Scrolling through Netflix and feeling overwhelmed by options? Look, you work hard. Let us make this easy. Whether you're seeking a new season to binge-watch, a new show to obsess over, or a bit of TV to soothe your mind after a long day, we've got you covered.
2023 has been a fantastic year for streaming television. And a ton of terrific series are now streaming on Netflix. Want some blood-curdling horror? How about heart-wrenching drama? Fluffy teen rom-coms? Maybe winsome cartoons? There's something for everyone in the wonderful world of streaming!
So, in no particular order, here are the best Netflix original series of 2023.
1. One Piece
Most live-action manga and anime adaptations leave something to be desired. But Netflix’s 2023 take on the beloved manga One Piece breaks the pattern, and then some. It’s a hit!
Iñaki Godoy is Monkey D. Luffy, a young, idealistic, and impossibly upbeat dreamer who is determined to find the world’s most sought-after treasure, the One Piece, and become King of the Pirates. But Luffy is not a thieving and pillaging kind of pirate; he’s dedicated to a more elevated, kind, charitable form of piracy, and he eventually collects a crew of misfits that are drawn to his noble vision. Oh, and did we mention his body has become rubberized after eating a mystical fruit?
There’s a lot going on in One Piece, but miraculously, it all works. The fight scenes are both exciting and wacky. The stakes are both silly and deadly serious. It feels utterly unique, like a fresh new genre that faithfully evokes its anime source material with its energy but commits to keeping grounded emotion at its core.
How to watch: One Piece is now streaming on Netflix.
2. Hilda, Season 3
Hilda is, simply put, a gorgeous show. Based on a graphic novel series, this whimsical tale follows the young, blue-haired Hilda (voiced by Bella Ramsey) and her endless adventures in a modern but mythical Scandinavian landscape. She’s precocious, kind, and has a knack for making friends with all manner of wild creatures, each more imaginative than the last. What sets Hilda apart from other animated series is its unique style. Hilda, which uses a palette of cozy autumnal colors, does not shy away from moments of silence, and often will pan quietly across a beautifully drawn mountainside between scenes. The result is spellbinding, with each new visual imbued with a sense of wonder. You do not need to be a kid to fall for this lovely and ruminative show.
Seasons 1 and 2 saw Hilda adjusting to a move from the country to the city, making new friends and learning about the dangers of trolls. Season 3 holds more charming adventures, as well as a deep dive into mysterious figures from her family's past. There's also a Hilda movie, Hilda and the Mountain King, in which Hilda temporarily becomes a troll herself!
How to watch: Hilda is now streaming on Netflix.
3. All The Light We Cannot See
Based on the best-selling, Pulitzer prize-winning novel by Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See is a sweeping WWII epic. In Nazi-occupied France, Marie-Laure is a blind French teen who begins illegally broadcasting coded messages for the French Resistance over the radio. Her broadcasts catch the attention of Werner, a teenage radio operator in the German forces, but he chooses not to turn her in.
While the series occasionally struggles to live up to the depth and complexity of its source material, All the Light We Cannot See is still a tender and affecting watch, a coming-of-age tale nestled in a harrowing war story. Co-starring Hugh Laurie and Mark Ruffalo, the mini-series also made great strides for blind and low-vision representation by casting legally blind actors in the role of Marie-Laure. Nell Sutton plays Marie-Laure as a child, while Aria Mia Loberti portrays the character in her teen years.
How to watch: All the Light We Cannot See is now streaming on Netflix.
4. The Great British Baking Show, Season 14
Season 14 saw the beloved British baking competition ditch two components that were starting to drag on its success: the increasingly tasteless "international" cuisine challenges and former co-host Matt Lucas. In Lucas's stead comes human sunshine Alison Hammond, whose seamless riffing with chaotic goth-adjacent comedian Noel Fielding brings a much-needed dose of energy and cheer to the tent. With charming contestants, comfortable affability between judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, and an endless parade of delicious baked goods, season 14 of The Great British Baking Show feels like a joyous return to form. It’s a treat!
How to watch: The Great British Baking Show is now streaming on Netflix.
5. Black Mirror, Season 6
Black Mirror is back, baby! Season 6 of the eerie sci-fi anthology series premiered in 2023, a full four years after season 5, with bigger twists and even bigger stars. Josh Hartnett, Salma Hayek Pinault, Aaron Paul, Annie Murphy, and Zazie Beetz all have a turn in the dystopian gauntlet, and not everyone emerges unscathed.
As usual, Black Mirror takes a deep dive into the dark side of technology and how it shapes our society. Season 6 shakes the formula up a bit, exploring a few more human and less tech-driven parables of woe. The result is as captivating and thought-provoking as ever — and a few episodes even top our list of the most dread-filled Black Mirror episodes ever.
How to watch: Black Mirror is now streaming on Netflix.
6. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
In Bryan Lee O'Malley’s Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series and the 2010 movie adaptation, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Scott Pilgrim is a bassist for a mediocre indie band who falls in love with the mysterious and edgy Ramona Flowers. But before he can be with her, he has to defeat all seven of her evil exes, which — spoiler alert! — he eventually does.
In the new Netflix series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, O'Malley and BenDavid Grabinski have come up with something a little different — more like a remix than a remake. With all the heart of the original, not to mention voice acting from the movie's main players, this new alternate retelling is a fresh new story that holds on to everything we loved from its source material. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is fun, clever, and packs a punch. (Don’t miss the cameos!)
How to watch: Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is now streaming on Netflix.
7. Lupin, Season 3
César-winning actor Omar Sy is absolutely magnetic in this fun and unpredictable French mystery series. Assane Diop is the son of a Senegalese immigrant who was convicted of stealing his Parisian employer’s diamond necklace. All Assane has left of his dad is a shared love of Arsène Lupin, a classic French literary character who is both a gentleman and a thief. As an adult, Assane follows in Arsène Lupin’s fictional footsteps and becomes master thief, determined to use his skills to prove his father was innocent all those years ago.
No matter what language you speak, Lupin is a 10-out-of-10 show. It’s an energetic, poignant, gripping, and joyful watch, all wrapped into one. In season 3, our mischievous hero tries to disappear, but a new villain foils his grand plans.*
How to watch: Lupin is now streaming on Netflix.
8. Heartstopper, Season 2
If you missed this impossibly charming British show, please drop everything you’re doing and get to Netflix as quickly as possible. You don’t want to spend another second without this sweet love story in your life! Written by Alice Oseman, adapted from her very popular graphic novel series of the same name, Heartstopper follows an anxious gay high school student, Charlie, who strikes up an unlikely friendship with Nick, a charismatic, seemingly straight rugby player at his school. The two are sat next to each other at the beginning of the semester, and they quickly become inseparable. They’re just friends… Or are they?
Heartstopper is a total triumph. The cast is magnetic, the story is fresh, and the love will leave you feeling warm and bubbly for the rest of the day. Season 2 sees Charlie and Nick navigating new obstacles as they begin to date openly. Seriously, why aren’t you watching this yet?!*
How to watch: Heartstopper is now streaming on Netflix.
9. Beckham
More than a sports documentary, Beckham became one of Netflix’s most-watched entries in 2023 because of its wide appeal. For fans of David Beckham’s career, there’s the obvious. But for those who care less about kicking balls into goals, there’s also a clever investigation into the nature of celebrity and fame, fascinating discussions with Victoria Beckham (aka Posh Spice) about their marriage, and a ton of '90s nostalgia. There’s something for everyone in this honest and astute docuseries. Plus, it was directed by none other than Fisher Stevens, who's been in everything from Short Circuit and Hackers to Succession.
How to watch: Beckham is now streaming on Netflix.
10. The Witcher, Season 3
Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) is a gruff, brooding Witcher, a monster hunter with magical powers. He’s a lone hunk in a dark, medieval world, simultaneously feared and needed by the general public. Though he can handle any manner of evil creature, his biggest challenge will be his duty to a fugitive princess, the young Ciri (Freya Allan), who’s been in hiding since her kingdom was usurped. Destiny has a plan for these two that can’t be ignored.
The Witcher is an exciting fantasy drama, full of magic, myth, and an ever-present sense of danger. The series really came into its own in Season 2, which explored its complex relationships with confidence. Season 3 is a fitting farewell to Cavill, who exited at the end of the season. But never fear, the series will continue in Season 4 with Liam Hemsworth in the titular role.
How to watch: The Witcher is now streaming on Netflix.
11. Sex Education, Season 4
Awkward teen Otis Milburn’s (Asa Butterfield) mother Jean (Gillian Anderson) is a sex therapist, so he follows in her footsteps and sets up a sex therapy clinic at his high school with the rebellious and independent Maeve (Emma Mackey). Students from all over the social hierarchy show up to get advice on intimacy, their relationships, and everything in between. It’s a refreshingly sex-positive and cringe-free show that leaves space for each character, Otis included, to figure themselves out at their own pace. Created by Laurie Nunn, Sex Education has been a bona fide launching pad for its cast, which is sparkling: Ncuti Gatwa, Connor Swindells, Aimee Lou Wood, Simone Ashley, and more.*
Season 4 sees its main characters in their final year of high school having to adjust to a new, crunchier reality: Their straight-laced school has been sold to an artsy education company, complete with sound baths, meditation, and an indoor slide.
How to watch: Sex Education is now streaming on Netflix.
12. Transatlantic
The year is 1940. France has been invaded by Germany, and all-out war is imminent. But hope remains at the Hotel Splendide in Marseille, where a scrappy, ambitious org called the Emergency Rescue Committee is corralling all its resources, legal and… not-so-legal, to evacuate artists, writers, and thinkers wanted by the Nazi Party. Led by Varian Fry (Cory Michael Smith), Mary Jayne Gold (Gillian Jacobs), and Albert Hirschman (Lucas Englander), the ERC refuses to abandon their mission, even as the stakes grow ever higher for them and their charges.
This stylish and captivating drama is based on a remarkable true story. The Emergency Rescue Committee helped find safe passage for Hannah Arendt, Max Ernst, Marcel Duchamp, Marc Chagall, and countless other dissenters wanted for the audacity of their ideas. Created by Anna Winger (Unorthodox) and Daniel Hendler, and adapted from Julie Orringer's original historical novel The Flight Portfolio, Transatlantic is an affecting and scenic mini-series with a sensational international cast.
How to watch: Transatlantic is now streaming on Netflix.
13. The Diplomat
One of Netflix's biggest hits of 2023, The Diplomat is a gripping political thriller with a dysfunctional marriage at its core. Keri Russell is Kate Wyler, a career diplomat who is unexpectedly appointed as the new U.S. ambassador to England after a British warship is attacked. Her husband (a magnetic Rufus Sewell) is a former ambassador with a splashy track record and an inability to keep his fingers out of the political pie. With the stakes growing higher each episode, the Wylers attempt to maintain peace, both globally and in their marriage.
The Diplomat is a riveting, refined drama that manages to make international diplomacy thrilling. The performances here are particularly skilled, with its characters each conveying multiple layers of meaning in a single glance. There's a reason why it's been at the top of streaming charts for weeks — plus, a second season is already in the works.
How to watch: The Diplomat is now streaming on Netflix.
14. Wellmania
Liv Healy (Celeste Barber) is a New York-based Australian food writer who doggedly sticks to her mantra: Seize the day. To Liv, that means partying and living large every second that she can. But when she collapses after a fast-paced weekend back in Sydney, she's forced to evaluate her health — or risk losing her American green card and getting trapped in Australia with her family but without her career. Based on the hybrid memoir by Brigid Delaney (who co-created the series with Benjamin Law), Wellmania is a smart, funny, super charming exploration of grief, wellness, and what it means to be okay. A lovely, complex, hilarious watch.
How to watch: Wellmania is now streaming on Netflix.
15. Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, is a lavish, ebullient triumph, and further evidence that Shonda Rhimes just doesn't miss. Delving into the personal history of the tragic, impulsive, and steely queen we know and love from Bridgerton Seasons 1 and 2, we watch a young girl transform into a formidable monarch — and fall in love along the way. The costumes are sumptuous, the drama juicy, and the romance slow-burning. It checks all the boxes while still making space for a thread of sadness that lends gravitas and complexity to the entire Bridgerton world. An ambitious and beautiful show that fully earns its shining crown as Netflix's newest darling.
How to watch: Queen Charlotte is now streaming on Netflix.
16. You, Season 4
If you prefer the fictional to real-life serial killers, then maybe the ludicrously soapy stalker stylings of Penn Badgley's Joe Goldberg aka Will Bettelheim aka Jonathan Moore are more your jam? Dragging the relationship thrillers of ye olde Lifetime Network into the modern age, this series, based on Caroline Kepnes's books, has seen our tender-eyed, gorgeous-coiffed bookshop owner with the penchant for most diabolical murder somehow live to kill another and yet another day.
So, as Joe-now-Jonathan enters Season 4, he's ditched his past and hopped 'cross the pond to jolly old Londontown, where he's become a professor of English, when suddenly his new friends start dropping dead around him. Twist! The stalker becomes the stalkee! And toxic masculinity is again on the chopping block in a show that is somehow still finding ways to delight in prodding at our culture's most sensitive sex spots (even if Penn does frown upon that sort of thing in real life). * — Jason Adams, Freelance Entertainment Writer
How to watch: You is now streaming on Netflix.
17. I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, Season 3
Who's up for some sloppy steaks!!! Easily the best and the most absurd sketch show to date, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson is a comedy show for the modern era. It thrives on awkwardness and heightens our most low-stakes anxieties to the extreme. SNL alums Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin write every sketch, which range from unruly focus groups and derailed office meetings to a hot dog truck crashing into a dinner party and a guy who's really, really into his patterned shirts. Tim Robinson's characters are loud, bombastic, and radiating with an aching rawness that endears them to you despite the fact that they're making a scene.
No matter where you think these sketches are going, you're wrong. They're both sophisticated and dumb, simple and surprising. It's no wonder this highly popular show is a comedy-lovers' darling. It's truly one-of-a-kind.*
How to watch: I Think You Should Leave is now streaming on Netflix.
18. The Night Agent
Gripping, labyrinthine, and at times disarmingly sweet, Netflix's spy action-thriller series The Night Agent is an immediate hit. Gabriel Basso is Peter Sutherland, an FBI agent who mans a phone in the basement of the White House that never rings — until the one night that it does. In helping the person on the other end, Peter suddenly finds himself in the middle of a massive conspiracy, unsure of who he can trust. Based on Michael Quirk's novel of the same name, The Night Agent feels like Netflix's 24. It's a fast-paced, breathless suspense show with a few somewhat implausible plot points that you'll soon forgive because of its excellent and exhilarating action sequences.*
How to watch: The Night Agent is now streaming on Netflix.
19. Sweet Tooth, Season 2
Love post-apocalyptic science fiction, but wish it could be a little bit cuter? Then Sweet Tooth is the show for you. At the same time that a pandemic wipes out a huge chunk of the population, human babies start randomly being born with various animal features (monkey tails, elephant trunks, you name it!). Humanity, unsurprisingly, does not respond well to these new hybrids, ostracizing and hunting them into hiding. Enter Gus (Christian Convery), a sweet little boy with deer antlers on a journey to find his mother, under the reluctant, begrudging care of Big Man (Nonso Anozie). Season 2 finds the duo separated and Gus in captivity with other adorable hybrid kids.
Sweet Tooth is both lovely and dark, with some twisted revelations beneath that childlike wonder that will leave you reeling. It's kind of like The Last of Us, but, you know… sweeter.
How to watch: Sweet Tooth is now streaming on Netflix.
20. Never Have I Ever, Season 4
Created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, this smart, sweet coming-of-age story was among the most fulfilling new Netflix binges of 2020. Then, it came back and wowed us again, and again.
Lead Maitreyi Ramakrishnan will steal your heart as Devi, a high school sophomore reeling from the loss of her father — but with big plans for a future as vibrant and fearless as she. Culturally important as it is authentic, Never Have I Ever serves not only as a critical step for representation but also as a dreamy teen rom-com you'll adore.*
A fantastic season 4 wraps up the sweet and complex series with Devi’s senior year. She’s been building up to this since we first met her: Will she get into Princeton? You’ll have to watch to find out. — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter, and K.G.
How to watch: Never Have I Ever is now streaming on Netflix.
21. Cunk on Earth
A fantastically hilarious British mockumentary, Cunk on Earth takes aim at all self-serious docu-series with aplomb. Diane Morgan plays Philomena Cunk, an ignorant and profoundly stupid host investigating humanity's history by interviewing various real-life experts, much like a British version of Stephen Colbert's Colbert Report character. Her deadpan delivery is perfect as she asks baffled academics hard-hitting questions, such as "Were the pyramids built from the top-down or down-up?" Likewise, her narrative asides about how things probably sucked before modern technology are both delightfully vapid and surprisingly relatable. She is the worst of us, and we love her for it. A critical darling for good reason, Cunk on Earth is a breath of fresh air, guaranteed to leave you giggling.
How to watch: Cunk on Earth is now streaming on Netflix.
22. Aggretsuko, Season 5
For something a little different, look no further than Aggretsuko. Written and directed by Rarecho, Aggretsuko follows a small red panda, Retsuko, who is completely worn down by her 9-to-5 accounting job. Her only solace is her nightly trip to the karaoke bar to wail death metal – a truly shocking music choice for such a cute little critter.
Somehow, Aggretsuko comes to us from Sanrio, the same Japanese company that makes the obsessively cheery Hello Kitty characters. With that in mind, we can imagine little Retsuko as the older, rebellious cousin at the Sanrio get-togethers, continually annoyed with the chipper crowd around her — something we can all relate to.*
How to watch: Aggretsuko is now streaming on Netflix.
23. The Law According to Lidia Poët
This stylish, sophisticated, and sometimes sexy Italian series takes its inspiration from the very real life of Lidia Poët, Italy's first female lawyer. In 19th century Turin, Lidia (Matilda de Angelis) has earned all the qualifications required to practice law, but she's been barred from doing so because she's a woman. She resorts to assisting her brother Enrico (Pier Luigi Pasino) on his cases, all while secretly appealing the court's decision, determined to practice law on her own merit. The Law According to Lidia Poët is an accomplished, energetic mystery show — sort of a more grown-up Enola Holmes — that's packed with charismatic characters and a stunning Italian backdrop.
How to watch: The Law According to Lidia Poët is now streaming on Netflix.
24. The Nurse
Pernille Larsen (Fanny Louise Bernth) is fresh out of nursing school and excited to start her career. She looks up to the nurse she's assigned to shadow, the cool and competent Christina Hansen (Josephine Park). But when patients start dying, Pernille begins to suspect her friend might not be the savior she first appeared to be. Based on a true story of a Danish health care worker who murdered patients, much like the New Jersey case which inspired the Netflix movie The Good Nurse, The Nurse is an excellent series that challenges preconceived expectations about what a serial killer looks and acts like.
How to watch: The Nurse is streaming on Netflix.
25. Beef
Amy Lau (Ali Wong) and Danny Cho (Steven Yeun) both spend a lot of energy taking shit from other people, so when the two strangers almost get into a car accident in the parking lot, something snaps in both of them. They're not letting this one go. Beef is a dark, dark comedy about an escalating series of acts of revenge. And as the characters try hard to mess with the other's life, they end up learning more about each other in the process. It's a provocative, daring social satire that's unlike anything else out there.
How to watch: Beef is streaming on Netflix.
26. XO, Kitty
Sometimes you just want to watch teens fall in love, and XO, Kitty — a spin-off of To All The Boys I've Loved Before — delivers in spades. Lana already has her match; now it's her younger sister Kitty's turn.
Tired of the inconvenience of a long-distance relationship with her boyfriend Dae (Minyoung Choi), Kitty (an exuberant Anna Cathcart) gets herself a year's scholarship to his boarding school in Korea. Here's hoping her perfectly planned romantic surprise goes exactly how she dreams it will, without any external complications whatsoever!!! With a boppy K-pop soundtrack, an endless series of juicy, if somewhat convoluted, plot twists, and a bright, cheerful vibe, XO, Kitty is the perfect kind of fun summer fluff.
How to watch: XO, Kitty is streaming on Netflix.
27. Shadow and Bone, Season 2
Season 2 of Shadow and Bone picks up right where the wildly popular first season left off: The Darkling (Ben Barnes in a dream-cast role) has just used Alina Starkov's mythical Sun Summoner powers to expand the Fold, a sea of darkness he uses to keep the nations divided. Alina (Jessie Mei Li) was able to escape his clutches with the help of her longtime love Mal (Archie Renaux), and now the pair is on the run. Are they finally safe from the Darkling's wicked machinations? Or do Alina's recurring nightmares herald an impending calamity? Based on Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse series, Shadow and Bone is an epic and soapy fantasy that's hard to stop watching once you start!
How to watch: Shadow and Bone is streaming on Netflix.
28. Freeridge
Gloria and Ines do not get along. The two sisters are on the verge of getting kicked out of school because they can't stop fist-fighting each other in the lunchroom. But when they find themselves in possession of an item that may or may not be cursed, they'll have to put aside their differences to avoid unleashing doom on their family. A spinoff of On My Block, Freeridge is a brash and fearless teen comedy from Lauren Iungerich (Awkward). The characters are loud and unapologetic, led by the fantastic Keyla Monterroso Mejia (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Abbott Elementary). If you don't like shows where the characters do a lot of bickering, then this one is not for you.
How to watch: Freeridge is streaming on Netflix.
29. Lockwood & Co.
Based on the popular YA fantasy novels of the same name by Jonathan Stroud, Lockwood & Co. is a moody, supernatural teen mysteries series. In an alternate history, dangerous ghosts started appearing sometime in the '80s, and only children can see them. That means in this dark and dangerous world, the best (and only) ghost hunters are teenagers. Enter Lucy Carlyle, Anthony Lockwood, and George Karim — three misfits struggling with past traumas who start their own ghost-hunting agency and end up stumbling into a few conspiracies along the way. This is a spooky, atmospheric, and addicting show that will keep you guessing — and also leaving the lights on at night!*
How to watch: Lockwood & Co. is streaming on Netflix.
30. Love is Blind, Season 4
What can we say? As far as dating reality shows go, this one has found a way to continue intriguing, several years in. Piling a bunch of desirables into individual "dating pods" and forcing them to have extensive and deeply intimate conversations with one another, sight unseen, remains hypnotic stuff — as do all of the reveals that come later once the couples-to-be are confronted with their choices. Even as the format has hardened into one we've become familiar with, after four full seasons and side-events like "After the Altar," there's something irresistibly voyeuristic in it that refuses to lose its juice. It's the sweetest spot for reality television.* — J.A.
How to watch: Love is Blind is now streaming on Netflix.
31. Copenhagen Cowboy
You're either all in or you're not when it comes to the slow-cinema hallucinations of Drive filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn at this point, after movies like Only God Forgives and his Prime Video series Too Old To Die Young have pushed his stylistic excesses to new extremes. Until David Lynch makes a new season of Twin Peaks, these six hours of neon Danish dreaming – about a young woman named Miu (newcomer Angela Bundalovic) who gives off good luck and finds herself enslaved for it – are the trippiest, ballsiest, most-cinematic minutes currently uploaded onto our TV screens.
My recommendation: Turn off all the lights, sink into your couch, and let Refn carry you off into this fresh, weird world of silent assassins and sex-worker tableaus and that old guy from Triangle of Sadness and so, so, so many pigs. There is absolutely nothing else like it out there.* — J.A.
How to watch: Copenhagen Cowboy is streaming on Netflix.
32. Ginny & Georgia, Season 2
Taylor Swift's least favorite show about a dysfunctional mother-daughter duo, Ginny & Georgia, is back for another insane season!!! Brianne Howey is Georgia, the magnetic and impulsive 30-year-old mother of teenage Ginny (Antonia Gentry), who is quiet and serious. (There's a younger brother too, but he's not in the title so we don't care about him.) It's like Gilmore Girls, if the Gilmore Girls writers swore a solemn vow to never reject a pitch, no matter how unreasonable. What starts as a soapy family drama quickly expands to include motorcycle gangs, identity theft, fraud, murder, and more! Anything is possible in Ginny & Georgia, and Season 2 is no exception. Beautiful, perfect nonsense. There's nothing like it.
How to watch: Ginny & Georgia is streaming on Netflix.
Topics Netflix Streaming Watch Guides
