We’ve compiled the definitive ranking of Netflix’s greatest achievements in serialized fiction! The platform has delivered everything from addictive thrillers to groundbreaking dramas. From spectacular animated comedies to prestige period pieces, mind-bending horror to emotional true-crime stories.
These are the 10 Netflix originals that stand head and shoulders above the rest.
10. Narcos (2015–2017)
Pablo Escobar in Narcos | Credits: Netflix
Wagner Moura‘s kingpin Pablo Escobar became a Walter White-esque antihero you couldn’t stop watching. Narcos was a fast-paced drama that whips through the Colombian drug wars with documentary-style narration that feels like a Guy Ritchie film on steroids.
The show fleshes out dark characters and tells a complicated story with urgency and clarity that’s absolutely magnetic. Yes, some criticized it for romanticizing violence, but as conflict entertainment goes, this succeeds wonderfully.
CreatorsCarlo Bernard, Chris Brancato, Doug MiroRelease DateAugust 28, 2015CastWagner Moura, Boyd Holbrook, Pedro PascalNo. of Seasons3No. of Episodes per SeasonSeason 1: 10, Season 2: 10, Season 3: 10RT Score89%IMDb Score8.7/10
9. Beef (2023–present)
Steven Yeun and Ali Wong turn a parking lot confrontation into a full-blown war that consumes their entire lives. Lee Sung Jin’s eight-Emmy-winning satire about two strangers locked in a nerve-shredding battle of wills is as fresh and raw as its title promises.
The A24-produced series, Beef, layers brilliant observations about generational trauma, existential dread, and self-loathing into every frame. What starts as road rage becomes something far more disturbing and real. Season 2, with an entirely new cast and story, is set to release in April 2026.
CreatorsLee Sung JinRelease DateApril 6, 2023CastSteven Yeun, Ali WongNo. of Seasons1 (ongoing)No. of Episodes per SeasonSeason 1: 10RT Score98%IMDb Score8.0/10
8. Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019)
Ruby Rose in Orange Is The New Black | Credits: Netflix
One of Netflix’s earliest originals proved the platform’s vision for television’s future. Taylor Schilling’s Piper Chapman may drive the plot, but creator Jenji Kohan’s genius lies in the sprawling ensemble cast.
Seven seasons explored mass incarceration with real nuance while delivering legendary LGBTQ+ and multi-ethnic representation that dispelled harmful stereotypes. The show heightens the stakes gradually. What begins as an off-kilter adventure soon takes on the serious weight prison life demands.
CreatorsJenji KohanRelease DateJuly 11, 2013CastTaylor Schilling, Laura Prepon, Kate Mulgrew, Uzo AdubaNo. of Seasons7No. of Episodes per SeasonSeason 1: 13, Season 2: 13, Season 3: 13, Season 4: 13, Season 5: 13, Season 6: 13, Season 7: 13RT Score90%IMDb Score8/10
7. The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
Oliver Jackson-Cohen as Luke Crain in The Haunting of Hill House. | Credit: Netflix.
Mike Flanagan’s reimagining of Shirley Jackson’s novel is the gold standard for televised horror. Five adult siblings confront childhood trauma that manifests as literal ghosts in this bone-chilling tale. Each episode delivers moving monologues, eerie atmosphere, and impeccable visuals.
The Haunting of Hill House embraces the squirm, taking time to build dread rather than cheap jump scares. Plus, hidden ghosts lurk in shadows throughout every scene, turning ghost-spotting into a top-tier Easter egg hunt. Victoria Pedretti’s breakout performance shows this is horror with devastating emotional weight.
CreatorsMike FlanaganRelease DateOctober 12, 2018CastMichiel Huisman, Carla Gugino, Elizabeth Reaser, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Kate Siegel, Victoria PedrettiNo. of Seasons1 (limited series)No. of Episodes per SeasonSeason 1: 10RT Score93%IMDb Score8.5/10
6. The Queen’s Gambit (2020)
Anya Taylor-Joy in The Queen’s Gambit | Credits: Netflix
Anya Taylor-Joy’s Beth Harmon turned chess into edge-of-your-seat drama that sucked in millions. This 1950s and ’60s-set miniseries about a fictional prodigy earned Netflix its first Emmy for Outstanding Limited Series.
The Queen’s Gambit made Chess kinetic by editing with stylish montages that make every match feel life-or-death. The show balances tragedy and fantasy as Beth battles addiction while dominating the chess world.
CreatorsScott Frank, Allan ScottRelease DateOctober 23, 2020CastAnya Taylor-Joy, Bill Camp, Moses Ingram, Marielle HellerNo. of Seasons1 (limited series)No. of Episodes per SeasonSeason 1: 7RT Score96%IMDb Score8.5/10
5. When They See Us (2019)
Ava DuVernay’s devastating miniseries about the Central Park Five sets the standard for fictionalized true crime. The unflinching portrayal of five wrongfully convicted teenagers doesn’t just recreate courtroom battles; it shows how those arrests shattered entire lives and families.
Performances from Jharrel Jerome, Asante Blackk, and Niecy Nash will cut you straight to your core. DuVernay presents the inhumanity without lecturing, instead providing an honest portrait of fear, hope, and lost time.
CreatorsAva DuVernayRelease DateMay 31, 2019CastAsante Blackk, Caleel Harris, Ethan Herisse, Jharrel Jerome, Marquis RodriguezNo. of Seasons1 (limited series)No. of Episodes per SeasonSeason 1: 4RT Score96%IMDb Score8.8/10
4. House of Cards (2013–2018)
Kevin Spacey in House Of Cards | Credits: Netflix
House of Cards changed everything for Netflix. Executive-produced by David Fincher, this political drama starring Kevin Spacey as a cunning politician proved that Netflix could produce prestige television.
The show ran six seasons, following Frank Underwood’s ruthless schemes and Machiavellian quest for power alongside Robin Wright’s equally devious Claire. Despite the unfortunate ending after Spacey’s firing, those early seasons remain gripping television.
CreatorsBeau WillimonRelease DateFebruary 1, 2013CastKevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Kate MaraNo. of Seasons6No. of Episodes per SeasonSeason 1: 13, Season 2: 13, Season 3: 13, Season 4: 13, Season 5: 13, Season 6: 8RT Score77% IMDb Score8.6/10
3. BoJack Horseman (2014–2020)
BoJack Horseman | Image via Netflix
Will Arnett voices the washed-up sitcom star horse in one of the most severely underrated shows ever made. This animated series balances hilarious visual gags with brutal examinations of addiction, depression, and failed redemption.
Paul F. Tompkins voices the peppy Mr. Peanut Butter while BoJack Horseman tackles asexual representation through Todd Chavez. Six seasons of anthropomorphic animals delivering some of television’s most human storytelling comedy that straddles the line between hilarious and heartbreaking like nothing else.
CreatorsRaphael Bob-WaksbergRelease DateAugust 22, 2014CastWill Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins, Aaron PaulNo. of Seasons6No. of Episodes per SeasonSeason 1: 12, Season 2: 12, Season 3: 12, Season 4: 12, Season 5: 12, Season 6: 16RT Score93%IMDb Score8.8/10
2. Dark (2017–2020)
A still from Dark featuring The Stranger and the Teen Jonas | Credits: Netflix
This German mind-bender is Netflix’s most ambitious show, period. Creators Baran Bo Odar and Jantje Friese crafted a time-travel conspiracy spanning multiple generations that makes Stranger Things look simple. What begins as a child’s disappearance in the small town of Winden evolves into a multi-generational epic involving complex paradoxes and parallel worlds.
The show is meticulously plotted; every detail serves the grand design. Planned as a trilogy from the beginning, Dark reaches a satisfying conclusion that proves Netflix can produce genre-defining international television.
CreatorsBaran bo Odar, Jantje FrieseRelease DateDecember 1, 2017CastLouis Hofmann, Lisa Vicari, Maja Schöne, Andreas PietschmannNo. of Seasons3No. of Episodes per SeasonSeason 1: 10, Season 2: 8, Season 3: 8RT Score90%IMDb Score8.7/10
1. Mindhunter (2017–2019)
Jonathan Groff in Mindhunter Season 2 | Credits: Netflix
David Fincher’s magnum opus, Mindhunter, earns the top spot. This isn’t your typical network procedural. Jonathan Groff plays Holden Ford, a sensitive FBI agent who teams up with Bill Tench (Holt McCallany) and psychologist Wendy Carr (Anna Torv) to transform criminal psychology by interviewing serial killers.
Cameron Britton is unforgettable as Edmund Kemper. The icy writing and performances will have you on the edge of your seat as Holden’s obsession leads him into fascinating and disturbing relationships with his subjects.
CreatorsJoe PenhallRelease DateOctober 13, 2017CastJonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Anna Torv, Cameron BrittonNo. of Seasons2No. of Episodes per SeasonSeason 1: 10, Season 2: 9RT Score97%IMDb Score6.3/10
What an incredible lineup from the streaming giant! Did your favorite Netflix original make the cut? Let us know in the comments!
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
