Although Netflix celebrates its 27th anniversary this year, many of us first encountered the streaming platform in 2015 when it went global (and came to Australia). Remember the onslaught of "Netflix and chill" memes? Simpler times. Back then, Netflix was gearing up to be the next home of prestige TV with early Originals series like Orange is the New Black and House of Cards.
Something happened along the way, though. The shows became formulaic, tawdry, didn't know when to call it quits. Did anyone actually stick it out for the Riverdale finale or even Stranger Things for that matter? Then came the competition – Prime Video, Binge, Paramount+, Disney+, Stan, Mubi and so on – which divided our attention, an international pandemic which tightened our purse strings, and months of Hollywood strikes.
While some critics have proclaimed the golden age of modern television dead, Netflix has other plans. Sure, the streamer has, at times, sidelined quality for the sake of corny Christmas series, but they know a hit when they see one. And like the 10th episode of The Sopranos, a hit is a hit.
So in this spirit, we're bringing you the best Netflix series of all time. We're talking Netflix Originals that were produced by the Netflix studios (otherwise Derry Girls would be on this list, duh). Rediscover old favourites or tuck in to those you might have missed, below.
Orange is the New Black
Why not start at the beginning? Orange is the New Black is brilliant because we enter a female prison through the eyes of a privileged middle class white woman. Piper Chapman becomes the audience surrogate as we grow to understand the social and political dynamics of prison. It's stuffed with humour but tackles darker and pressing themes like domestic and racial violence, inequality, while critiquing the penitentiary system at large. The show also kickstarted the careers of Laverne Cox, Danielle Brooks, and Dascha Polanco.
Stranger Things
The retro-soaked, synth-heavy style of Stranger Things netted Netflix another dedicated audience when the show debuted back in 2016. Think E.T meets The X-Files, with a sweet tween-aged cast.
The Crown
While I'm not big on the monarchy, I am a fan of The Crown which spares no detail on its study of Queen Elizabeth II's multi-decade reign. The characters are complex and not all are cast in a flattering light. We especially love the later seasons when Diana is on the scene for all the obvious reasons. A shoutout to the casting team, they never miss. From Emma Corrin, Olivia Colman, Imelda Staunton, Helena Bonham-Carter, Josh O'Connor, Emerald Fennell and Gillian Anderson, everyone is pitch perfect.
Black Mirror
Black Mirror was before its time. And that is the point. The anthology series serves as a cautionary tale where it reimagines and stretches our relationships with technology to the extreme. Episodes present dystopian near-futures where surveillance, social media, and artificial intelligence erode democracy and upend life as we know it.
When They See Us
A must-watch series that tells the true story of the Central Park Five, a group of five Black and Latino teenagers who were wrongfully convicted of sexual assault in New York City in 1989. When They See Us makes plain the systemic racism and extreme miscarriage of justice on the teenagers and the decade-spanning fight to clear their names.
Wednesday
The Tim Burton and Jenna Ortega-led series went completely viral when it dropped on the streamer. I don't think any of us have forgotten that prom scene dance that saw The Cramps' Goo Goo Muck soar up to the number one spot on the Billboard charts, or the subsequent resurgence of 'goth girl' aesthetics in the fashion world. Bring on season two!
Ozark
At the head of the Byrde family is Marty and Wendy in this Netflix crime drama. Along with their two children, the unit uproots to the Ozarks in order to pull off a money-laundering scheme and avoid severe consequences at the hands of a Mexican drug cartel. Julia Garner, Laura Linney and Lisa Emery give forceful performances.
Grand Army
A completely underrated teen drama narrowing in on five students at a Brooklyn-based high school. It's gritty exploration of coming of age, sexuality, race and privilege in the spirit of 90s classic Kids. Starring Odessa A'zion, daughter of Pamela Adlon, Amalia Yoo, Odley Jean, Maliq Johnson and David Iacono.
Easy
An anthology series that charts the relationships of various couples across modern-day Chicago. All sorts of dynamics are covered with a skilled cast comprising Aubrey Plaza, Zazie Beetz, Elizabeth Reaser, Emily Ratajkowski, Dave Franco, Marc Maron, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jane Adams, Judy Greer and more.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
A seemingly normal town American town. Teenagers with supernatural powers. Sound familiar? This is Netflix bread and butter. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina begins with a magical realism slant and gradually becomes more enmeshed with the occult as the seasons unravel. If you're into witches, hail Lilith, are fascinated by Salem, or simply loved the old Sabrina, then this is a much darker reimagining but no less enjoyable with Kiernan Shipka at its helm.
Sex Education
The RUSSH office will never pass on an opportunity to watch Gillian Anderson. Thankfully, Sex Education isn't just empty air time. The show follows a class of teenagers as they begin they encounter sex – some for the first time – and navigate desire, body image, pleasure and sexual health. In case you need to improve your own sex education, here are our favourite Instagram accounts to follow on the subject.
Dear White People
A razor-sharp satire that turns its eye on race relations at an American Ivy League campus. There's deft commentary on microaggressions, privilege, identity and colourism.
Ripley
Sure, there have been multiple adaptations of Patricia Highsmith's classic novel. We all know that Anthony Minghella's 1999 version is easily the cream of the crop. So when we heard that Netflix was churning out yet another reboot, we rolled our eyes. If it ain't broke etc. We take all that back though. Not just because Andrew Scott gives Tom Ripley the most unnerving turn yet, but because Steve Zaillan has managed to bring out all the sinister, psychological notes in the source material. As an audience you're left reeling at how a white, wealthy, good looking man can literally get away with murder if he's cunning enough.
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
While the Gilmore Girls reunion was kind of infuriating (fat-shaming; whizz kid Rory goes to seed) it's not like we didn't beg for it. Now we can punctuate our comfort viewings of Gilmore Girls with this return to modern-day Stars Hollow. As always, Emily Gilmore is a scene-stealer and the only voice of reason.
13 Reasons Why
A polarising series from Netflix, but undeniably popular. When school student Hannah Baker ends her life, her classmate Clay Jensen must piece together the intent behind her death through a set of cassette tapes she left behind.
Squid Game
The most-streamed non-English Netflix series of all time. And certainly one of the most hyped. Most people can recall the utter chaos of TikTok when the show debuted, all reenactments of Red Light, Green Light and recipes for Dalgona candy.
Inventing Anna
It's a tale that reads more like a plot line from Gossip Girl than a snippet from real life. That's what we thought, at least, as we gobbled up The Cut's 2018 story about Anna Sorokin – or Anna Delvey as she was known to the New York socialites who she swindled thousands of dollars from. So it makes sense that this story of deception was turned into a Netflix mini series and by Shonda Rhimes and starring Netflix alum Julia Garner, no less.
Beef
Beef is one of the most recent hits from Netflix's Originals archive. It cleaned up during the 2023 awards season, amassing 21 accolades. While the first season of Beef is staged around a road rage incident which spawns bad blood between a self-made entrepreneur and a struggling contractor, little is known of the hotly-anticipated second season except that it will centre a similar feud starring Charles Melton, Cailee Spaeny, Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan.
Never Have I Ever
There's a reason Never Have I Ever scored four seasons and a spin-off. The show is lighthearted fun. Teenager Devi Vishwakumar is an ambitious first generation Indian-American who wants to climb the social rungs at her high school. She meets the challenge with great energy, if only her family and friends stopped getting in her way...
You
How far Penn Badgley has strayed from Gossip Girl's lonely boy with his sinister portrayal of Joe Goldberg, a charming but obsessive bookstore manager who develops a dangerous fixation on the women he encounters. Over four seasons, You explores love, obsession, and manipulation, as Joe's actions become increasingly disturbing.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Lemony Snicket's dark humour shines in this Netflix show based on his children's series of the same title. Villain and guardian to the newly-orphaned Baudelaire siblings, Count Olaf, is gleefully captured by Neil Patrick Harris who devises hair-brained schemes to capture the children's fortune.
Unbelievable
Netflix's Unbelievable delves into the true story of Marie, a teenage girl flawlessly played by Kaitlyn Dever, who is accused of fabricating a sexual assault claim. The limited series follows the subsequent investigation, as two female detectives work tirelessly to uncover the truth and bring the real perpetrator, who it turns out has assaulted a handful of other women, to justice. The series was applauded for its sensitive portrayal of sexual trauma, its critique of systemic biases against survivors, and its empowering depiction of female collaboration. Queue it up.
The Queen's Gambit
The role that cemented Anya Taylor-Joy as an international heavyweight. The Queen's Gambit dropped right when half the globe plunged into lockdown, giving us something entertaining to cling to when the news outside was particularly grim. It was especially timely since the show stressed the power of the group over the individual. At its heart, the show follows a young female chess prodigy in her pursuit of becoming the best. There's Russian adversaries, period dressing and problem solving. Try not to download a chess app afterwards.
Bridgerton
Welcome to Netflix's horny years. Shona Rhimes has adapted Julia Quinn's delicious romance novels into an easy-watching period drama that focuses on marriage, love, desire, and status through a feminist lens. Each season follows a familiar and winning formula, starting at the beginning of the courting season in Regency-era England. Expect smut, along with performances from Hollywood starlets like Phoebe Dynevor, Simone Ashley and Nicola Coughlan.
Maid
Maid sees Stephanie Land's memoir turned into a tense and truthful depiction of poverty, starring Margaret Qualley and her mother Andie MacDowell. The series depicts the sort of setbacks that, for a middle class person might mean they have a bad day, but for someone living hand-to-mouth becomes a state of emergency. It also captures the infuriating bureaucracy of navigating government assistance. But the show isn't joyless either, just honest about how tough it can be for, in this case, a young mother fleeing domestic violence to catch a break and cater to your most basic needs.
Heartbreak High
Netflix remade Australian classic teen drama Heartbreak High for the TikTok generation. The series spent three weeks in the global top 10 shows on Netflix upon its release and held onto that ranking in Australia for five weeks. We think you'll adore Amerie, Darren, Quinnie, Cash and Missy as much as we do.
One Day
Netflix knew exactly what is was doing when it sought to adapt David Nicholls' 2009 bestseller and rehabilitate the story of Em and Dex from the shoddy version starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess. It's a classic will-they-won't-they storyline spanning two decades that's suited to the TV format. Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall sizzle side-by-side, making that gut punch of an ending all the more unbearable. Plus, the soundtrack is worth a deep dive, featuring The Kinks, Massive Attack, Cat Power, Cocteau Twins, The Magnetic Fields, Nick Drake and many more.
Boy Swallows Universe
Part fiction, part autobiography, Trent Dalton's novel Boy Swallows Universe received the Netflix treatment and was rewarded for it at the 2024 Logies. The show follows 12-year-old Eli Bell who, although still a child, is street smart and observant. Furnishing the tale with pieces from his own tumultuous upbringing, Dalton writes of Eli Bell, who lives in gritty 80s working class Brisbane. His mother, played by Phoebe Tonkin, is an addict and his heroin-dealing stepfather (Travis Fimmell) is no good. Then there's Slim (Bryan Brown), a notorious felon and something of a father-figure to Eli and his mute older brother Gus (Lee Halley). The book is essentially a crime novel, but it's also about coming-of-age, first love and brotherhood too, with a streak of magical realism thrown in for good measure.
