40+ Netflix Original Series That Are So Great You Won’t Want to Miss Them

When the weather is bad outside, this the best time to curl up on the couch with some hot tea and watch a new TV series. Netflix is the right company for these moments because you can find all the best TV series and shows in their video library. The company produces its own projects and buys TV series with the highest ratings from all over the world. This brand has already become the symbol of quality, which means that every product released under this brand deserves your attention.

At Bright Side, we worked hard to create this list where everyone can find a series to their liking.

Crime

Unbelievable, 2019

Young Mary becomes the victim of a crime, but no one believes her and the police force her to withdraw her testimony. Only a few years later, 2 female detectives link her case to other unsolved cases. They find out that Mary was the first on the list.

IMDb — 8.4

Delhi Crime, 2019 — present

Delhi police are investigating a complicated and dark case that has generated public outcry. The investigation paves the way for the introduction of stricter laws in India. The work is entrusted to Deputy Superintendent of Police Vartika Chaturvedi. The series is based on real events that were actively covered by the Indian media.

IMDb — 8.5

The Valhalla Murders, 2019 — present

Police profiler, Arnar, is forced to return to Iceland to help his colleagues in the investigation of a complicated case. Together with officer Kata, they have to do anything possible to stop the criminal and break the chain of tragic events. The trail leads the police to an abandoned shelter called Valhalla, where something frightening happened 35 years ago.

The breath-taking landscapes of Iceland and gloomy pictures of cities provide a special atmosphere. The cops here are sullen and make many mistakes, but this realistic picture just makes the series more fascinating.

IMDb — 7.1

Undercover, 2019 — present

This is a European interpretation of the series Breaking Bad. Dutch and Belgian police officers are following a crime syndicate. Dutchman Ferry Bouman is at the head of it. Despite his fortune, he prefers to spend his time in a simple chalet on the popular campsite next to his villa. The Belgian and Dutch police forces decide to install their 2 best undercover agents to infiltrate Ferry’s life.

IMDb — 7.9

Mindhunter, 2017–2019

In the late ’70s, the FBI starts a new project. 2 agents have to collect and organize information about serial criminals. They conduct interviews with prisoners to investigate the psychology of these individuals. But it’s not easy to stay strictly theoretical and not get involved in real cases. The series was directed by David Fincher, so it’s definitely worth watching.

IMDb — 8.6

Thrillers

Ratched, 2020 — present

Mildred Ratched begins working as a nurse at a leading psychiatric hospital. This institution conducts frightening experiments on human minds. Ratched seems like the perfect worker — she does her job flawlessly. But she hides dark secrets. This series is some sort of a prequel to the iconic One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

IMDb — 7.3

Sacred Games, 2018 — present

A Mumbai police officer receives an anonymous call. An unknown person is threatening the entire city. Now the detective has to unravel the case, but he is only a small fry compared to the ruthless and all-powerful gangster.

IMDb — 8.7

Money Heist, 2017 — present

A mysterious professor gathers a group in order to commit the most daring robbery in the history of Spain. He carefully trains volunteers making them a dream team. But does the professor really need the money?

IMDb — 8.4

Caliphate, 2020 — present

Fatima works for the Swedish National Security Service. She receives a message from one of the informants about an upcoming serious crime. This moment changes her life irrevocably. This is a true-to-life series about modern trends that divide society into 2 camps.

IMDb — 8.2

Fariña, 2018

This story takes place in the Galicia (Spain) of the ’80s when the fishing sector was transformed and many of the shipowners went into debt. This situation seems favorable for the start of activities like contraband. However, this is not the best idea.

IMDb — 8.0

To the Lake, 2019

A terrible plague strikes the big city. The population is frightened, all roads that lead outside the city are closed. A group of people decides to move away from civilization and heads to a house located in the middle of the woods. However, the problems that await them are not only from outside, but also from inside. This is one of the few Russian TV series that was acquired by Netflix.

IMDb — 7.3

Horror

Locke & Key, 2020 — present

After their father is murdered under mysterious circumstances, the 3 Locke siblings and their mother move into their ancestral home, Keyhouse. There are many magical keys inside the mansion that belonged to their father. The 3 children explore the mysteries of the house and set a demon free by mistake. This creature then tries to kidnap them.

IMDb — 7.4

The Stranger, 2020

The main character, Adam Price, enjoys his perfect life. He has 2 sons and a wonderful wife. One day Adam meets a stranger at a bar. She reveals a shocking secret about his wife.

Each episode has a clear ending. Despite this approach, the series has a way of keeping viewers interested throughout the season.

IMDb — 7.3

Messiah, 2020

A prophet appears in the Middle East and gets a lot of followers via social networks. Special services become interested in his activities, including agent Eva Geller.

The series raises quite serious questions and covers them from different angles. Besides, the series has a wonderful plot, full of unexpected twists.

IMDb — 7.6

Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Altered Carbon, 2018–2020

In the future, humanity has solved the problem of eternal life. Consciousness is digitized and stored in cortical stacks implanted in the spine. Specially trained soldier Takeshi Kovacs has to unravel a complicated case to receive a long-awaited freedom.

IMDb — 8.0

Blood of Zeus, 2020 — present

A commoner living in ancient Greece, Heron, discovers his true heritage as a son of Zeus, and his purpose: to save the world from a demonic army. It’s a different take on Greek mythology. So, if you ignore the accuracy a little, you are bound to love it!

IMDb — 7.7

Paranormal, 2020 — present

Dr. Refaat Ismail is a single hematologist who finds himself faced with a series of supernatural events. Together with his colleague Maggie, he plunges himself into the universe of the paranormal so that he can save his family.

The heart of the show is its main character who attracts viewers with their charm and charisma. The storyline reminds us of the classic Indiana Jones movies.

IMDb — 8.3

Daredevil, 2015–2018

A blind lawyer, who helps the poor residents of his town, becomes vigilante at night. Even his close friends are not aware of his double life. This way, he can protect them from enemies.

The series is quite dark for the vivid Marvel Cinematic Universe and was done in the film noir style.

IMDb — 8.6

The Witcher, 2019 — present

Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove to be more wicked than monsters and beasts. He’s destined to meet a powerful sorceress, and a young princess with a special gift.

The Witcher is based on the book series of the same name by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski. The TV adaptation received dubious feedback from the book fans. However, the series producers managed to create a fascinating universe starring Henry Cavill.

IMDb — 8.2

Stranger Things, 2016 — present

4 boys from the same class and spend their weekends playing board games. At school, they are considered real freaks. One day one boy from their group disappears. The friends go searching for him. But they find a mysterious girl.

This series is full of comedy, drama, and mysticism. Despite the fact that the main characters are children, even adults will find their adventures interesting.

IMDb — 8.8

The Umbrella Academy, 2019 — present

One day, 43 children are mysteriously born all over the world. An eccentric billionaire adopts 7 of them and begins to train them. All the children, except for one girl, reveal superpowers, and they become a team of superheroes.

IMDb — 8.0

Ragnarok, 2020 — present

In the small fictional town of Edda, people of the new generation are forced to respond to climate changes. The ice caps are melting at a rate no one had anticipated. People go through long periods of drought. The world is changing, and some might claim that we’re heading toward a new Ragnarok. Unless someone intervenes in time.

IMDb — 7.6

Melodrama

Dead to Me, 2019 — present

Jen recently lost her husband in a car accident. The culprit was never found, and this widow decides to start her own investigation. She also joins group therapy, where she meets the mysterious Judy. But her new friend hides many secrets.

IMDb — 8.0

Outer Banks, 2020 — present

A group of teenagers from the wrong side of the tracks stumble upon a treasure map that unearths a long-buried secret. They decide to find the treasure because it’s summer break and they have a lot of free time.

IMDb — 7.6

Atypical, 2017 — present

Sam, an 18-year-old who is on the autism spectrum, decides it’s time to find a girlfriend, a journey that sets Sam’s mom on her own life-changing path as her son seeks more independence.

This is a story about a coming of age. This series also explores the question of what it is like to be a normal person at all.

IMDb — 8.3

Sweet Magnolias, 2020 — present

3 women have been best friends since high school. They shepherd each other through the complexities of romance, career, and family.

IMDb — 7.4

Hollywood, 2020

This story takes place in the Hollywood Hills of the 1940s, after the Second World War. A group of aspiring actors and filmmakers try to achieve success — no matter the cost.

IMDb — 7.6

I Am Not Okay With This, 2020

Sydney is a teenage girl navigating the trials and tribulations of high school while dealing with the complexities of her family, and some mysterious superpowers that are just beginning to awaken deep within her.

IMDb — 7.6

Virgin River, 2019 — present

Melinda Monroe was recently widowed, and she dreams of escaping the big city and her bitter memories. She finds an ad in the newspaper for a job as a nurse in a small town. Melinda leaves everything behind and moves to Virgin River. But life in a quiet place is far from being as easy as she thought.

IMDb — 7.5

History

Barbarians, 2020 — present

The Roman Empire tries to conquer the Germanic tribes. The tribes regularly pay tribute, but they are not yet ready to surrender to their enemy. A well-trained Roman army arrives in the dense woods. One of the commanders isn’t visiting this wilderness for the first time.

The series describes the famous battle of the Teutoburg Forest, in which Germanic warriors halted the northward advance of the Roman Empire.

IMDb — 7.2

The Crown, 2016 — present

The life of the British royal family used to be hidden from ordinary people behind the doors of Buckingham Palace. The storyline follows Queen Elizabeth II’s reign from the day of her coronation to the present day. So far, the series has reached the 1970s.

All the smallest details of each time period are treated with care and respect. This makes the action on the screen realistic while unexpected plot twists keep viewers’ attention.

IMDb — 8.7

Rise of Empires: Ottoman, 2020

The story unfolds in the times of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II. He wages an epic campaign to take the Byzantine capital of Constantinople and reshapes the course of history for centuries.

This is a very realistic historical series.

IMDb — 8.0

The English Game, 2020 — present

This series is based in England at the end of 19th century. The game of football has just been invented. In general, this is a game for aristocrats and the graduates of leading universities. But a revolution is brewing in one of the clubs, resulting in the new path of the game.

IMDb — 7.6

Comedy

Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun, 2020 — present

In a new sketch series, Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun, they take viewers along for an absurd adventure through their everyday lives. They look for a new roommate, experiment with the Wi-Fi naming, look for treasure, and fight home appliances. This is a really funny series.

IMDb — 8.1

Sex Education, 2019 — present

Clumsy high school student Otis may not have a lot of experience with the opposite sex, but he is well-versed in theory. After all, his mother works in a specific field of psychology. To earn the respect of his classmates, he decides to share this knowledge. And he finds an unusual way to do this.

IMDb — 8.3

Cobra Kai, 2018 — present

Johnny Lawrence was once a karate ace, now he is at the lowest level of his life and makes a living on small side jobs. One day he saves a boy from bullies, and this inspires him to open a martial arts school. Suddenly his long-time rival appears on the horizon.

IMDb — 8.7

Julie and the Phantoms, 2020 — present

Julie is a teenage girl who finds her passion for music and life with the help of a high-concept band of teen boys (The Phantoms) who have been dead for 25 years. Julie, in turn, helps them become the band they were never able to be.

IMDb — 8.4

Drama

The Queen’s Gambit, 2020

After a tragic event, 9-year-old Beth ends up in an orphanage. Here she finds the main passion of her life — chess. In a world full of chaos, it gives her peace and confidence. Beth is so absorbed with the game that she hardly notices the world around her. She dreams of a champion title, but is this really what she needs? Thanks to Beth, chess has become popular again and sales of this game have grown worldwide.

IMDb — 8.7

Black Mirror, 2011 — present

The world of the near future, so similar to ours, shows what the development of technology can lead to. The stories that are told in each episode are not related to each other. They show in a comical, and sometimes tragic, way how progress can change our reality in the near future. Or is already changing us.

This is an anthology that, like a mosaic, assembles a mirror from bright and unique pieces, and reflects our development as a species in a very dark way.

IMDb — 8.8

Unorthodox, 2020

Young Esther lives in a strict Orthodox community. Her life is full of rules and restrictions. After her arranged marriage, she decides to flee to another country to start a new life there and find herself. But her husband is not yet ready to come to terms with Esther’s departure.

IMDb — 8.0

The Haunting of Bly Manor, 2020

Henry, the owner of the manor, becomes the guardian of 2 small children. He hires a young nanny for them. The girl knows that the work will not be easy, but she never expected such frightening events.

Although the series was announced as a horror show, it’s still a drama about the human feelings of love, fear, and despair.

IMDb — 7.4

The Bonfire of Destiny, 2019 — present

This is set in Paris at the end of the 19th century. A tragic incident occurs at a charity fair. This incident radically changes the lives of 3 women, who belong to high society. The story is based on true events.

The first episode literally plunges the viewer into the atmosphere of those years. A lot of money was spent to recreate the historical appearance of Paris. The level of acting corresponds to the level of decor.

IMDb — 7.7

What other TV series or shows would you add to this list? Tell us in the comments below.