show along with his on-screen lover, Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle). That left Harvey, Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman), and others to contend with Faye Richardson (Denise Crosby), a named partner in their firm whom they desperately want to force out. Mike does show up a few times in the ninth season, leading to one last team-up with Harvey. But not before they go head-to-head in court.

Genre: Drama, Comedy
Stars: Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, Rick Hoffman, Meghan Markle, Gina Torres
Seasons: 9

Bridgerton

Against all odds, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) have found the love that they so desperately needed in Bridgerton season 3. But before this couple can get their happy ending, they’ve got a few more trials ahead. Love may conquer all, but secrets have bad habit of turning up and ruining everything.

Penelope pursued a relationship with Colin without revealing that she’s Lady Whistledown, the anonymous gossipmonger who has scandalized the Ton. Penelope was playing with fire when she made up that alter ego, and now she may get burned as one former friend demands that she tell her lover the truth while a false friend also blackmails Penelope over the revelation. Events are coming to a head as Bridgerton season 3, part 2 closes out this chapter of the story.

Genre: Romance, Drama
Stars: Luke Newton, Nicola Coughlan, Adjoa Andoh, Simone Ashley, Golda Rosheuvel
Seasons: 3

The Crown

Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) is gone when the second half of The Crown’s final season begins, and Queen Elizabeth II (Imelda Staunton) is feeling her own mortality at the start of the 21st century. Now, it’s time for Diana’s sons, Prince William (Ed McVey) and Prince Harry (Luther Ford), to come to the forefront.

This half of the season recreates William’s courtship of Kate Middleton (Meg Bellamy), while Prince Charles (Dominic West) finally gets to wed Camilla Parker Bowles (Olivia Williams) as Elizabeth wonders what her legacy will be, and how the royal family will endure. Now that the series is over, you can also go back and check out the best performances in The Crown.

Genre: Drama
Stars: Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce, Lesley Manville, Dominic West, Olivia Williams, Elizabeth Debicki
Seasons: 6

Comedy

Running Point

If Running Point reminds you of the life of Los Angeles Lakers’ controlling owner, Jeanie Buss, then you won’t be surprised to learn that she’s an executive producer of the show. Co-created by Mindy Kaling, Running Point stars Kate Hudson as Isla Gordon, the daughter of former Los Angeles Waves president Jack Gordon. Isla has loved basketball her entire life, but Jack passed on all of the important positions to his sons, Cam (Justin Theroux), Ness (Scott MacArthur), and Sandy (Drew Tarver).

When Cam has to step down suddenly as president, he names Isla as his successor. While this gives her the opportunity of her lifetime, Isla also realizes that her other brothers — as well as detractors within the team and outside the organization — are just waiting for her to make a misstep that will bring down her ascension.

Genre: Comedy
Stars: Kate Hudson, Drew Tarver, Scott MacArthur, Brenda Song, Fabrizio Guido
Seasons: 1

Cobra Kai

Cobra Kai season 6, part 3 has arrived, and the conclusion of the series has arrived at last. This is the end of the road for some characters, although we’ll see Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) at least one more time in Karate Kid: Legends later this year. Daniel’s rivalry with Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) dates back to the original Karate Kid film, and reignited when they were middle-aged adults in Cobra Kai.

Over the last six seasons, Johnny and Daniel have found some common ground, especially when going up against John Kreese (Martin Kove) and a resurgent Cobra Kai. How will their story come to a close? You’ll just have to watch this series to find out.

Genre: Comedy, Drama
Stars: Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Courtney Henggeler, Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan
Seasons: 6

Mo

Mo is one of the rare shows to hit 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, although there’s always the possibility that some critics may eventually sour on it. At this moment, the series feels very timely as a Palestinian refugee, Mohammed “Mo” Najjar (Mo Amer), fights to stay in America, the only country he’s known for most of his life.

When the second and final season begins, Mo is trapped in Mexico with no legal way to return to the United States in time for his critical immigration hearing. By the time Mo does make it back, his girlfriend, Maria (Teresa Ruiz), has moved on with another man, and there’s other emotional turmoil happening in his family as well. The drama and comedy draw out big emotions, and if this really is the end of the show, it goes out on a high note.

Genre: Comedy, Drama
Stars: Mo Amer, Farah Busies, Teresa Ruiz, Tobe Nwigwe, Omar Elba
Seasons: 2

The Bernie Mac Show

Twenty years ago, the late comedian Bernie Mac received his own sitcom on Fox called The Bernie Mac Show, which was loosely inspired by his own life. In the show, Bernie and his wife, Wanda McCullough (Kellita Smith), are happily childless until Bernie’s sister enters rehab and is no longer able to take care of her children. With reservations, Bernie and Wanda are forced to care for the three children: Bryana “Baby Girl” Thomkins (Dee Dee Davis), Vanessa “Nessa” Thomkins (Camille Winbush), and Jordan Thomkins (Jeremy Suarez).

The kids drive Bernie up the proverbial wall, especially Vanessa. And in his moments of frustration, Bernie will often address the audience as “America” and share his thoughts. Yet, over time, Bernie and Wanda both embrace his sister’s kids as their own, even as they still find ways to get under their skin.

Genre: Comedy
Stars: Bernie Mac, Kellita Smith, Jeremy Suarez, Dee Dee Davis, Camille Winbush
Seasons: 5

A Man on the Inside

Ted Danson has been headlining sitcoms since Cheers debuted in 1982, so he basically has TV comedy down to a science. A Man on the Inside reunites Danson with The Good Place co-creator Michael Schur for a comedic mystery in a retirement community. Danson plays Charles, a retired widower who needed something more out of his golden years. So, when private investigator Julie (Lilah Richcreek Estrada) needed a mole to infiltrate the Pacific View Retirement Home, Charles was all for it.

The biggest problem with sending Charles undercover is that he has no experience as a detective, and he’s prone to mistakes. The community’s residents accept Charles at face value, with most embracing him as one of their own. That also complicates Charles’ agenda because he has to lie about his true purpose, and he may not be able to stay among the residents once the case is finished.

Genre: Comedy
Stars: Ted Danson, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Lilah Richcreek Estrada, Stephanie Beatriz
Seasons: 1

Nobody Wants This

Two decades ago, Kristen Bell and Adam Brody each had their own YA teen dramas, Veronica Mars and The O.C., respectively. Now, they’re sharing the stage as would-be lovers in Nobody Wants This. Bell plays Joanne, a woman with a podcast where she gets to vent about her terrible dating life. Brody portrays Noah, a rabbi who has just left a long-term relationship that could have led to marriage.

Despite her openly agnostic views about religion, Joanne finds herself romantically drawn to Noah, and the feeling is mutual. While a happy relationship could impact Joanne’s podcast, their romance has potentially larger consequences for Noah. His family doesn’t seem to be very happy that he’s not dating a Jewish woman, and his choice may harm his career as a rabbi.

Genre: Comedy, Romance
Stars: Kristen Bell, Adam Brody, Justine Lupe, Timothy Simons
Seasons: 1

Thriller

You

You can take the serial killer out of New York, but you can’t take the New York out of the killer! For its fifth and final season, You is bringing Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) back to where it all began, and he’s trying to be good. Joe’s rich and famous, married to a wealthy woman named Kate (Charlotte Ritchie), and he’s got custody of his son, Henry (Frankie DeMaio).

But Joe’s old habits die hard, and when someone threatens to ruin his wife’s reputation, that’s just an invitation for Joe to permanently silence them. He’s slipping back into his old ways, and that may prove to be Joe’s fatal flaw as the show races toward its conclusion.

Genre: Thriller
Stars: Penn Badgley, Charlotte Ritchie, Madeline Brewer, Anna Camp, Griffin Matthews
Seasons: 5

The Glass Dome

For almost her entire life, Lejla Ness (Léonie Vincent) has been haunted by her ordeal as a kidnap victim when she was a child. Lejla never learned who her captor was, but he kept her imprisoned in a glass dome. The Glass Dome picks up decades later when Lejla has reinvented herself as a criminologist. It’s become the way she finds meaning for her life.

Some very unpleasant feelings reemerge when Lejla returns to her hometown for the funeral of her adoptive mother. Someone has kidnapped Alicia (Minoo Andacheh), the daughter of Lejla’s best friend, Louise (Gina-Lee Fahlén Ronander). Now, Lejla has to determine if the kidnapper was the same man who took her when she was young or if a copycat is trying to recreate the past with a new victim.

Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Stars: Léonie Vincent, Johan Hedenberg, Johan Rheborg, Farzad Farzaneh, Ia Langhammer
Seasons: 1

The Gardner

The Gardener‘s main character, Elmer (Álvaro Rico), isn’t known for his green thumb. His mother, La China Jurado (Cecilia Suárez), may run a garden shop, but their real business is murder for hire. For the right price, Juardo will send out her son to murder anyone. Anyone except a young lady named Violeta (Catalina Sopelana).

Prior to meeting Violeta, Elmer assumed he was immune to normal human emotions like love. Now, he can’t live without Violeta. That’s a problem because there’s still a hit on Violeta’s life, and now Elmer’s mother wants her dead too.

Genre: Thriller
Stars: Álvaro Rico, Cecilia Suárez, Catalina Sopelana
Seasons: 1

Yellowjackets

Who would have thought that a series about a girls’ soccer team would be one of Showtime’s most popular series? But the team in Yellowjackets does not get to spend much time on the field. Instead, they find themselves trapped in the wilderness following a plane crash that killed most of the adults who accompanied them. And while these girls are resilient, the first episode teases some very dark and desperate times ahead of them.

There’s also a parallel narrative set in the present, as the now-adult Yellowjackets struggle to get by in their daily lives. More than anything else, the women don’t want the secrets of what they did to survive to come out. Only the first season is available on Netflix for now, so you’ll have to get Paramount+ with Showtime if you want to see season 2 immediately.

Genre: Drama, Thriller
Stars: Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Sophie Thatcher, Christina Ricci, Sophie Nélisse, Juliette Lewis
Seasons: 1

Black Doves

Black Doves may start during the holidays, but this is no feel-good Christmas story. Instead, this spy thriller turns into a revenge story for Helen Webb (Keira Knightley), a Black Doves operative who has spent years undercover as the wife of Britain’s defense secretary, Wallace Webb (Andrew Buchan). She may have kids with Wallace, but her heart is with another man named Jason (Andrew Koji).

When someone kills Jason, Helen is ready to throw her life away in a bid to avenge his death. Her mentor and spy master, Mrs. Reed (Sarah Lancashire), sends Helen’s closest friend in the Black Doves, Sam (Ben Whishaw), to watch her back. Yet, Sam’s real mission may be to ensure that Helen’s revenge doesn’t compromise her clandestine organization.

Genre: Thriller, Drama
Stars: Keira Knightley, Sarah Lancashire, Ben Whishaw, Andrew Koji, Andrew Buchan
Seasons: 1

Dark Winds

AMC’s Dark Winds isn’t a monster hit on cable, but it clearly has an audience online. This brilliant and dark crime thriller is based upon Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn & Chee novels, and it features an underrated actor, Zahn McClarnon, who finally gets to lead his own series.

The show takes place in Navajo County in the ’70s, with McClarnon playing Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn of the tribal police. He’s got more than enough problems trying to solve a double homicide while taking care of a young pregnant teenager who isn’t his own child. But since the FBI believes that armored truck thieves are hiding out in Leaphorn’s territory, Agent Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon) has been sent undercover as a new deputy. Together, Leaphorn and Chee not only have to solve the murders but also discover how the deaths are linked to the robbery.

Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime
Stars: Zahn McClarnon, Kiowa Gordon, Jessica Matten, Deanna Allison, Rainn Wilson
Seasons: 2

Mystery and Crime

The Residence

Between The Residence and Hulu’s Paradise, someone really needs to beef up security at the White House. Yes, there’s been another murder at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but the tone of this mystery series is more comedic in the vein of the Knives Out movies.

President Perry Morgan (Paul Fitzgerald) and his staff were in the middle of a state dinner with special guests Hugh Jackman (not the real actor) and Kylie Minogue (yes, it’s really her) when a dead body was found. The White House’s Chief Usher, A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito), finally found a fire he couldn’t put out. It’s up to Detective Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba) to figure out who killed the victim, and she’s supposed to be one of the very best in the world. But even Cupp may not be able to crack this case.

Genre: Mystery
Stars: Uzo Aduba, Giancarlo Esposito, Susan Kelechi Watson, Jason Lee, Ken Marino, Edwina Findley
Seasons: 1

Adolescence

Each episode of Adolescence was filmed in one continuous take, and the show rarely lets the audience have a breather. In the opening minutes alone, DI Luke Bascombe (Ashley Walters) and DS Misha Frank (Faye Marsay) burst into a home alongside a SWAT team to arrest 13-year-old boy, Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), for the murder of his classmate, Katie (Emilia Holliday).

Jamie’s parents, Eddie (Stephen Graham) and Manda Miller (Christine Tremarco), don’t initially believe that Jamie’s done anything wrong. But as the police press Jamie for answers, the question about Jamie’s guilt seems to give way to why he did it rather than if. And because of his age, Jamie’s future seems precarious at best as his family wonders what’s next.

Genre: Crime, Drama
Stars: Stephen Graham, Ashley Walters, Erin Doherty, Owen Cooper, Faye Marsay
Seasons: 1

Horror

The Walking Dead: Dead City

Maggie Greene (Lauren Cohan) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) are a pretty unlikely pair, especially considering that Negan murdered Maggie’s husband, Glenn, in The Walking Dead. Maggie hasn’t forgotten her enmity for Negan in the spinoff series, The Walking Dead: Dead City. She still hates him, but she needs his help to rescue her son, Hershel (Logan Kim).

Hershel has been kidnapped by one of Negan’s former followers, The Croat (Željko Ivanek), who is now the leader of a deadly group of survivors in Manhattan. To retrieve Hershel, Maggie and Negan have to enter New York City and make their way past hordes of zombies and people who may just be as dangerous to them as the undead.

Genre: Horror, Drama
Stars: Lauren Cohan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Gaius Charles, Željko Ivanek, Mahina Napoleon
Seasons: 1

The Fall of the House of Usher

Horror maestro Mike Flanagan has one last miniseries for Netflix before he heads off to Prime Video. Flanagan’s final bow is The Fall of the House of Usher, a modern adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s short story and a few other works by Poe. In this incarnation, Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood) and his sister, Madeline Usher (Mary McDonnell), own a powerful pharmaceutical company, and they’ve passed on their ruthless streak to the next generation.

That is if there is a next generation. An enigmatic woman named Verna (Carla Gugino) may be behind the gruesome deaths of members of the Usher family. Everything that the Ushers have built is crashing down, and there may be something supernatural behind it.

Genre: Horror, Drama
Stars: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Mary McDonnell, Carl Lumbly, Samantha Sloyan
Seasons: 1

Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities

Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro curated this collection of short films from some of horror’s most visionary, creative directors and writers. The eight stories in the series’ first season hail from a wide range of filmmakers, including Vincenzo Natali (Cube), Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night), Jennifer Kent (The Babadook), and Del Toro himself.

Genre: Fantasy/Horror
Stars: Ben Barnes, Andrew Lincoln, Rupert Grint
Seasons: 1

The Midnight Club

Mike Flanagan, the creator of The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass, turns his attention to young-adult scares with The Midnight Club, inspired by Christopher Pike’s 1994 novel of the same name. The 10-episode series follows a group of young, terminally ill residents of a hospice who gather each night to tell each other spooky stories. The members of the “Midnight Club” make a pact that whoever dies first will try to send a message from the afterlife. With Flanagan at the helm of this show, be prepared for big scares.

Genre: Horror/Mystery
Stars: Iman Benson, Heather Langenkamp, Igby Rigney
Seasons: 1

Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Black Mirror

After a two-year hiatus, Black Mirror is back for a new season on Netflix. Charlie Brooker’s mind-bending sci-fi anthology consists of five self-contained standalone episodes and one sequel to the fan-favorite season 4 episode USS Callister. As with its previous seasons, Black Mirror has attracted a number of established stars to make one-off appearances.

Like its predecessor, The Twilight Zone, Black Mirror‘s stories are about people who make the wrong choices more often than the right ones. And the consequences of those choices aren’t always pleasant. And in this series, things can always get worse for the main characters before the screen fades to black.

Genre: Sci-fi, Drama
Stars: Rashida Jones, Peter Capaldi, Paul Giamatti, Cristin Milioti, Issa Rae, Awkwafina
Seasons: 7

Resident Alien

The title character of Resident Alien is Harry Vanderspeigle (Alan Tudyk), and he’s just your regular alien impersonating a small-town doctor who came to Earth with nefarious intentions and a mission to eliminate humanity. But during the course of the first two seasons, Harry has actually come to enjoy life on Earth, and he feels more empathy for the people he sees as his friends.

Now that Resident Alien season 3 has arrived on Netflix, Harry’s personal mission has changed. He’s out to save humanity from the Greys, an alien race that doesn’t share his love for humanity. Some of the townspeople are now in on Harry’s secret, which helps and hinders him. He’s also experiencing romantic feelings for Heather (Edi Patterson), an Avian alien who just might reciprocate Harry’s advances.

Genre: Sci-fi, Comedy
Stars: Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund, Levi Fiehler
Seasons: 3

Mayfair Witches

Anne Rice’s children of the night may reign in Interview with the Vampire, but the author’s witches are more popular on Netflix. As part of the yearlong AMC+ invasion, Rice’s Mayfair Witches, which shares a universe with her vampire show, introduces viewers to Rowan Fielding (Alexandra Daddario), a young neurosurgeon who had no idea that she was born into a family of witches before she was adopted.

As Rowan’s deadly abilities begin to manifest, she discovers that she’s not only a Mayfair witch — she’s also the heir to the family’s power. But with that power comes the family curse, in the form of a shape-shifter known as Lasher (Jack Huston). Lasher has a long history of seducing the Mayfair women, and there may be dire consequences if he manages to do the same with Rowan.

Genre: Drama, Fantasy
Stars: Alexandra Daddario, Tongayi Chirisa, Jack Huston, Harry Hamlin, Beth Grant
Seasons: 1

Lost

Nearly two decades ago, Lost was a cultural phenomenon for ABC on a scale that’s rarely seen, especially among genre shows. The series dropped a very large ensemble cast on a remote island following a harrowing plane crash. With little hope of rescue, Jack Shepard (Matthew Fox), Kate Austen (Evangeline Lilly), John Locke (Terry O’Quinn), Sawyer (Josh Holloway), and the rest of the group have to make some hard choices to survive. And it only gets harder when they aren’t on the same page.

Those characters were a large part of Lost‘s appeal, but so were the mysteries of the island itself. There’s more happening than meets the eye, and this uncharted paradise has more than a few deadly secrets. One of the biggest obstacles awaiting the survivors are the Others, a group of people who have been living on the island for decades. Once the two sides come into conflict, only one faction can come out on top.

Genre: Drama, Fantasy
Stars: Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly, Terry O’Quinn, Josh Holloway, Dominic Monaghan, Naveen Andrews
Seasons: 6

3 Body Problem

Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss’ new Netflix series, 3 Body Problem, is a sci-fi drama based upon the Chinese novel The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin. This is not a conventional story, although it’s not hard to guess that alien life is at the heart of the show’s premise.

Without giving too much away, a woman named Ye Wenjie (Rosalind Chao) made a decision decades ago that will eventually have grave consequences for everyone on Earth. An alien threat is coming that is beyond mankind’s ability to handle, and there’s a real question about whether anyone can do anything about it because the arrival may not take place for decades, if not longer. The only advantage that humanity has is time, and even that may not be enough to find a solution.

Genre: Sci-fi, Drama
Stars: Benedict Wong, Jess Hong, Jovan Adepo, Eiza González, John Bradley, Alex Sharp, Rosalind Chao
Seasons: 1

The Sandman

Neil Gaiman’s celebrated comic book series comes to life in this adaptation that casts Tom Sturridge as Morpheus, the lord of the world of dreams. When a cruel dabbler in the occult accidentally imprisons Morpheus, it begins a tale that unfolds across multiple generations and through myriad realms and ultimately puts the future of humanity at risk.

In development for more than two decades, The Sandman is a project long thought impossible to adapt faithfully, but the series somehow manages to weave together the enthralling stories and powerful themes of Gaiman’s acclaimed fantasy saga.

Genre: Fantasy
Stars: Tom Sturridge, Boyd Holbrook, Jenna Coleman
Seasons: 1

The Witcher

Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) and Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra) now know who’s been pulling their strings in the Continent, but that knowledge might not be enough to save them as The Witcher returns with the final three episodes of season 3.

With Geralt waylaid and fighting for his life, Ciri (Freya Allan) is off on an adventure of her own that may prove to be a transformative experience. But all roads lead back to Geralt as the series faces a turning point and a very, very long wait until the fourth season arrives.

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Action, Drama
Stars: Henry Cavill, Freya Allan, Anya Chalotra, Eamon Farren
Seasons: 3

Stranger Things

One of the most popular original series on Netflix, Stranger Things has become a cultural touchstone in the short time since its 2016 debut. The series’ opening sequence lays out its sci-fi aspirations clearly: A scientist flees down an empty hallway, pursued by some unseen force that eventually nabs him as he waits for elevator doors to close; it then cuts to a group of kids playing D&D in a suburban basement.

The series is rooted in ‘80s genre nostalgia, from the mysterious creature terrorizing the fictional Indiana town to the secret government agency chasing the group of kids who encounter it. There are pieces of Stephen King, Steven Spielberg, and John Hughes strewn throughout Stranger Things, and the result is a show that will feel immediately familiar to people who grew up with that source material.

For more info on the final season, check out Stranger Things season 5: Plot, date, and casting rumors.

Genre: Sci-Fi
Stars: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown
Seasons: 4

True crime and Docuseries

Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer

In 2020, Netflix dramatized the case of the Long Island serial killer in Lost Girls. The three-part documentary Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer offers a deeper look at what happened to the victims of Rex Heuermann. This true crime story differs from many others in part because it’s a more through look at who the victims were and a searing indictment on the police officers who weren’t that interested in investigating the deaths of sex workers.

Over a decade passed between the discovery of ten bodies and the arrest of Heuermann. It’s a story of police inaction and corruption that nearly derailed the search for a killer. But even catching the Long Island serial killer can’t bring back the women he killed.

Genre: True Crime
Stars: N/A
Seasons: 1

American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson

Genre: True Crime, Documentary
Stars: O.J. Simpson, Nicole Brown Simpson, Christopher Darden

The O.J. Simpson trial was called “the trial of the century” in the ’90s, and it still maintains a tight grip on the public’s imagination three decades later. American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson features a concise four-part look at the murder investigation of Simpson’s ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, the infamous slow freeway chase in the White Bronco, and the absolute circus that unfolded during his trial.

Many of the surviving participants of these events contributed to this documentary, including former prosecutor Christopher Darden. O.J. Simpson’s story is one of those “only in America” fables, and even his death doesn’t bring it to a close.

Seasons: 1

Our Oceans

Former President Barack Obama produces and narrates Our Oceans, a five-part Netflix original documentary series. This show features some jaw-dropping footage of life beneath the sea as it explores the connections between what’s happening in the water and how it affects everything on land.

Our Oceans starts with breathtaking glimpses of sea life in their natural environment before shifting gears to demonstrate how climate change and human-created pollution have impacted these creatures. Some of the sea life have even found inventive ways to adapt to the presence of plastics in their oceans. The series also explores the ways that these underwater dwellers find mates, which seems to amuse Obama at times.

Genre: Documentary
Stars: Barack Obama
Seasons: 1

Predators

There are several world-class nature documentaries on Netflix, and the latest addition to that genre, Predators, is all about some of the deadliest hunters in nature. Actor Tom Hardy narrates the series, and naturally, three of the episodes focus on the big cats: cheetahs, lions, and pumas. The remaining two episodes focus on polar bears and wild dogs.

This miniseries offers a rare opportunity to watch these wild creatures facing real challenges to their survival beyond hunting down their next meal. Unfortunately for these magnificent creatures, climate change and natural disasters may prove to be even deadlier than they are.

Genre: Documentary
Stars: Tom Hardy
Seasons: 1

Our Planet II

After a four-year hiatus, Our Planet is back for another season on Netflix, and it remains one of the most stunningly beautiful nature documentaries on the streamer. David Attenborough returns as the narrator of Our Planet II, which once again explores the impact that climate change has had on the environment and the creatures that live all over the world.

One of the major themes of this season is migration, as animals struggle to find new places to survive and thrive as they deal with both predators and pollution. As in the first season, the visuals are breathtaking and this is a unique look at the world that most people have never seen in person.

Genre: Documentary
Stars: David Attenborough
Seasons: 2

Animation

Devil May Cry

Genre: Action, Horror
Stars: Johnny Yong Bosch, Scout Taylor-Compton, Hoon Lee, Chris Coppola, Kevin Conroy
Seasons: 1

Devil May Cry is based on the Capcom video game franchise that’s known for its wild action scenes. And you’re going to get plenty of that in this series. Johnny Yong Bosch voices Dante, a brash demon hunter whose mouth sometimes cuts checks that he can’t cash.

Dante’s got some very unique fighting skills, but he’s up against a literal army of demons that are invading the Earth to claim our world as their own. It’s probably the wrong time for Dante to be workshopping his comedic material, but his quips do need some work.

Pantheon

If the world as we know it is going to end, you can blame the UIs. Uploaded Intelligences may be the next stage of merging man and machine, and the company known as Logorhythms has nearly perfected the process of transferring a human mind into computer code. Pantheon‘s animation brings this sci-fi idea to life in startling fashion, with an A-list voice cast that includes Paul Dano, Aaron Eckhart, Rosemarie DeWitt, Daniel Dae Kim, William Hurt, and Ron Livingston.

Maddie Kim (Katie Chang) is thrust into this insane new world when a UI intervenes in her life to protect her from bullies at school. While trying to unravel the mystery, Maddie becomes convinced that the UI is her late father, David Kim (Kim). Meanwhile, another teenager, Caspian Keyes (Dano), is looking into the UIs as well, unaware that Logorhythms is manipulating his entire life.

Genre: Sci-fi, Thriller, Drama
Stars: Katie Chang, Paul Dano, Aaron Eckhart, Rosemarie DeWitt, Daniel Dae Kim
Seasons: 1

Arcane

Arcane is reportedly the most expensive animated series ever created, and every dollar shows up onscreen. The jaw-dropping first season was released in 2021, and now the show has returned for its second and final season, which will be stretched out over three weeks.

In a steampunk sci-fi fantasy world, the wealthy city known as Piltover has lorded over the poor people of Zaun for decades. Two sisters, Violet (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Fallout‘s Ella Purnell) find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. Jinx wanted a war between the cities, and she got her wish in the season 1 finale. Now, the consequences of Jinx’s choice have come home as open warfare breaks out. And the sisters will have to confront each other at least one more time before the end.

Genre: Sci-fi, fantasy, action
Stars: Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, Kevin Alejandro, Katie Leung, Jason Spisak
Seasons: 2

Terminator Zero

For the first time in its 40 years of existence, the Terminator franchise is finally getting an animated series of its own. Terminator Zero is ignoring everything but the first two movies and setting the clock back to 1997, shortly before Judgment Day. In Japan, scientist Malcolm Lee (André Holland) has created Kokoro (Rosario Dawson), an AI program that may be able to counter Skynet and prevent the end of the world.

From Skynet’s future perspective, that’s why Malcolm has to die. Toward that end, a new Terminator (Timothy Olyphant) has been dispatched to the past to kill Malcolm. Meanwhile, the human resistance sends Eiko (Sonoya Mizuno) to protect Malcolm. But if the Terminator can’t find Malcolm, it will move on to its next targets: his children.

Genre: Sci-fi
Stars: Timothy Olyphant, André Holland, Sonoya Mizuno, Rosario Dawson, Ann Dowd
Seasons: 1

Masters of the Universe: Revolution

There’s a crisis on Eternia in the next chapter of He-Man’s story in Masters of the Universe: Revolution. For the first time in his life, Prince Adam (Chris Wood) must choose between being the king of his people and being their champion as He-Man. Meanwhile, Teela (Melissa Benoist), undergoes a startling metamorphosis as well.

But those may be the least of Adam and Teela’s problems, as Skeletor (Mark Hamill, one of the best Joker actors ever) reemerges as the harbinger of Motherboard and the Horde. A revolution is coming, and this time He-Man and his allies are badly outnumbered.

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Stars: Chris Wood, Mark Hamill, Melissa Benoist, Liam Cunningham, Lena Headey
Seasons: 1

Blue Eye Samurai

Sometimes, a show can sneak up on you and become a breakout hit when you least expect it. That’s what’s happening right now with Blue Eye Samurai, Netflix’s unconventional anime series. Logan and Blade Runner 2049 screenwriter Michael Green teamed up with his wife, Amber Noizumi, to create the series set in Japan’s Edo period when the country was closed off from the world.

Mizu (Maya Erskine) is the titular blue-eyed samurai, a distinctive physical trait that she goes to great lengths to hide in her quest for revenge. Mizu’s skills quickly make her a lot of powerful enemies, even though her greatest secret is that she’s a woman, despite passing herself off as a man. She also tends to leave behind a lot of collateral damage in her wake, because she lets nothing get between her and her deadly goal.

Genre: Anime, Drama
Stars: Maya Erskine, Masi Oka, Brenda Song, Darren Barnet
Seasons: 1

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