You probably have already read a Bored Panda article on Netflix movies, but how could we possibly not talk about Netflix original series? After all, binge-worthy TV shows are something we all can appreciate. And oh boy, does Netflix deliver on that!
Netflix created its very first TV series in co-production with a Norwegian TV channel, NRK1. It is called Lilyhammer and tells the story of an American underboss living in a witness protection programme in Norway. Raise your hands in the comments if you’ve seen it!
With streaming services firmly establishing their place in the entertainment market, Netflix took the whole production thing very seriously, and over the years, made tons of popular new shows. Quite often, they release the whole season in a batch – perfect for those who are dying to know what happens in the next episode and have no patience to wait for an entire week. Hey, no judgment, we’ve all been there, done that.
So if you are trying to think what to watch tonight and don’t feel like going through all Netflix shows to find something to match your mood, we’ve narrowed it down for you a bit with a list of 80 Netflix original series to choose from. Don’t forget to share your opinion!
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#1 Stranger Things
Stranger Things
2016 | Seasons: 4
The idea of alternate dimensions, evil corporations doing evil stuff, monsters from the other side, and a protagonist with superpowers they didn’t really ask for has been well explored and rehashed multiple times, but Netflix took all that and managed to create a fresh and original show that is both entertaining and nostalgic. Stranger Things will make you remember your childhood, even if you weren’t around in the 80s, and give you ideas for popular Halloween costumes for several years. Often praised for its well-structured storytelling, engaging plot, and great performances, it is rightfully considered one of the best shows on Netflix.
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44points
#2 The Umbrella Academy
The Umbrella Academy
2019 | Seasons: 3
Seven estranged siblings gather in their childhood home after their adoptive father dies under mysterious circumstances. Not your run-of-the-mill situation, but not entirely strange. Except all siblings were born on the same day by women showing no signs of pregnancy. And they have superpowers. And their father seems to have been murdered. And also one of them has just returned from the future to warn his brothers and sisters about the inevitable apocalypse. Other than that, pretty normal. As much as they hate the prospect, the Hargreeve siblings now have to put their differences aside and uncover the secrets of their father’s life and death, while also trying to reverse the apocalypse. First planned as a feature film adaptation of comic books, The Umbrella Academy was later developed as a TV series for Netflix and became its third most viewed show in 2019.
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35points
#3 Ozark
Ozark
2017 | Seasons: 4
Marty Byrde is a financial advisor. Sounds pretty mundane, except for a tiny detail. His client is a Mexican drug cartel. Also, the money laundering scheme Marty proposed to the cartel went terribly wrong, and that’s bad not only for your resume but also life expectancy. In an attempt to rectify his mistake, Marty suggests an even bigger laundering operation in the Lake of the Ozarks region. He then relocates his family there, and this is when they get entangled with the local criminal gangs. Not only is Ozark entertaining to watch, the creators made sure they knew what they were talking about and invited an FBI agent specializing in financial crimes and a hedge fund specialist to consult on the script. It also cleverly plays with details, like the opening credits. Each episode, pay attention to the graphics in the name of the series, they will give you some hints as to what the episode has in store.
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34points
#4 The Haunting Of Hill House
The Haunting of Hill House
2018 | Seasons: 1
Sometimes running away from evil doesn’t help. Sometimes, no matter how many years pass, the horrors of the past will keep haunting you. The Crain family thought their nightmare was over in 1992 when they fled the Hill House after encountering a sinister force that turned their lives upside down. But today, as all five Crain siblings have become adults, the terror has not stopped. The Haunting of Hill House is often praised for creating great suspense and tension, with equally amazing payoffs.
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34points
#5 Mindhunter
Mindhunter
2017 | Seasons: 2
Criminal psychology studies the behaviors, thoughts, actions, and reactions of criminals to help not only find them, but sometimes even prevent their next step. It is a fairly modern science that first started being used by law enforcement officers in the 1970s. Mindhunter follows two FBI agents and a psychologist who work in the Behavioral Science Unit at the FBI Academy, as they launch a research project to interview serial killers, understand their psychology, and apply this knowledge to solve other cases. Both seasons include characters of real-life infamous serial killers.
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33points
#6 Hellbound
Hellbound
2021 | Seasons: 1
In the past decade or so, Korean TV series have been gaining increasing popularity. Following the trend, Netflix produced several of them for its streaming platform, and Hellbound is one of the most recent examples. After its release, it became the world's most watched Netflix series, taking this title away from Squid Game. Hell literally breaks loose in Korea, when a supernatural entity called an angel starts appearing in front of people to deliver the time when each particular individual will be transported to hell. When the time comes, three giant monsters attack the condemned person, practically destroying their bodies. A cult and a gang join forces to prey on people’s fears.
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28points
#7 The Punisher
The Punisher
2017 | Seasons: 2
The Punisher is not your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. If stopping a crime means taking the life of a criminal, he will have no hesitations. And the fact that he used to be a Force Recon Marine before becoming a vigilante means he is very well trained to execute his goal. Frank Castle used to have a family he loved and a job he enjoyed. But when gangsters took everything from him and he realized the law is not always omnipotent, he took matters in his hands. Starting as a spin-off to another Marvel character show, Daredevil, the show got mixed reviews from critics, yet was nominated for several awards.
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27points
#8 Daredevil
Daredevil
2015 | Seasons: 3
The idea of a vigilante crime fighter is a recurring theme in comics and their adaptations. What makes Daredevil a very unlikely candidate to fight crime in the streets is that he is blind. And yet, he turns it to his advantage. When he lost his vision, his other senses heightened, and now they are his tools for finding and fighting criminals. But another rather controversial thing about Daredevil as a superhero is that by day he is a lawyer called Matt Murdoch, someone who is supposed to follow the law, not take it in his own hands to exercise justice. In the past, there were several attempts to launch Daredevil on screen, with none of them being particularly successful. This one, however, earned critics’ approval and even won several awards.
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26points
#13 Narcos
Narcos
2015 | Seasons: 3
The notorious figure of Pablo Escobar, a drug lord who made billions on cocaine production and distribution, was always an interesting character for filmmakers of all formats. Not only did he make a fortune on illegal activities, but he also avoided any repercussions from law enforcement for many years. After Columbian cocaine swarmed the American market, the Drug Enforcement Administration sent its people down to apprehend Escobar and put an end to his drug empire. Narcos, set and filmed in Escobar’s native Columbia, follows the drug kingpin’s rise and fall from the earlier years, when he first got engaged in drug distribution, to when he was finally taken down, as his people’s loyalty declined and the rival Cali Cartel became stronger.
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22points
#14 Altered Carbon
Altered Carbon
2018 | Seasons: 2
In the 24th century, people finally found a means to live pretty much forever. A device placed at the back of one’s neck is used to store human memory and consciousness and can be replaced into a different body, giving one a practically unlimited lifespan. The only real threat to life is to destroy the storage device. However, in the new world order, only the wealthiest can afford to change their bodies limitlessly, without ever dying of old age. Once upon a time there was a rebel group who tried to oppose the existing world structure but were defeated, and all but one of them died. This sole survivor, Takeshi Kovacs, is brought back to life from prison by one of the wealthiest people in the world, Laurens Bancroft. Bancroft needs Kovacs’ skills to help him solve a murder – Bancroft’s own. Adapted from a novel of the same name, Altered Carbon received accolades for being a great example of the cyberpunk genre.
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21points
