When to View Vikings Part 1 Again on Spectrum

The newest title on our list of the best shows to watch on Netflix is Love on the Spectrum U.S., an American version of the slice-of-life dating docuseries that originated in Australia. It joins other recent additions like broadcast-style legal dramaThe Lincoln Lawyer or the absolutely deranged Swedish seriesClark, which is about the infamous Swedish bank robber Clark Olofsson, played to dangerous and charming perfection by Bill Skarsgård. But with the impending release of Stranger Things Season 4, you might want to refresh your memory in preparation, which is why Stranger Things is on the list right now.

A note about how this list was made: In the interest of keeping it relevant, we're emphasizing new releases, shows recently added to Netflix, and Netflix originals, but we've also made sure to add the shows we personally can't stop recommending to our friends. We'll be updating it regularly.

Last updated May 20; newer additions are at the top

Love on the Spectrum U.S.

For fans of: Love, tender documentaries
Number of seasons: 1

An American edition of the Australian reality documentary series following the dating lives of people on the autism spectrum. Like the original, the U.S. version is empathetic and deeply moving as it follows these lovable young people on their journeys to find love. -Liam Mathews[ Trailer ]

Stranger Things

For fans of: The '80s, shows that make you believe in the power of TV as a medium
Number of seasons: 3 (Season 4 premieres May 27)

Stranger Things, definitely Netflix's biggest show and probably its best, returns for Season 4 later this month. It's been three years since Season 3 came out, so you might want to binge the first three seasons to refresh your memory about everything that's happened to Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and her friends. Just speaking for myself, I watched Season 3 in one sitting on the 4th of July in 2019, so I only remember the broad strokes. But I do remember loving it. It's very exciting that Stranger Things is coming back. -Liam Mathews [ Trailer ]

The Lincoln Lawyer

For fans of: Legal dramas, David E. Kelley, dramas that aren't too dramatic
Number of seasons: 1

Netflix doesn't do a lot of network-style dramas (yet), so this legal drama from prolific writer-producer David E. Kelley stands out. Long before he became theBig Little Lies guy, Kelley dominated the lawyers-on-TV space withL.A. Law,The Practice,Ally McBeal, andBoston Legal, among others. This is his return to the genre.The Lincoln Lawyer is based on a bestselling novel series by Michael Connelly, who also created Det. Harry Bosch, and follows Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), a Los Angeles defense attorney who doesn't like defending people who are guilty but does like using his Lincoln Navigator as his office. He was previously played by Matthew McConaughey in the well-liked 2011 movie of the same name.-Liam Mathews[ Trailer ]

Outlander

For fans of: Sex, time travel, history
Number of seasons: 5

Depending on who you ask,Outlander is either the sexiest show on TV, or it's a historical drama with a touch of sci-fi. Or maybe it's both! Based on the book series by Diana Gabaldon,Outlander revolves around Claire (Caitriona Balfe), a married World War II nurse who, during a trip with her husband (Tobias Menzies), mysteriously time travels back to 1743. Thrown into the past and desperate to get home, Claire finds herself embroiled in a Scottish uprising while slowly but surely falling in love with a young warrior named Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan). If you're looking for something that will give you an occasionally accurate history lesson and get you invested in a sweeping romance that spans centuries,Outlander is the show for you. The show is currently between its sixth and seventh seasons on Starz, but Season 5 was only recently added to Netflix.[Trailer]

Clark

For fans of: The Skarsgårds, insanity, antiheroes
Number of seasons: 1

This miniseries about the life of Swedish bank robber and folk hero Clark Olofsson is best described as pure, uncut, European insanity. It's Bill Skarsgård stars as the charming rascal who was supposedly so beloved that he was the origin of the term "Stockholm Syndrome" from hostages he took during heists, and the film takes stories — both real and tall tales — from Olofsson's own biography to spin a tale of a dashing wild man you can't help root for. Director Jonas Åkerlund gives Clark the appropriate unhinged energy it needs, with quick cuts, animated sequences, and diverse cinematographic techniques to match its star's freneticism. Get ready for a wild ride. -Tim Surette [ Trailer ]

Meltdown: Three Mile Island

For fans of: Classic sitcom feels, female friendships, odd couples
Number of seasons: 1

Nothing is immune from becoming a Netflix true crime docuseries, including the worst nuclear accident in American history. Meltdown: Three Mile Island, which seems like Netflix's attempt to get its own version of HBO's Chernobyl (but without Jared Harris), goes behind the 1979 disaster at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island, where a reactor went into partial meltdown. The four-part documentary features interviews with insiders like the chief engineer and whistleblower, Richard Parks, as well as people from the surrounding community, who dig into the controversies and ongoing impact of the disaster. -Kelly Connolly[Trailer]

Ozark

For fans of: Crime thrillers, saying "Oh s---!" at something shocking at least once an episode, the color blue
Number of seasons: 4

This is it. WIll Mardy Byrde (Jason Bateman) die? Will Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney) die? Will Ruth (Julia Garner) die? Will Charlotte (Sofia Hublitz) die? Will Jonah (Skylar Gaertner) write algorithms to make him the leader of the next generation of money laundering professionals and then get caught and thrown in while collar prison? That's all anyone wants to know as Ozark comes to a close after four seasons. With the bad guys closing in, all we know is someone is going to die. -Tim Surette [ Trailer ]

Grace and Frankie

For fans of: Classic sitcom feels, female friendships, odd couples
Number of seasons: 7

Netflix's longest-running original (it premiered in 2015 and is ending with 94 episodes, more than any other scripted Netflix series),Grace and Frankie follows the two titular women, played by Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, as they embark on new lives when their husbands come out as gay and partner up together. There's anOdd Couple vibe as Grace (Fonda) is a no-nonsense cosmetics mogul and Frankie (Tomlin) is a hippie artist, which only cements their friendship beyond the sitcom-setup bond. -Tim Surette[Trailer]

More recommendations:

The Best Movies on Netflix to Watch Right Now
Everything Coming to and Leaving on Netflix in April 2022
What's Coming to (and Leaving) Netflix in May 2022
The Top 10 Most Popular Shows and Movies on Netflix
What to Watch on Amazon, Hulu, HBO Max, and More in April 2022

Heartstopper

For fans of: LGBTQ+ romances, comics come to life
Number of seasons: 1

This cute and gentle British teen drama is based on a webcomic-turned-graphic novel that's beloved by fans of romantic coming-of-age stories.Heartstopper follows Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), an openly gay secondary school student who develops an unlikely friendship with Nick (Kit Connor), a jock with a kind heart who invites Charlie to join the rugby team. And their friendship just might be developing into something more. It's a sweet little show that keeps some comic book-inspired stylistic flourishes. Fans of the comic, and teen drama in general, will love it.-Liam Mathews[Trailer]

Russian Doll

For fans of: Time loops, time travel, Natasha Lyonne
Number of seasons: 2

The best show of early 2019 is back for a second season. Season 1 ended so perfectly and with such finality that it would have been a great limited series, but co-creator-star Natasha Lyonne had an idea for more. Season 2 is set four years after Manhattanites Nadia (Lyonne) and Alan (Charlie Barnett) escaped from their death-loop, and now they're on a new sci-fi sadcom adventure where they encounter a time portal accessible via the 6 train that leads to a fate even worse than endless death: becoming your own mother. Season 2 doesn't have the freshness of Season 1, but it's still as fun as a comedy about generational trauma can be. -Liam Mathews[Trailer]

Our Great National Parks

For fans of: Nature, listening to Barack Obama talk about lemurs
Number of seasons: 1

Barack Obama executive-produces and narrates this nature docuseries from the makers ofBlue Planet II, taking viewers on a tour of national parks all over the world, including in countries with personal significance to him, Indonesia and Kenya. If you've ever wanted to hear a former President talk about sloths, this is for you. It would be great if he opened his narration by saying, "Let me be clear, I love parks." -Liam Mathews[Trailer]

Elite

For fans of: Melodrama, melodrama, melodrama
Number of seasons: 5

Elite, the Spanish-language series about three working-class friends who enroll in a luxe private school, is the ideal mix of unhinged camp and actual high-stakes drama. The show centers around the inevitable culture clash between the new kids and their exorbitantly wealthy classmates, but there's also a murder mystery woven throughout the plot. A lot of teen shows these take themselves incredibly seriously, and while Elite deals with its share of socially relevant topics like homophobia and religion, it leans hard into its chaotic roots, and that makes it all the more watchable. Season 5 was released on Netflix in April, and a sixth season is coming. -Kelly Connolly[Trailer]

The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On

For fans of: Messy drama, partner swaps, the idea of marriage
Number of seasons: 1

Maybe the best way to fix your relationship isn't to try out a relationship with someone else, but maybe it is! I'm no relationship expert, but Nick and Vanessa Lachey think they are, so in the show they host they take couples that have different readiness levels for marriage and have them try out what marriage is like... with other people feeling the same way. Then after a few weeks they test-run marriage with their original partners. What can go wrong? This show is stupid on so many levels but that's why we're watching it. -Tim Surette[Trailer]

Old Enough

For fans of: Japanese television, responsible kids and irresponsible children
Number of seasons: 1

Netflix's plan to go fully global continues with this acquisition of the Japanese reality TV show Old Enough, which — and I can't believe I'm saying this — follows Japanese children as they attempt to run errands by themselves. I just watched a boy who wasn't even three years old walk to the local market to buy curry and flowers for his mother. Yes, this involved crossing busy streets. Yes, I was watching behind my fingers. Yes, the kid made it home safe. But I almost had a heart attack watching this adorable little show. Episodes clock in at around 10 minutes, so it's a nice little diversion or conversation starter. -Tim Surette

Bridgerton

For fans of: Romance, string covers of pop songs
Number of seasons: 2

Netflix's megahit offers two full seasons of Regency-era romance, gossip, and gowns, given the golden touch by producer Shonda Rhimes. The 1800s London-set drama is told in season-long chapters, each covering a romance of one of the high society Bridgerton siblings, with Season 1 following Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) and her coupling with the reluctant duke Simon (Regé-Jean Page), as well as their steamy on-screen sexploits that gave the show much of its popularity. Season 2 moves on to Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and the woman he cautiously falls for, Kate (Simone Ashley), and while there's less doin' it, the push-and-pull romance is a blast to watch. -Tim Surette[Trailer]

Human Resources

For fans of: Big Mouth, throwing up a little in your mouth while also laughing
Number of seasons: 1

The hormone monsters and various other imaginary creatures that give Big Mouth's horny teens their unwavering sex drive, pubic hair, and crippling depression get their own show in this spin-off that's more of a workplace comedy than its source, but is still full of the disgusting, bodily fluid humor that makes Big Mouth so unique. It has a great voice cast, with Maria Bamford, Aidy Bryant, Chris O'Dowd, Randall Park, and more joining franchise vets Maya Rudolph, Nick Kroll, and others.-Tim Surette [ Trailer ]

Top Boy

For fans of: UK hip-hop music and culture, narco-dramas
Number of seasons: 3 on Netflix, 4 total

This East London and Jamaica-set crime drama returns for its fourth season in 11 years (they make TV at a different pace across the pond) and first since 2019. This season, crime boss Dushane (Ashley Walters) is trying to keep a tight hold on his empire, which includes making Jamie (Micheal Ward), who once came gunning for him, work for him. Meanwhile, Dushane's former partner Sully (Kane Robinson) is trying to get out of the game, but it's not easy, especially with the trouble his young relative Pebbles (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier star Erin Kellyman) brings his way when she comes to him for help. Top Boy is a gritty and engrossing crime thriller, and it's great that it's back. -Liam Mathews [ Trailer ]

Servant of the People

For fans of: Ukraine
Number of seasons: 1

Before he was the president of Ukraine and became a worldwide icon for bravery as he led his people against a Russian invasion, Volodymyr Zelensky was a TV star in the Ukrainian sitcom Servant of the People. Ironically, he played a teacher who becomes the Ukrainian president when a political rant of his went viral. Netflix is carrying the first season of the show, which is part family comedy and part political satire. -Tim Surette

Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives.

For fans of: True crime, the process of brainwashing, lasagna with cucumber instead of pasta
Number of seasons: 1

Netflix dips back into the true-crime pool with this four-episode story about Sarma Melngailis, a vegan chef in New York City whose successful career was done in by a toxic relationship with a secretive man, resulting in the two of them going on the lam with hundreds of thousands of dollars owed to investors and employees. Director Chris Smith (Tiger King) uses interviews with Sarma, her employees, and Sarma's inner circle to paint a frightening picture of how gaslighting and brainwashing work. -Tim Surette [ Trailer ]

The Last Kingdom

For fans of: Vikings, Vikings, bloody epics
Number of seasons: 5

The fifth and final chapter ofThe Last Kingdom continues the story of Uhtred of Bebbanburg (Alexander Dreymon), a warrior who was born a Saxon but raised as a Dane when the two groups were at war. Sure, Vikings was succeeded by the spin-off Vikings: Valhalla, but The Last Kingdom was here all along for all your bloody battle needs. -Allison Picurro [ Trailer ]

Vikings: Valhalla

For fans of: Pillaging, plundering, family drama
Number of seasons: 1

About a year after the end ofVikings, History's cult favorite action-packed historical drama, the Norsemen and Norsewomen have returned forVikings: Valhalla, a sequel series that covers the next epoch of the Viking reign.Valhalla is set a century after the original show, and follows Leif Erikson's (Sam Corlett) journey as he becomes the first European to set foot on North America alongside his sister Freydis (Frida Gustavsson), as well as Harald Hardrada (Leo Suter), who tried and failed to claim the English throne. So yes, this show is building toward the end of the Viking age. If you liked the clanging swords and sexy bearded warriors of the original Vikings, you'll definitely want to check this out, because it's more of that.-Liam Mathews[ Trailer ]

jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy

For fans of: Ye, Yeezy, Yeezus, The Louis Vuitton Don, Pablo, etc.
Number of seasons: 1 (three-part limited series)

This is the Kanye West documentary you've been waiting for, and you don't have to wait in line with the sneakerheads all night to get it. The three-part filmjeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy, directed by Clarence "Coodie" Simmons and Chike Ozah and filmed over two decades, charts Ye's career, life, and astronomical ascent since the turn of the millennium. Everything is on the table, presidential campaign included. Reviews forAct 1 (Vision), which premiered at Sundance, make this one sound as watchable as you'd expect. -Kelly Connolly[ Trailer ]

Inventing Anna

For fans of: Grifters, the exceptional acting talents of Julia Garner
Number of seasons: 1 (Limited series)

This limited series is the first show superproducer Shonda Rhimes has created since Scandal,and the true story that got her to open up Final Draft again is a doozy. It's the only-in-America-and-New-York-City-specifically saga of Anna Delvey, played by Ozark's Julia Garner, a wealthy German socialite who took New York society by storm in the mid-2010s — only it turned out she wasn't wealthy or even technically German. She was a Russia-born con artist named Anna Sorokin who scammed various people and institutions out of hundreds of thousands of dollars thanks to her nearly supernatural self-confidence. She became famous thanks to a bombshell New York Magazine story, the writing of which drives the plot of Inventing Anna, as journalist Vivian Kent (Anna Chlumsky) tries to answer the question, "Who is Anna Delvey?" -Liam Mathews [ Trailer| Review ]

Love Is Blind

For fans of:Human drama, utter emotional chaos
Number of seasons: 2

The reality dating sensation that was the biggest show in America right before the pandemic started is finally back for a second season. The premise now is the same as it was then: A bunch of single people are sequestered in a house where they meet potential romantic partners. They get to know each other while talking for hours in pods where they can't see each other. Some of them get engaged, and then we follow them as they try to make it work outside of the pods and prepare for their weddings. It drops in batches of episodes over the course of a few weeks, each covering a different part of the process. It's a fascinating social experiment with jaw-dropping surprises and wild characters (I will never forget Jessica from Season 1, who gave her dog wine on-camera). -Liam Mathews [ Trailer ]

Murderville

For fans of: Actors trying not to laugh and failing, peak Will Arnett, improv cops!
Number of seasons: 1

There's something infectiously funny about watching someone trying not to laugh and failing miserably, and there's plenty of that in the new series Murderville, a half-scripted, half-improvised comedy in which Will Arnett plays detective Terry Seattle. His partner? A new celebrity guest each episode. The catch? Everyone has a script of what's going to happen except the guest. Based on the British series Murder in Successville, the six-episode series doesn't always work, but when it does, it's pretty amazing. A lot of that depends on who the guest is, so if you want a taste of the best episodes, watch the ones with Conan O'Brien, Kumail Nanjiani, and Sharon Stone. Just know that Terry's story about finding the murderer of his partner (played by a portrait of Jennifer Aniston) is serialized, so to get the full effect, watch them all in order.-Tim Surette[ Trailer ]

All of Us Are Dead

For fans of: Korean zombie shows, Korean high school shows, both mixed up in a fun way
Number of seasons: 1

Some of South Korea's biggest global hits have been stories about the undead (yes, we're talking aboutTrain to Busan andKingdom), and Netflix'sAll of Us Are Dead could easily become the next. The jolting thriller about a zombie virus outbreak at a high school follows students as they desperately fight against flesh-eating monsters — some of whom had been their human friends just minutes before. Starring Yoon Chan-young, Park Ji-hu, Park Solomon, Cho Yi-hyun, andSquid Game's Lee Yoo-mi, the series based on the webtoonNow at Our School is a fresh take on the zombie genre with its centering of teen characters and its setting that transforms ordinary classrooms into vicious battlegrounds. As the virus spreads beyond the walls of the school, the show's exploration of themes including the corruption of authority and the abuse of power also becomes increasingly apparent.-Kat Moon[ Trailer ]

Cheer

For fans of: Sports docuseries, watching the human body do unreal things, facing controversy head-on
Number of seasons: 2

Producer Greg Whiteley is one of TV's Midases, a man whose golden touch makes hits out of any sports docuseries he creates (see: Last Chance U, Last Chance U: Basketball). But Cheer, which follows college cheerleading powerhouse Navarro College, might be his best. Following a Season 1 that won three Emmys, Cheer returns for Season 2 with its world upside-down and dealing with celebrity, both the good and bad. Season 2 also deals with controversy — Season 1 star Jerry Harris was charged with sexual abuse of a minor and child pornography — head-on, in addition to coronavirus and the brutal winter storms that hit Texas last winter. But the heart of the season is still the competition, which is magnified as cameras also follow Navarro's rivals Trinity Valley and the collision course of both teams in Daytona.-Tim Surette [ Trailer ]

Cobra Kai

For fans of: The Karate Kid, the '80s, the Valley
Number of seasons: 4

It's hard to believe that a series following the lives of Johnny (William Zabka) and Daniel (Ralph Macchio) from The Karate Kid would be as good as Cobra Kai is, but there's some sort of indescribable magic going on that makes it work. Following up on Johnny in present day, Cobra Kai wonders what would happen if his rivalry with Daniel continued into their adult lives, culminating in them creating their own karate dojos where a new generation of martial artists fight for respect, rumble with their parents, and get into love triangles. The show's self-awareness holds everything together, but it's the twisting (albeit predictable) plot that makes it so bingeable. In Season 4, a new enemy appears, but is it enough to put a pause on Johnny and Daniel's rivalry?-Tim Surette [ Trailer ]

Emily in Paris

For fans of: Stereotypes, "fashion," rom-coms, brand engagement
Number of seasons: 2

Emily in Paris (and you gotta say it like it rhymes), who haunts the dreams of actual Parisians, is back on the streets of Paris like some kind of colorfully dressed cryptid. The new episodes kick off where Season 1 left off, with the titular American in Paris getting herself into a love triangle after sleeping with Gabriel (Lucas Bravo), which puts her in a tight spot with Camille (Camille Razat). Mon dieu! She's also wearing a checkered bucket hat in the trailer. Hard to tell which sin is worse. -Kelly Connolly[ Trailer ]

The Witcher

For fans of: Henry Cavill, serious fantasy
Number of seasons: 2

It's been two long years since Netflix released The Witcher Season 1, but Season 2 of the fantasy hit is well worth the wait. Henry Cavill returns as Geralt of Rivia, the world-weary slayer of monsters who is tasked by destiny with protecting the magical Crown Princess Ciri (Freya Allan) from many different pursuers who all want her for their own nefarious ends. Season 2 is told in a linear fashion, which makes it easier to follow than Season 1, which had a timeline so complicated there are jokes about it in Season 2. But it's still a hardcore fantasy show that will satisfy the nerdiest fans of Andrzej Sapkowski's multimedia franchise. This season, Geralt battles numerous elaborate CGI monsters, but his greatest foe is the plot.-Liam Mathews [ Trailer ]

Selling Tampa

For fans of: Selling Sunset, but Florida style
Number of seasons: 1

The selling point (sorry) ofSelling Tampa is that it's aSelling Sunset spin-off, but as a Floridian, what interests me is how they're going to sellTampa. The new reality series follows a team of real estate agents at an all-female, Black-owned agency in Tampa, Florida, as they sell off luxury waterfront real estate and presumably don't hang out at the mall where I got my back-to-school clothes. This is the second reality series about Tampa in as many months, following Amazon's show about Tampa's lesbian scene,Tampa Baes. What was it Andy Warhol said? In the future every metropolitan area will get its 15 minutes of fame in a pair of streaming reality series. Looking forward toSelling Buffalo. -Kelly Connolly[Trailer]

Money Heist

For fans of: Snappy shows that were meant for bingeing, twisty action, finding out who lives and who dies
Number of Seasons: 3

Netflix recently announced that 97 percent of its American subscribers have watched an international (non-English language) series on its service, and I'm willing to bet 97 percent of those people were watching Money Heist, Álex Pina's Spanish bank heist series. Pina's preference for style and mystery over everything else is all over Money Heist, making it highly bingeable and perfect for the Netflix formula. Action! Drama! Skin! More action! The final episodes of the series are out now. -Tim Surette[Trailer]

F Is for Family

For fans of: Screaming, dads
Number of seasons: 5

In this case, F is not just for "family" or Frank's favorite word; F is also for "final season," as one of Netflix's better animated adult shows calls it a series after five seasons of cursing, screaming, and broken dreams. Frank Murphy (Bill Burr) is a man whose life didn't quite turn out as he had hoped, and as he strives to be a different father to his kids than his strict dad was with him, he finds himself becoming more like his old man than he's comfortable with. There's a lot of Northeast, blue-collar, mid-'70s energy in F Is for Family — it's amazing Frank hasn't committed homicides or had one too many arteries explode — but that just makes the well-earned heartfelt moments hit that much harder. Say goodbye to one of the best opening credits sequences out there. -Tim Surette[Trailer]

Hellbound

For fans of: Incorrectly calling something the next Squid Game, religious chaos
Number of seasons: 1

Yeon Sang-ho is building a name for himself as a creative force out of Korea, following his zombie films Train to Busan and its wacky sequel Peninsula. He directs his first television series with Hellbound, an adaptation of his webtoon Hell, which wades in the murky waters of religion and faith as creatures appear on Earth to drag people to hell after a prophecy from an angel. But Hellbound approaches the subject of sin and paying for those sins through several characters, such as a police detective and a cult leader. The special effects may be a little iffy, but the brutality and philosophy are real.[Trailer]

Arcane

For fans of: League of Legends (or not, it doesn't matter!), dope animation
Number of seasons: 1

The popular PC video game League of Legends has officially crossed mediums. Arcane adds life to two the game's playable characters, Jinx (voiced by Ella Purnell) and Vi (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld), by digging into their backstories as petty thieves in the underworld city of Zaun and the tech-heavy city above it, Piltover. Arcane could have taken the easy route and thrown out a cookie-cutter TV adaptation with empty characters and showy action sequences, but instead it has crafted a show with great characters, a deep story, and beautiful motion-capture animation that pops off the screen. You don't need to know a thing about League of Legends or be a fan of anime to enjoy this.[Trailer]

Narcos: Mexico

For fans of: Crime dramas, cartel violence, drugs
Number of seasons: 3

The third and final season of the spin-off that we didn't know we needed continues on without its big bad Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo (Diego Luna) after his arrest in the Season 2 finale, but that just means there's more chaos to be had in the ruckus to become the new Mexican drug kingpin. Expect lots of violence, obviously.[Trailer]

Colin in Black & White

For fans of: Social justice, doing the right thing, youth sports
Number of seasons: 1

Colin Kaepernick, Colin in Black and White — Colin Kaepernick, *Colin in Black & White*
Netflix

Colin Kaepernick went from being known as a fleet-footed NFL quarterback to an activist with just one move: kneeling for the National Anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality. In this six-episode limited series, Kaepernick and director Ava DuVernay give Kaepernick a space to tell his story, which he does through monologues, reenactments, and a comedy-drama about his childhood as a Black kid with dreams of being a quarterback who was adopted into a white family. It's a bizarre mix that admittedly takes a bit to get used to, but it's all tied together through Kaepernick's bold truths and sincerity. Bonus: His parents are played by Mary-Louise Parker and Nick Offerman, and young Colin is played by the very charming Jaden Michael.[Trailer]

Maya and the Three

For fans of: Cool Mesoamerican art style, Raya and the Last Dragon, dazzling visuals
Number of seasons: 1

Maya and the Three -- from The Book of Life creator Jorge R. Gutierrez -- may just be the coolest looking thing on Netflix. The kids nine-episode miniseries celebrates pre-colonial Mexican culture with panache, dressing its characters in ceremonial headdresses, warpaint, and detailed costumes that pop off the screen as the magical characters scale enormous Aztec-influenced edifices and soar over the picturesque beauty of Central America. There's a story, too: A 15-year-old warrior princess named Maya (voiced by Zoe Saldana) goes on a quest to stop the gods of the underworld from destroying humanity, and while that sounds serious, Maya and the Three is packed with humor for all ages. This isn't just one of Netflix's best kids shows, it's one of Netflix's best shows, period. -Tim Surette[Trailer]

You

For fans of: Creepy dudes, voiceover, problem after problem
Number of seasons: 3

Victoria Pedretti and Penn Badgley, You — Victoria Pedretti and Penn Badgley, *You*
John P. Fleenor/Netflix

Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgely) is back -- or was he always right behind you this whole time? -- for the third season of Netflix's creepy stalker drama, except this time he may not be the one to go to extreme lengths to get what he wants. Now in California and married (!!) to Love (Victoria Pedretti), Joe is raising his son in a chill suburb and everything is going great. OK, not really, because Joe's gotta Joe and he develops an unhealthy obsession with his new neighbor. But will Love let him do his thing?[Trailer]

The Baby-Sitters Club

For fans of: Warmth and wholesomeness, tween girl drama
Number of seasons: 2

There's a tween girl inside all of us who just wants to watch a charming show about young girls trying to start a baby-sitting business. Embrace your inner Emily or Jayden or Madison and watch The Baby-Sitters Club, a true safe space in a world that wants to keep you down. Season 2 adds a few more members to the club, but the care to flesh out all its characters is still there. -Tim Surette[Trailer]

On My Block

For fans of: Coming-of-age stories with a real perspective, having great taste
Number of seasons: 4

On My Block is back for its fourth and final season. In its last batch of episodes, the teen comedy-drama explains how Monse (Sierra Capri), Jamal (Brett Gray), Cesar (Diego Tinco), Ruby (Jason Genao), and Jasmine (Jessica Marie Garcia) fell out and exactly what went down in the two-year time jump revealed at the end of Season 3. It's senior year, so the teens are faced with decisions about college and what a post-Freeridge life will look like for each of them as they try to outrun the sins of their past and just have a good time at prom. It's as funny and emotional as ever. -Megan Vick[ Trailer ]

Maid

For fans of: The struggle, female empowerment, making bad decisions and then good decisions, the Pacific Northwest
Number of seasons: 1

You won't often end an episode of Maid -- adapted from Stephanie Land's memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay and a Mother's Will to Survive -- feeling overjoyed with the world, because the miniseries isn't afraid to focus on the difficulties single mothers escaping abusive relationships face. But stick around and you'll be inspired by the perseverance of Alex (Margaret Qualley in a star-making performance) as she becomes a housecleaner in Washington to make ends barely meet. Even though it's a little longer than it needs to be, you won't complain as long as Qualley is on the screen. –Tim Surette[ Trailer ]

Midnight Mass

For fans of: Stephen King, The Haunting of Hill House, cerebral horror
Number of seasons: 1

AfterThe Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor, creator Mike Flanagan is sticking with what he does best with another winning horror miniseries, only this time he's passing on the haunted house and going for a whole haunted island. The seven-episode series takes place in a fishing community 30 miles off the mainland and puts religion in the spotlight when a charismatic new priest (Hamish Linklater) arrives on the island with promises to lead his growing flock to salvation. As you can guess, it doesn't quite work out that way. Telling you any more would be a disservice to the storytelling. –Tim Surette[ Trailer |Review ]

Squid Game

For fans of: Twisted tales of cruelty, extremely violent kids' games
Number of seasons: 1

Who remembers playing childhood games for fun on the playground? Who remembers playing them FOR YOUR LIFE? The unexpected hit Korean dramaSquid Game is more the latter, as a group of people in bad need of money are taken in by a secret organization that has them play games -- like Red Light, Green Light -- for money. The catch? They lose, they die. Violently. What separates this from something like Saw is the humanity given to the characters. You'll care about some of these people... and then they will die. –Tim Surette[ Trailer |More shows like Squid Game ]

Dear White People

For fans of: Comedies with bite
Number of seasons: 4

Dear White People is back for one last semester, and although the wait has been excruciatingly long, it's going out with a bang. The final season is 100 times more musical, with the students of Winchester deciding to put on a variety show that celebrates Black culture. There are performances of songs we already like, like Montell Jordan's '90s classic "This Is How We Do It," and big showy dance numbers, and also the inevitable moments where all the characters have to reckon with the fact that they're about to be thrust into the world of adulthood.[ Trailer ]

Sex Education

For fans of: Kids discovering themselves, Gillian Anderson
Number of seasons: 3

There are so many coming-of-age television series out there, but few are as brazenly honest and endearing as this one.The comedy, now in its third season, is a raunchy-on-the-outside and sweet-on-the-inside charmer about a teen boy who inadvertently becomes his school's go-to sex therapist. The series explores teen sexuality in a refreshingly non-judgemental, authentic way, and it posits that whether you're the most popular kid in school or the outcast eating lunch alone, there's a universal and terrifying confusion in growing up that can be made more manageable by a supportive community and communication. Plus, Gillian Anderson co-stars as Otis' eccentric divorcée mom, who is an actual sex therapist and has a house full of phallic statues, which is just a lot of fun. [ Trailer ]

Lucifer

For fans of: The devil, hell puns
Number of seasons: 6

Procedural fans know that anyone can become an unlikely police consultant, including, in this case, the literal devil. Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis), who's abandoned hell to become a nightclub owner in Los Angeles, partners up with L.A.P.D. detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German) to solve crime -- stranger things have happened, maybe? -- while sorting out his otherworldly daddy issues. On top of being a fun show with a steamy will they/won't they couple,Lucifer is also a clever spin on redemption stories. -Kelly Connolly[Trailer]

The Chair

For fans of: Sandra Oh, the pains of academia
Number of seasons: 1

Sandra Oh is starring in another TV show, which means everything is once again right with the world. Oh plays Dr. Ji-Yoon Kim, the newest (and first woman) Chair of the embattled English department at a swanky university. She navigates both professional and personal struggles, and crushes on a professor played by Jay Duplass, which is very relatable.

Never Have I Ever

For fans of: Teen romance, Mindy Kaling, the omniscient voice of John McEnroe
Number of seasons: 2 (renewed for Season 3, date TBD)

Mindy Kaling's warm, wickedly funny spin on a classic high school comedy stars newcomer Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Devi Vishwakumar, a high achiever desperate to reinvent herself after the sudden death of her father (Sendhil Ramamurthy, joining the ranks of TV's hot dads even in flashbacks). As she navigates a love triangle and denies the depth of her grief, short-tempered Devi's inner life is narrated, hilariously, by tennis legend John McEnroe.Never Have I Ever is Kaling's best show yet, a charming Indian-American coming-of-age story that's both personal and absurd. Who knew we all needed to hear John McEnroe say "thirst trap"? -Kelly Connolly[Trailer]

Lupin

For fans of: Committing crimes with style, heists
Number of seasons: 1 (divided into two parts, with a third on the way)

Omar Sy stars as Assane Diop, a man who is essentially a French Bruce Wayne if Batman was more of a cat burglar than dark knight. Inspired by the classic French character Arsène Lupin, known as the "gentleman burglar," Diop starts the series off trying to steal a valuable necklace from the Louvre with a grand heist as part of a revenge plot against the wealthy family responsible for the death of his father several years prior. Sy is a charming dude, and the heists and trickery are fun, complicated acts, performed under the guise of being the good guy. It may not be the greatest show Netflix ever put out, but it is a very entertaining distraction that's easy to get through.-Tim Surette[Trailer]

Virgin River

For fans of: Hallmarkian romance, heartwarming tearjerkers
Number of seasons: 3

Do you like it your TV to feel like one long Hallmark movie? If that's the case, you should know that few other shows are currently doing that better thanVirgin River. In this adaptation of the novels by Robyn Carr, Alexandra Breckenridge stars as Mel, a nurse practitioner from Los Angeles who, after having her heart broken one too many times, starts a new life in a remote Northern California town. As these things go, she quickly meets Jack (Martin Henderson), a bartender who makes her want to love again. This show really has everything: long lost twin brothers, bombshell pregnancies, and main characters getting shot by mysterious gunmen.[Trailer]

High on the Hog: How African American Culture Transformed America

For fans of: Getting a history lesson while your stomach growls
Number of seasons: 1 (four hour-long episodes)

Netflix has a large catalog of food shows, but none quite likeHigh on the Hog. Hosted by Stephen Satterfield, the four-part docuseries is about Satterfield's journey to learn about the storied history of African American cuisine. He learns about the contributions Black people have made to food, and how much of an influence food from the past has on the food we eat now, including the origins of okra, dishes created by Thomas Jefferson and George Washington's enslaved chefs, and how mac and cheese came to be. The show is infectiously joyful, and has a lovely "discover your roots" spirit. Fair warning, though: You're going to bestarving after each episode.[Trailer]

Black Summer

For fans of: Intense no-cut actions sequences, life and death situations
Number of seasons: 2

Not all zombie shows are built the same, and this spiritual spin-off of the goofy Z Nation focuses on the gritty life-or-death situation of a small group of people trying to survive a zombie apocalypse. It's intentionally minimal on plot (and at times dialogue), letting the action -- frequently told in long takes with no cuts and some athletic cameramen -- tell the story. For my money, it's the best zombie show on TV. -Tim Surette[Trailer]

Breaking Bad

For fans of: Great TV, great acting, great cinematography, great writing, great everything
Number of seasons: 5

Well, it's perhaps the greatest television show ever made, so yeah, you should watch it. Bryan Cranston stars as antihero Walter White, a mild-mannered high school chemistry teacher who begins cooking meth to pay for his cancer treatments and finds that he really, really likes it. It won 16 Primetime Emmy Awards, including two for Best Drama Series in 2013 and 2014. Some will say the first season is only OK, but those people are morons. While you're at it, watch the spin-off, Better Call Saul, which is also on Netflix. –Tim Surette[Trailer]

I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson

For fans of: Chaos, having good car ideas, wet steaks, weak coffins, fart toilets, complex patterns on shirts
Number of seasons: 2

Tim Robinson, I Think You Should Leave — Tim Robinson, *I Think You Should Leave*
Netflix

Sometimes what you want is to see your id, your most base animal instincts, the unhinged thoughts you definitely have but rarely voice, reflected on screen. You may or may not remember Tim Robinson from his time onSaturday Night Live; honestly, they didn't really know what to do with him over there, and in retrospect it's clear that what he needed was something of his own where he could really let his freak flag fly. That'sI Think You Should Leave in a nutshell! It's a madcap rollercoaster of a sketch series that features Robinson playing a host of weirdo characters with big personalities and strong convictions about things that don't really matter, such as his highly memeable hot dog mascot who refuses to admit he was the one who crashed his car into a storefront. Like anything that's really, truly hilarious, it's sort of impossible to describe. You just have to watch it to understand.[Trailer]

***Last Chance U&Last Chance U: Basketball***

For fans of: Inspiring sports stories
Number of seasons: 5 seasons of Last Chance U and 1 season ofLast Chance U: Basketball

One of TV's best sports docuseries, every season ofLast Chance U follows a different junior college football program across the U.S. It focuses on the students -- many of whom are highly touted as players, but deal with challenges on and off the field -- as they attempt to keep up their performance both on the team and in the classroom in order to remain eligible. The show gives unique access to the host of issues student athletes face, and goes deep into the ambition many of the players have to move into Division 1 football programs. Its spinoff, Last Chance U: Basketball, is just as good, with its first season spotlighting the East Los Angeles College Huskies as they try to turn their fortunes around with a roster made up of kids who failed to live up to expectations at higher division programs because of various factors. The sport is different, but the emotional impact remains the same as their coach pushes them to be the best players and people they can be. [Trailer]

Master of None

For fans of: When comedians enter their serious auteur era
Number of seasons: 3

When Master of None first premiered in 2015, the series became a reset for co-creator and star Aziz Ansari's career, who up until that point had mostly been known for his role as the guy onParks and Recreationwho gave us "treat yo' self." Ansari played Dev, a New York actor struggling with the personal and the professional, and the show was pretty universally acclaimed, especially in its triumphant second season, which brought black-and-white cinematography, references to French New Wave, and a beautiful, Golden Globe-winning episode about Dev's friend Denise's (Lena Waithe) coming out. It was in between Season 2 and its surprise Season 3 that sexual misconduct allegations against Ansari were made public, and when the show eventually did return after a long hiatus, it shifted the focus from Dev to Denise, exploring her relationship with her wife Alicia (Naomi Ackie). The good news is that it stayed fascinating throughout, wrestling with the characters' flaws and exploring regret and loss in an entirely human way.[Trailer]

mccutcheontrainsomill.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.tvguide.com/news/best-shows-on-netflix-right-now/