Netflix has always delivered quality content, but over the last five years, the platform has released a great number of quality TV shows across every genre imaginable, showcasing its remarkable ability to offer audiences consistently fantastic content. Some have become global sensations, while others have slowly built a small fanbase that deems them an incredible cult favorite. Netflix definitely excels in range, and for the past five years, the streaming platform has delivered what fans have come to expect: prestigious television.
Epic shows like the queer phenomenon Heartstopper, which brings an extremely wholesome romance to screens, and the sci-fi hit 3 Body Problem, which stands as a genuinely ambitious watch, are just two on this list that represent the very best of what Netflix television has looked like in recent years. Compiled here are Netflix’s greatest hits from the last five years, all of which deserve every bit of praise they’ve ever received.
10
‘Sweet Tooth’ (2021–2024)
This underrated post-apocalyptic TV show is a truly memorable watch that is capable of moving anyone who takes the time to experience it. Based on Jeff Lemire’s acclaimed comic series, Sweet Tooth is set in a world shaped by the Sick, and focuses on the young, deer-human hybrid boy Gus (Christian Convery), who is searching for family alongside the reluctant Jepperd / Big Man (Nonso Anozie).
Sweet Tooth is honestly one of the quietest greats on this list. It excels in heart, tone, and worldbuilding, remaining consistently fantastic across three seasons. The show is a constant balance of dark apocalyptic elements and emotional tenderness, which makes it the perfect addition to this list. Sweet Tooth is a fantasy drama that exudes warmth but also high-stakes tension, making it one of Netflix’s most underrated works in its genre.
9
‘Heartstopper’ (2022–2024)
Heartstopper is an achingly sweet teen drama that beautifully represents young queer romance. The remarkable series centers on teenagers, Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) and Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), who start off as classmates, but their relationship begins to evolve, moving from a tentative school friendship to the genuine beginnings of first love.
Heartstopper one of Netflix’s most fantastic watches for teens and adults alike who tend to find themselves absolutely smitten with the romance between two genuinely amazing boys. Across three seasons, the show maintains a high quality of pure wholesomeness and romance. It’s a truly stunning series that consistently balances its warmth, accessibility, and emotional responsibility quite masterfully. Heartstopper may be one of Netflix’s many youth-oriented hits, but when up against the brilliant series, it knocks most right out of the water.
8
‘One Piece’ (2023–Present)
Netflix has somehow pulled off one of the most entertaining live-action anime/manga adaptations ever created. The epic series One Piece follows Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) as he assembles the Straw Hat crew—including Roronoa Zoro (Mackenyu) and Nami (Emily Rudd)—to chase the world’s ultimate treasure and become the Pirate King.
With lovable cast chemistry, larger-than-life storytelling, and swashbuckling action, One Piece stands as one of Netflix’s most crowd-pleasing modern hits. Its place on this list comes from both execution and difficulty. Despite audiences being incredibly skeptical about this live-action adaptation, the show successfully surpassed many’s expectations, growing into a widely liked series produced by the popular Netflix platform. One Piece may not be as thematically weighty as some of the series on this list, but the action-focused watch excels through its lovable cast chemistry, enormous charm, adventurous energy, and ability to capture the excitement of classic fantasy storytelling.
7
‘Beef’ (2023–Present)
Beef is a ridiculously fantastic Netflix anthology series that, in its very first season, turned a road-rage incident into mutual psychic warfare featuring Danny Cho (Steven Yeun) and Amy Lau (Ali Wong). In its second season, the series hit reset and delivers a story surrounding Ashley Miller (Cailee Spaeny), Austin Davis (Charles Melton), Joshua Martín (Oscar Isaac), and Lindsay Crane-Martín (Carey Mulligan) in a blackmail spiral.
Quite well-known for its freakishly good first season, which is definitely among Netflix’s most bingeable watches, Beef stands as a true rarity of the last five years of the streaming platform’s best releases. The show is a quintessential Netflix success story: sophisticated enough to dominate awards discussions, accessible enough to spread rather widely, and weird enough to feel authored rather than focus-grouped. Beef is a series worthy of all the praise it’s ever received, and has definitely earned its spot on this list of greats.
6
‘Midnight Mass’ (2021)
This horror show is one of the most philosophically and emotionally ambitious works of art Netflix has ever produced. Midnight Mass focuses on Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford) as he returns home at the same time Father Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater) arrives, bringing miracles, escalating fanaticism, and haunting dread.
Midnight Mass is one of those Netflix originals that deserves far more attention than it’s ever gotten. Though the series does frequent most discussions of Netflix’s best, the disturbing watch isn’t showcased enough in mainstream discussions. With Midnight Mass’s reliance on building terror through emotional vulnerability, atmosphere, and increasingly unsettling religious obsession, it easily surpasses those horror favorites that simply rely on gore and jump scares. It’s the kind of watchable magic that rewards its audience for their patience with a devastating emotional payoff, marking it a genuine standout that feels profoundly personal.
5
‘3 Body Problem’ (2024–Present)
3 Body Problem is a sci-fi drama that’s definitely worth the hype. The series follows Ye Wenjie (Rosalind Chao), whose decision in 1960s China echoes forward into the lives of scientists and friends: Jin Cheng (Jess Hong), Saul Durand (Jovan Adepo), Auggie Salazar (Eiza González), and detective Da Shi (Benedict Wong).
Very few in the modern sci-fi genre have done what 3 Body Problem has — bringing apocalyptic tension into a massive narrative that steadily grows more unsettling with every high-quality episode. It’s an ambitious bout of brilliance that somehow masterfully delivers the complexity of its source material while still offering audiences a suspenseful and emotionally engaging sci-fi drama. With its large-scale storytelling, existential themes, and haunting atmosphere, 3 Body Problem stands out as one of Netflix’s most creative sci-fi series that actually feels impossibly epic.
4
‘Blue Eye Samurai’ (2023–Present)
Between its mature storytelling, emotionally compelling protagonist, and stunning visuals, Blue Eye Samurai is a hit Netflix series that deserves all the praise. The story is set in Edo-period Japan, and follows the mixed-race swordswoman, Mizu (Maya Erskine), as she drives forward tirelessly on her path of revenge against the men who she believes made her an outcast.
Blue Eye Samurai is a truly incredible series. It stands as one of Netflix’s finest thanks to its fantastic animation, captivating story, and unforgettable scenes that may be rife with gore and violence but still have a thin layer of emotional pain underneath. There exist very few animated series—let alone shows—on the streaming platform that wields an enticing combo of cinematic action, emotional depth, and visual beauty as effectively as Blue Eye Samurai does, which cements its place on this list as number one among these absolute greats on the Netflix platform.
3
‘Wednesday’ (2022–Present)
Created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, and with some episodes directed by executive director Tim Burton, Wednesday is a smash hit that has become a cultural phenomenon. Jenna Ortega stars in her defining role as the titular Wednesday Addams, a deadpan and emotionally detached teen sent to a school for supernatural outcasts, Nevermore Academy. Here, she’s involved in a murder mystery that soon helps her carve her place in her own family history.
With monsters, magic, murder, and a ton of sarcastic and dark humor, Wednesday is a quirky show that just happens to appeal to a lot of viewers. What really makes Wednesday work is Ortega’s performance, as she completely reimagines the iconic character while maintaining the sharp wit and morbid charm that made her so appealing in the first place. The Netflix series became a streaming hit that dominated pop culture seemingly overnight, and if you’ve seen it, it’s easy to see why.
2
‘Adolescence’ (2025–Present)
This great Netflix miniseries feels incredibly suspenseful and mature for something that is focused on a rather young character. Adolescence centers around a 13-year-old boy, Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), who is accused of murdering a classmate. Jamie’s parents are forced to circle the same devastating questions—what happened, and why?—from different moral positions.
Adolescence‘s placement on this list is incredibly well-deserved. It may be only one season long, with a much shorter shelf-life compared to most on this list, but its mixture of major audience discussion around it, strong storytelling, and critical acclaim makes it one of the most impressive watches on the Netflix platform. Adolescence is an extremely ambitious series that relies on sensationalism, building its impact through psychological intensity and grounded character work that makes it the ideal viewing experience.
1
‘Arcane’ (2021–2024)
Arcane is a Netflix animated series that is one of the platform’s strongest in its genre, for its emotionally layered storytelling and stunning painterly visuals. The series is inspired by the world of League of Legends and follows two sisters, Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell), as they are pulled to opposite sides of an escalating war between Hextech idealism and Undercity rage.
Arcane easily stands as one of Netflix’s greatest because of its masterful combination of extraordinary formal control, elite consensus, and platform identity. It is not only a genuine benchmark for what streaming animation could look and feel like, but it is also simply a truly fantastic adaptation. Quite a great many Arcane viewers have dubbed the series a masterpiece, ranking it in high esteem. Arcane is one of those rare Netflix animated series that feels as emotionally resonant and artistically ambitious as the very best of iconic television, while still delivering one of the greatest video-game adaptations ever created.
Arcane
- Release Date
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2021 – 2024
- Network
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Netflix
- Showrunner
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Christian Linke
- Directors
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Barth Maunoury, Marietta Ren, Christelle Abgrall
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