WhenNetflixmoved from distributing licensed content to creating its own, it redefined TV in the age of streaming. The best original Netflix shows didn’t just pad out a catalog - they redefined what small-screen entertainment looked like in the digital age. Suddenly, bingeworthy content wasn’t a happy accident - it was the business model.
It wasn’t long before thebest original Netflix showswere every bit as good as what the networks and cable giants had to offer. These series dominated awards conversations, generated critical buzz, and - perhaps most importantly - became water-cooler television in an era without water coolers. Netflix was no longer just a place to rewatch old favorites - it led the cultural conversation.
Not every series landed perfectly, andshows likeThe Umbrella AcademyandThe Witcherdidn’t quite live up to expectations. However, manyoriginal shows helped cement Netflix as the gold standard for streaming television. The best of the streamer’s original content didn’t just succeed - they shaped what Netflix is known for today and, in many cases, reshaped the entire industry along the way.
Few shows have blended historical weight and high drama quite likeThe Crown. Chronicling the reign ofQueen Elizabeth II across decades, the series didn’t just recreate royal events - it redefined them for a modern audience. Lavishly produced and unapologetically high-brow, it instantly elevated Netflix’s reputation for original content.
Few series signaled Netflix’s arrival into the prestige arena quite like this one.
The Crown’srotating cast brought fresh energy to each era. Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, and Imelda Staunton each portrayed Queen Elizabeth II with striking nuance, while supporting roles like Prince Philip (Matt Smith, Tobias Menzies, Jonathan Pryce) and Princess Diana (Emma Corrin, Elizabeth Debicki) kept the seriesemotionally rich and politically sharp.
One of the platform’s earlier original shows,The Crownproved Netflixcould go toe-to-toe with the likes of HBO in terms of quality and ambition. It wasn’t just a hit - it was appointment viewing that came with awards season dominance and global appeal. Few series signaled Netflix’s arrival into the prestige arena quite like this one.
There’s no denyingHouse of Cardschanged everything.
Created by Beau Willimon and based on the BBC series of the same name,House of Cardstold the story ofpower-hungry politicians clawing their way to the top.Robin Wright’s Claire Underwood quickly became just as iconic as her co-lead, and eventually more commanding. Her arc sealed the show’s lasting legacy.
While its final season was overshadowed by real-world controversy, there’s no denyingHouse of Cardschanged everything. As one of the earliest original shows on the platform, it launched the binge model into the mainstream and gave Netflix a reputation for risk-taking, adult storytelling before anyone else had figured out the formula.
8Big Mouth (2014-2025)
A Wildly Honest, Gross-Out Animated Series That Dared To Tackle Puberty
It’s rare for an animated series to feel as vulnerable and honest asBig Mouth. It’s crude, loud, and often absurd, but at its core is a deeply relatable show about the emotional chaos of adolescence. Withits personified Hormone Monstersand surreal coming-of-age gags, it’s unlike anything else on TV.
It proved Netflix could succeed in genres long dominated by network titans likeThe SimpsonsorFamily Guy.
Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, and Maya Rudolph headline the stackedBig Mouthvoice cast, but what really makes the show work is its fearless honesty. Whether exploring gender identity, anxiety, or awkward first crushes,Big Mouthisas emotionally intelligent as it is hilariously inappropriate.It has no interest in sanitizing growing up.
As one of the best original Netflix shows, it opened the door for adult animation on streaming platforms. What’s more, it proved Netflix could succeed in genres long dominated by network titans likeThe SimpsonsorFamily Guy. Over its multi-season run,Big Mouthcarved out a loyal followingand a bold new lane.
WhenThe Queen’s Gambitdebuted, few expected a limited series about chess to become a global phenomenon - but that’s exactly what happened. Centered on the rise oftroubled chess prodigy Beth Harmon(Anya Taylor-Joy), the show was a masterclass in character, atmosphere, and storytelling.
It wasn’t just popular - it was a cultural moment.
Scott Frank’s direction gave every game cinematic intensity, while Taylor-Joy’s lead performance was magnetic. The show captured the loneliness, obsession, and occasional glamour of afiercely intelligent young woman fighting inner demons and outer expectationsin a man’s world. The production design and score only elevated the experience.
The Queen’s GambitprovedNetflix’s short-form storytelling could be just as impactful as their long-running series, making it more than stand out among the dozens of original shows on the platform. It topped viewing charts, spiked global interest in chess, and won Netflix its first major Limited Series Emmy. It wasn’t just popular - it was a cultural moment.
WhenOzarkarrived in 2017,Netflix leaned into the darknessand never looked back. The story of Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman), a money launderer for a cartel trying to keep his family alive in the Missouri Ozarks, gave Netflix its answer toBreaking Bad. However, this wasn’t just a clone - it had a sinister charm all its own.
Proved Netflix could do prestige crime drama just as well as the networks that had defined it.
Laura Linney’s performance as Wendy Byrde was a revelation, and the show’s ever-expanding criminal web pulled viewers deeper each season. Tense, tightly written, and unafraid of shocking deaths,Ozarkdelivered high-stakes storytelling with every episode.The cinematography - bathed in cold blues - became a trademark in itself.
Ozarkwas a rare series that only grew in critical acclaim with each season, making its placeamong the best Netflix originalsall but indisputable. It balanced character drama with ruthless thrills and proved Netflix could do prestige crime drama just as well as the networks that had defined it.
WithWednesday, Netflix tapped into a mix of teen drama, supernatural intrigue, and spooky nostalgia, and struck gold. Centering on Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) as shenavigates life at Nevermore Academy, the series fusedHarry Potter-esque school drama with murder mystery elements and dark comedy.
Wednesdaytook over the cultural zeitgeist.
Jenna Ortega’s deadpan brilliance made the role iconic, bringing a fresh energy to the Addams Family legacy without losing what made it great. Tim Burton’s direction gave the series its signature look, and viral moments like the “Goo Goo Muck” dance exploded across social media,helping the show dominate streaming charts.
At first glance,BoJack Horsemanseemed like just another irreverent adult cartoon. However, behind its anthropomorphic humor and Hollywood satire was one of the most emotionally layered shows of the decade. Itfollowed talking horse BoJack(Will Arnett), a washed-up sitcom star grappling with depression, addiction, and self-sabotage.
Helped Netflix establish itself as a home for creators willing to tell bold, risky stories with lasting emotional resonance.
BoJack Horsemanstood out for its willingness to explore mental health and existential dread with unflinching honesty. Episodes like “Fish Out of Water” and “The View from Halfway Down” showed off its stylistic daring and emotional depth,proving that animation could be just as powerful as live-action drama.
BoJack Horsemancarved out a unique space in the streaming landscape and was one of the first Netflix originals to see mainstream success and recognition. It was daring, experimental, and ultimately human, andhelped Netflix establish itself as a homefor creators willing to tell bold, risky stories with lasting emotional resonance.
Some original Netflix shows build acclaim over time, butSquid Gamewas a lightning bolt. Created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the South Korean survival drama thrust desperate players into deadly children’s games for a life-changing cash prize. However, behind its shocking premise was a searing critique of economic disparity, greed, and the human will to survive.
Few original Netflix shows saw the immediate rise to cultural dominance ofSquid Game
Lee Jung-jae delivered a standout performance as Seong Gi-hun, a flawed but sympathetic protagonist. Meanwhile, the show’s surreal set design, sharp writing, and haunting visualsturned every episode into a conversation starter.From the red-light-green-light doll to the masked Front Man, it became instantly iconic.
Few original Netflix shows saw the immediate rise tocultural dominance ofSquid Game, which also proved that great storytelling transcends language. It smashed records, redefined global TV success, and signaled a new era where international content could dominate in the U.S. and beyond. No Netflix series has ever made a louder global impact, and few ever will.
Stranger Thingsis equal parts ’80s homage, sci-fi thriller, and teen drama, and it hit every one of those marks with style. What began as a story about a missing boy and a girl with telekinetic powers grew into a pop-culture empire - monsters, mall showdowns, and all.
Few shows have managed to appeal to so many demographics at once while delivering consistently cinematic storytelling over multiple seasons.
Created by the Duffer Brothers,Stranger Thingsstruck gold with its cast, especially breakout star Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven. But it’s the chemistry between the core kids - Finn Wolfhard, Caleb McLaughlin, Gaten Matarazzo, and Noah Schnapp - thatgrounded all the supernatural chaos in real emotional stakes.
Orange Is The New Blackwasn’t just a breakout hit - it wasthebreakout hit. Created by Jenji Kohan andbased on Piper Kerman’s memoir, the series started with Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) entering a federal prison, but quickly expanded into a sprawling, diverse portrait of women’s lives behind bars.
Of all the best original Netflix shows,Orange Is The New Blackis arguably the most important.
What made it revolutionary wasOITB’sensemble cast and commitment to character-driven storytelling. Standouts like Uzo Aduba’s Suzanne, Laverne Cox’s Sophia, and Danielle Brooks’ Taystee added depth, humor, and heartbreak. The showseamlessly blended comedy and dramawhile addressing race, gender, class, and the failures of the prison system.
Of all the best original Netflix shows,Orange Is The New Blackis arguablythe most important. It provedNetflixcould make meaningful, addictive, and critically acclaimed television. Without it, the path wouldn’t have been paved for everything that followed - from prestige dramas to genre hits.
