The Witcher
Netflix
Like everyone else, I am stuck inside trying to figure out what Netflix series I should try to make it through rather than watching Parks and Recreation for the eleventh time. If you’re looking for some recommendations, here’s a massive list that Rotten Tomatoes has compiled of the top 155 Netflix original shows, listing every show they consider “fresh” (above a 60% rating, so sorry, Iron Fist).
Chances are you’ve at least heard of a lot of these, but I thought I would list them out (you can see a more detailed list over at RT) and pull out a few with my own thoughts based on if I’ve seen them already and what I make of them. Hard to believe there are a full 155 shows that critics “recommend” on RT, but their TV ratings are usually a bit higher than their movie ratings, so it’s grading on a curve.
The top 10-20 or so are a little funky because you get to some 100% shows that simply don’t have all that many ratings, hence why they’re up there. But there are some good ones scattered all throughout this list, so I’ll try to pull them out.
155. Anne with an E (60%)
154. Derek (60%)
153. Bloodline (62%)
152. Spinning Out (63%)
The Punisher
Netflix
151. Marvel’s The Punisher (63%) – It’s a crime that this is so low. Season 1 of The Punisher was my favorite show the year it debuted, and one of the best seasons of any superhero show on the planet. Season 2 was…less good. I might just skip it, frankly. I am deeply sad that Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle is out of the MCU with the Netflix-Marvel deal over.
150. Self Made (65%)
149. Marcella (65%)
148. Lilyhammer (65%)
147. Marco Polo (66%)
Locke and Key
Netflix
146. Locke and Key (66%) – Surprised to see this so low, frankly. Based on a graphic novel by Joe Hill (Stephen King’s son), this is a solid family friendly(ish) fantasy series that everyone I’ve recommended it to seems to like.
145. Ragnarok (67%)
The Witcher
Netflix
144. The Witcher (67%) – Critics famously didn’t love The Witcher but audiences couldn’t get enough of it. An adaptation of the books with influences from the video games, Netflix’s Game of Thrones competitor is starting out strong and I’d recommend it even to non-fantasy fans.
143. Disenchantment (68%)
142. Dark Tourist (70%)
141. Daybreak (70%)
140. Babies (71%)
139. Bonding (71%)
138. Troy: Fall of a City (71%)
137. Safe (71%)
136. Everything Sucks (71%)
135. Designated Survivor (71%)
134. After Life (72%)
133. Dracula (72%)
Love is Blind
Netflix
132. Love is Blind (73%) – I will at least give a passing comment on Love is Blind, which is sizzling on the Netflix top 10 for a few week snow. It’s fine, but I think other love-based reality shows are better, and other Netflix reality shows are better too. But it’s addicting, I’ll say that.
131. Wanderlust (73%)
130. Kill Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez (75%)
129. Requiem (75%)
The Umbrella Academy
Netflix
128. The Umbrella Academy (75%) – This is low key one of Netflix’s most popular shows. It’s a quirky take on superheroism that I can’t say I loved, but I was curious to see more by the time season 1 was over. And season 2 is coming soon.
127. Lost in Space (75%)
126. Arrested Development (75%)
Altered Carbon
Netflix
125. Altered Carbon (76%) – I know it’s pretty far down the list, but if we’re judging only season 1 here, this is probably my #2 Netflix original on the entire service, a brutal sci-fi series unlike anything else out there I didn’t like season 2 nearly as much, but it was worth watching all the same. I hope they do a third.
124. Watership Down (77%)
123. Seven Seconds (77%)
122. Love, Death and Robots (77%)
121. House of Cards (77%)
120. Collateral (78%
119. She’s Gotta Have It (78%)
118. Marvel’s The Defenders (78%)
117. Chelsea Does (79%)
116. Black Earth Rising (79%)
115. Living With Yourself (79%)
The Circle
Netflix
114. The Circle (80%) – I am generally not a reality show person, but the social media-based competition here was something that I found strangely compelling and ultimately very endearing, a rarity in the genre. I’d give it a chance.
113. Dave Chappellle (80%)
112. Evil Genius (80%)
Ozark
Netflix
111. Ozark (80%) – Ozark is lower on this list due to its first two ho-hum seasons, but season 3 is absolutely fantastic and I would highly recommend investing in this Breaking Bad-adjacent series that is only getting better over time.
110. The Break with Michelle Wolf (81%)
109. My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman (81%)
108. Tidying Up with Marie Kondo (81%)
107. The Get Down (81%)
106. Raising Dion (82%)
105. The Rain (82%)
104. Wu Assassins (83%)
103. Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City (83%)
102. Marvel’s Jessica Jones (83%)
Black Mirror
Netflix
101. Black Mirror (83%) – I think Black Mirror has lost its way a little bit in recent Netflix-based seasons, but it still contains some of the best one-off sci-fi stories in the genre, and you can watch them in any order. It’s the Twilight Zone for a new generation.
100. Criminal: UK (84%)
99. The Fall (84%)
Making a Murderer
Netflix
98. Making a Murderer (84%) – The original Netflix documentary that put this part of the service on the map. It’s no less compelling now than when it came out a few years ago, and a second season sheds further light on the case as time went on.
97. Wet Hot American Summer (84%)
96. The OA (84%)
95. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (84%)
94. Godless (85%)
93. Maniac (85%)
92. Ghoul (86%)
91. The Stranger (86%)
90. F is for Family (86%)
The Society
Netflix
89. The Society (86%) – This is an overlooked series about kids dealing with the disappearance of all the adults in their town. I genuinely liked it and have not heard really anything about it. It’s a quick watch, and something I’d recommend in the YA genre.
88. The Spy (86%)
87. The Innocents (86%)
86. Dead to Me (86%)
I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS
Netflix
85. I Am Not Okay With This (86%) – A new age take on Carrie (without literally being a remake) as a young girl discovers she has telekinetic powers in high school. From the same team that did the End of the F***ing world, further up on this list.
84. Sense 8 (86%)
83. Atypical (87%)
82. Lucifer (87%)
81. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life (87%)
80. Marvel’s Luke Cage (87%)
79. Narcos: Mexico (88%)
78. Longmire (88%)
77. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (88%)
The Pharmacist
Netflix
76. The Pharmacist (89%) – The heartbreaking tale of one man who lost his son to the drug epidemic in America, and then went on a crusade to shut down opioid distributors in his town. Compelling and stunnig.
75. W/ Bob and David (89%)
74. Grace and Frankie (89%)
73. Narcos (89%)
72. Santa Clarita Diet (89%)
The Crown
Netflix
71. The Crown (89%) – I would not have thought a dry British drama about the monarchy would catch my interest, but the performances are too good to ignore, and the show is heading into a unique place having to recast its leads as time presses on.
70. Queen Sono (90%)
69. Easy (90%)
68. Wormwood (90%)
67. The Kominsky Method (90%)
You
Netflix
66. You (90%) – Netflix rescued this show from Lifetime where no one was watching it, and turned it into one of its best original thrillers. Season 2, in the Netflix era, is even better than the first, and Joe is a new age horror villain for our time.
65. Orange is the New Black (90%)
64. The Devil Next Door (91%)
63. Gentefied (91%)
62. I Think You Should Leave (91%)
61. The Last Kingdom (91%)
Queer Eye
Netflix
60. Queer Eye (91%) – The show has evolved from its original premise to become less about just new clothes and haircuts and more about total life transformations. One of the most feel-good series on Netflix, which we all need right now.
59. Rhythm and Flow (92%)
58. Medical Police (92%)
57. Dating Around (92%)
56. Sacred Games (92%)
55. Peaky Blinders (92%)
Daredevil
Netflix
54. Marvel’s Daredevil (92%) – While I hate season 2, Season 1 is stellar and season 3 might be tied with Punisher season 1 as the best superhero string of episodes in history. Another huge loss for the MCU that this deal fell through and these characters are on ice.
GLOW
Erica Parise/Netflix
53. GLOW (92%) – Cannot recommend this series about female wrestling in the ‘80s highly enough. Alison Brie and Betty Gilpin are stars and this is absolutely worth your time whether you have any interest in pro wrestling or not.
52. Carmen Sandiago (93%)
51. Our Planet (93%)
50. Last Chance U (93%)
49. Castlevania (93%)
48. Bodyguard (93%)
47. The End of the F***ing World (93%%)
The Haunting of Hill House
Netflix
46. The Haunting of Hill House (93%) – It’s all the way up here at #46, but this is my favorite Netflix original by quite a wide margin. It’s a horror series, but more about family and than ghosts, and a deeply emotional, important journey. Cannot speak highly enough about it.
45. Bojack Horseman (93%)
Stranger Things
Netflix
44. Stranger Things (93%) – Surprised to see Netflix’s iconic sci-fi series with so many other titles still above it, but I maintain that the show keeps getting better and better with every new season.
43. The Staircase (94%)
42. On My Block (94%)
41. Dark (94%)
40. Love (94%)
Sex Education
Netflix
39. Sex Education (94%) – Probably Netflix’s best comedy when all is said and done, it’s raunchy enough to be entertaining, but heartfelt enough to be touching. It’s been great so far and I expect it to last a while longer. No pun intended.
38. Flint Town (95%)
37. Unorthodox (95%)
36. Bobby Kennedy For President (95%)
35. Dear White People (95%)
Kingdom
Netflix
34. Kingdom (96%) – One of the best pieces of zombie fiction ever made, set in feudal Korea. Season 2 was just released and somehow managed to be even better than a stellar first season. Between this and Train to Busan, Korean zombies are the best zombies.
33. Special (96%)
Cheer
Netflix
32. Cheer (96%) – I knew nothing about cheerleading heading into this documentary but it is hard not to be shocked and amazed by everything it contains. You will have deep respect for cheerleaders after this, I promise you that.
31. She-Ra and the Princess of Power (96%)
30. When They See Us (96%)
29. A Series of Unfortunate Events (96%)
28. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (96%)
27. The Keepers (97%)
26. Elite (97%)
25. Five Came Back (97%)
24. Lady Dynamite (97%)
23. Russian Doll (97%)
Mindhunter
Netflix
22. Mindhunter (97%) – Pound for pound, maybe the highest quality “prestige” Netflix series that exists, which is why it’s such a shame that it’s on indefinite hiatus after season 2. Based on the real life formation of the FBI’s serial killer unit, it’s gripping and haunting all at the same time.
21. Lovesick (98%)
20. Tiger King (94%)
19. Tuca and Bertie (98%)
18. Wild Wild Country (98%)
Happy Valley
Netflix
17. Happy Valley (98%) – There are many British crime shows that Netflix calls their own, but I can attest that Happy Valley is one of the best (besides Broadchurch, which isn’t listed a Netflix original). Happy to see it so high up here.
16. Unbelievable (98%)
15. American Vandal (98%)
14. Alias Grace (98%)
13. One Day at a Time (99%)
12. Sex, Explained (100%)
11. Beastars (100%)
10. Crazyhead (100%)
9. The Confession Killer (100%)
8. Dirty Money (100%)
7. Giri/Haji (100%)
6. Ugly Delicious (100%)
5. Chewing Gum (100%)
4. Feel Good (100%)
3. Mystery Science Theater 3000 (100%)
Big Mouth
Netflix
2. Big Mouth (100%) – Was not expecting Big Mouth to be number two here, but the animated series about puberty really is one of the most clever things Netflix has put out for years now.
Master of None
Netflix
1. Master of None (100%) – Aziz Ansari seems to be taking his time making more of this, but it’s clear critics could not get enough of the first two seasons. I definitely wouldn’t rank it Netflix’s top show of all time, but yes, it’s very good.
That’s the list. For now. More shows will continue to be added in time, and the ranking order will change as existing shows get new seasons. For now, you have a lot of options.
Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Pick up my new sci-fi novel Herokiller, and read my first series, The Earthborn Trilogy, which is also on audiobook.