Back in 2012, Netflix produced Lilyhammer, its first original series. And in just four short years, Netflix has become a powerhouse of original programming with enough new shows to actually challenge some of the cable networks.
There’s a reason why some networks are becoming reluctant to share its programs with Netflix. The streaming service has taken on a life of its own, and fans have adopted its binge model of curated television as opposed to watching episodes on a week-to-week basis. But if the day ever comes that Netflix has to rely entirely on its own shows and movies, it could have a substantial library of titles to fall back upon.
Take for example Marvel’s Daredevil, which is back for a second season of 13 episodes today. Netflix made a very substantial deal with Marvel TV for four original series, with Luke Cage and Iron Fist yet to premiere and a crossover miniseries called The Defenders. Outside of The CW, no other television network is making that much room for superhero content. Both Daredevil and Jessica Jones have been several cuts above network fare.
Netflix also has a lot to offer from several different genres of drama, comedy series, documentaries, and even animated originals. And there’s a lot more original programming on the way.
Our Picks for the 10 Best Netflix Original Series
ComingSoon.net has put together a list of the ten best Netflix original series… and we had to leave out a few really good shows to keep it at ten. Let us know what you consider the best Netflix original series in the comment section below!
Best Netflix Original Series: Bloodline
Bloodline is… shall we say… criminally underrated and overshadowed by Netflix’s other original dramas. But it’s a very well-produced drama series about a family with some very dark secrets and an impressive cast that includes Kyle Chandler, Ben Mendelsohn, Linda Cardellini, Sam Shepard, and Sissy Spacek. Bloodline was conceived by the creators of Damages, another under-appreciated drama series currently at home on Netflix. But unlike Damages, Bloodline has another season coming in the near future.
Best Netflix Original Series: Marvel’s Daredevil
When Marvel TV and Netflix made their deal, no one quite expected Marvel’s Daredevil to be such a hit with fans and critics that it would be almost instantly renewed for a second season. The original plan was for four different Marvel series of 13 episodes each before The Defenders team-up miniseries. Now, Daredevil is going to have at least 26 episodes.
But with the Punisher and Elektra debuting in Season 2, we’d say that the chances of Daredevil getting a third season are pretty high. And we wouldn’t bet against The Punisher and Elektra getting their own shows as well!
Best Netflix Original Series: Marvel’s Jessica Jones
Marvel’s Jessica Jones had a harder mountain to climb than Daredevil because the title character of this series wasn’t widely known outside of Marvel’s comic book readers. Jessica Jones was a considered to be a fairly recent addition to Marvel, even though she’s been around for 15 years! But the creative team of the Jessica Jones Netflix series managed to successfully introduce the character and her world in a psychological thriller that also had superhero elements. And never underestimate the value of a great villain like David Tennant’s Kilgrave!
Netflix has renewed Marvel’s Jessica Jones for a second season, but no one is quite sure when Marvel’s Jessica Jones season 2 release date will be announced.
Best Netflix Original Series: House of Cards
House of Cards was the gamechanger for Netflix. It outbid several major networks to pick up Kevin Spacey, David Fincher, and Beau Willimon’s remake of the British version of the series. House of Cards also put Netflix on the map at the Emmy Awards, and it’s currently the longest-running original series on Netflix at 52 episodes.
Spacey’s amoral President Frank Underwood is still one of the most compelling characters on any series. And compared to most of this year’s Presidential candidates, Underwood seems like an improvement! House of Cards has also been renewed for a fifth season.
Best Netflix Original Series: Marco Polo
Marco Polo was an unusually bold swing for Netflix, as it committed $90 million to its 10 episode first season. While Marco Polo has not been as critically beloved as some of Netflix’s other originals, this historical fiction series about the life of Marco Polo and his time in the court of Kublai Khan must have done well enough by Netflix standards to earn its upcoming second season. The acting may occasionally be spotty, but the first season was beautifully filmed.
Best Netflix Original Series: Master of None
Not even a year after his time on Parks and Recreation came to an end, Aziz Ansari had his Louis CK moment with Master of None, a series he co-created and stars in for Netflix. Ansari portrays a commercial actor in New York who attempts to navigate his way to success and through the ups and downs of a relationship with no easy solutions.
Despite ending in a way that could have wrapped up the series, Master of None will be back for a second season next year.
Best Netflix Original Series: Narcos
Shortly after his very memorable stint on HBO’s Game of Thrones, Pedro Pascal was quickly signed to star in Narcos as one of the DEA agents charged with bringing down drug lord Pablo Escobar during the ‘80s.
Narcos‘ first season moved at a very fast and intense pace and chronicled most of Escobar’s story. However, the series has not yet reached his ultimate downfall. The Narcos creative team may have taken some liberties with the historical record, but it’s uncannily watchable. A second season is coming later this year.
Best Netflix Original Series: Orange Is the New Black
Netflix may not release its numbers, but there’s solid evidence that Orange Is the New Black is its most popular show. Netflix has already renewed “Orange” through its seventh season, which could make it the longest-running Netflix original series. Weeds creator Jenji Kohan brought this series to life with a predominantly female cast including Taylor Schilling, Laura Prepon, Kate Mulgrew, Danielle Brooks, and Natasha Lyonne while exploring life inside a women’s prison. This is one of the few shows that can get away with being both a comedy and a drama, and it’s taken on a life of its own.
Best Netflix Original Series: Sense8
Sense8 feels like a series that could only have happened on Netflix. This collaboration between the Wachowskis and J. Michael Straczynski is one of the few sci-fi shows to actively delve into gender identity, sexuality, and other frequently taboo topics. The premise of Sense8 is that eight strangers from all over the world find themselves mentally linked to each other. And to add a level of authenticity to the series, Sense8 was actually filmed in several cities in different countries!
Production of Sense8 season 2 is already underway, with filming expected to occur in sixteen cities across the globe.
Best Netflix Original Series: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
If Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt had premiered on NBC as originally planned, it would have died a fast and horrible death. But on Netflix, Ellie Kemper is suddenly a star-in-the-making as Kimmy and the series already has devoted fanbase. It’s easy to see why. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is weird, strange, and really hilarious.
The basic premise is that Kimmy was trapped in a cult for years, and she refused to let that get in the way of her starting a new life… even if she had no idea how to do that. Kemper gets a lot of mileage out of Kimmy’s reactions to the modern world and it’s still funny. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Season 2 is coming soon, and a third season has already been ordered.
Don’t forget to tell us which of the best Netflix original series makes your top 10 list in the comment section below!
Netflix Original Series
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Lilyhammer
To get the most out of your Netflix experience, ComingSoon.net is running down all 51 scripted series that are currently online. And there are a lot more than 50 new original shows on the way!
First up is the one that started it all: Lilyhammer, a crime drama and comedy about Frank "The Fixer" Tagliano (Steven Van Zandt),a former gangster in witness protection who was relocated to Lillehammer, Norway. It ran for three seasons.
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House of Cards
House of Cards was the series that made Netflix a major player in the original programming market. Netflix signed a deal with Kevin Spacey and David Fincher for two seasons up front, which was reportedly worth more than $100 million.
The series follows Spacey's Frank Underwood as he slowly rises to the highest office in America while ruthlessly dispatching his enemies. House of Cards will be back for season 5 next year.
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Hemlock Grove
Although Hemlock Grove didn't enjoy the critical response of House of Cards, it had a three-season run on Netflix.
This was a horror series based on the novel by Brian McGreevy, which dealt with the cruel and unusual monsters that inhabited the town of Hemlock Grove.
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Arrested Development
One of Netflix's biggest coups was the revival of Arrested Development over a decade after it was cancelled by Fox.
The entire cast returned to resume the comedic story of the Bluth family, but most of the characters were separated because of conflicting cast schedules. There may eventually be a fifth season, but it hasn't happened yet.
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Orange Is the New Black
Orange Is the New Black was a game-changer for Netflix, and the first original series to be renewed through seven seasons.
Although initially focused on one woman's darkly comic stint in prison, the sprawling ensemble cast has taken on a life of its own.
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BoJack Horseman
BoJack Horseman was one of the biggest surprises to come out of Netflix. This animated series stars Will Arnett as the title character, a washed-up star in a darkly comic look at Hollywood and show business.
Of course, it helps to have a supporting cast like Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins, and Aaron Paul. Season 3 is coming this summer.
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The Killing
For a show named The Killing, this one seemed to be immune from death. It survived multiple cancellations from AMC before Netflix picked up the series for a short six-episode season to wrap it up.
For the fourth season, Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder were forced to cover up a murder to protect themselves, as it wore away at their partnership.
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Trailer Park Boys
Trailer Park Boys is a Canadian comedy series that spoofed reality shows while chronicling the residents of a trailer park in Canada. After it ran its course on Showcase, Netflix picked it up for an additional four seasons.
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Marco Polo
Marco Polo is one of the bigger gambles in Netflix's history. It's a big budget period series that follows the famous titular explorer during his time in the court of Kublai Khan.
The second season of Marco Polo is coming in July.
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Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was rescued from inevitable cancellation by NBC even before it aired. Netflix gave it a two-season commitment, and it has become one of its signature hits.
The title character is played by Ellie Kemper as a young woman who attempts to reinvent herself after spending years in a cult. A third season has already been ordered.
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Bloodline
Netflix commissioned the creators of Damages to unleash Bloodline, a dark and twisty show about a family with a lot of secrets. Season 2 debuted last month.
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Daredevil
Daredevil was the first of four planned Marvel live-action shows for Netflix... but now that The Punisher is coming, that's five and counting.
This series quickly became the best superhero drama on TV simply by staying true to the spirit of the source material and going dark when needed.
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Between
Between is a Netflix original that's been overlooked. It's a sci-fi teen drama set in a town where a mysterious illness has wiped out the adult population. Anyone over 21 is dead, and the government isn't letting anyone out.
Season 2 will premiere at the end of June.
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Grace and Frankie
It says a lot about the status of Netflix, that Grace and Frankie attracted Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin for the title roles. They play women who have to deal with the fact that their husbands are gay and in love with each other.
The series has already been renewed for a third season.
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Sense8
The creators of The Matrix and Babylon 5 teamed up for Sense8, which follows eight strangers from around the world who have a shared consciousness between them.
Season 2 is currently in production, and there may be a Christmas special this year.
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Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp
Somehow, almost the entire cast from the cult comedy Wet Hot American Summer came back a decade later for a "prequel" series on Netflix.
Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp must have done well, since there's now a sequel series on the way.
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Club de Cuervos
Club de Cuervos is a Spanish-language comedy/drama about a family's power struggle for control of the football (soccer) team Cuervos FC, after the father and primary owner dies.
Like many other shows on this list, it has been renewed.
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Narcos
Narcos is a fictionalized account of the life of drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, and the American agents assigned to bring him down. Season 2 will premiere in September.
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Longmire
Despite excellent ratings and a preexisting fanbase for the novels, A&E cancelled Longmire after three seasons.
Netflix happily picked up the older skewing crime drama for a fourth season, and now a fifth season is also coming.
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Master of None
Shortly after Parks and Recreation ended, Aziz Ansari co-created, co-wrote, and starred in Master of None, an unexpectedly bold comedy about a struggling actor and his attempts to find love.
Stop me if you've heard this before, but a second season is on the way.
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W/ Bob & David
Former Mr. Show co-stars Bob Odenkirk and David Cross reunited for a new sketch comedy show on Netflix called W/ Bob & David. It was filmed around Odenkirk's Better Call Saul schedule.
This series may return, but there's no definitive word yet.
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Jessica Jones
Marvel's second live-action Netflix series introduced fans to Jessica Jones, a hard drinking and emotionally-damaged heroine played by Krysten Ritter.
It was another home run for Marvel TV, and Jessica Jones will be back for another season.
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F is for Family
F is for Family is Netflix's second animated sitcom, which was co-created by comedian Bill Burr. In the series, Burr provides the voice of Frank, the head of a very, very dysfunctional family.
This series has been renewed for a second season.
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Love
Judd Apatow and Paul Rust co-created Love, a relatively new comedy series starring Rust and Gillian Jacobs as a pair of dysfunctional friends turned romantic interests. Season 2 is already on the way.
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Fuller House
Is Fuller House really more popular than The Walking Dead? Some unofficial numbers from outside of Netflix have suggested that this very conventional follow up to Full House has a bigger audience than almost any show on TV.
Of course, Netflix doesn't actually release its numbers, so there's no way to independently verify that. But if it lasts for several seasons, that may provide an answer. Season 2 has already been confirmed.
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Flaked
With Flaked, Netflix now has three Will Arnett series, following Arrested Development and BoJack Horseman. Flaked puts Arnett in the role of a self-help guru/fraud named Gus, who can barely keep his own lies straight.
Surprisingly, there is currently no indication that Flaked will get another season.
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Netflix Presents: The Characters
Netflix Presents: The Characters is one of the more unique shows on Netflix. Eight comedians -- Lauren Lapkus, Kate Berlant, Dr Brown, Paul W. Downs, John Early, Tim Robinson, Natasha Rothwell, and Henry Zebrowski -- were tasked with writing and starring in their own half-hour show. So, this is like eight different shows in one.
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The Ranch
The Ranch may be the most conventional comedy series that Netflix has done to date... although the occasional F-bomb is still something you won't hear on CBS.
This show has an impressive cast including Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Debra Winger, Sam Elliott, and Elisha Cuthbert...but it has less than stellar reviews. That said, it has also been renewed for a second season.
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Marseille
Marseille is a pretty big departure for Netflix. It's a French language political drama starring Gérard Depardieu as the mayor of Marseille, who suddenly finds himself having to defend his position against his former protégé. A second season is on the way.
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Lady Dynamite
Lady Dynamite is a very surreal comedy starring comedian Maria Bamford as a fictionalized version of herself who attempts to deal with her bi-polar condition and rebuild her life and career.
It's not a show for everyone, and it's not clear yet if Lady Dynamite will get another season.
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Hibana (Spark)
Hibana (Spark) is a Japanese drama based on a novel by Naoki Matayoshi, which is extremely popular in Japan. The show follows a comedian named Tokunaga.
Some of the humor may be lost in translation, but we wouldn't be shocked to see more of this series.
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Turbo FAST
Now we're moving on to the animated series and programs geared towards younger viewers. First up is Turbo FAST, an animated series spinning out of the DreamWorks Animation film Turbo.
You're gonna notice a lot of DreamWorks animated series on Netflix. It's not a coincidence. The companies signed a multi-year deal, which is still playing out.
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Star Wars: The Clone Wars
One of the unfortunate consequences of Disney buying Lucasfilm meant that Star Wars: The Clone Wars was pulled from Cartoon Network before it came to a natural end.
The previously unaired episodes from the sixth season made their debut as a Netflix exclusive. But the entire series is here, and this is the show that made Star Wars cool again.
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VeggieTales in the House
VeggieTales in the House is an animated series geared towards very young kids that places anthropomorphic vegetables as leading characters in stories that teach moral lessons.
It's run for three seasons on Netflix.
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All Hail King Julien
All Hail King Julien is a prequel series to the Madagascar films from DreamWorks centering on King Julien, the unconventional ruler of the lemurs. Critics love this show, and it's one of the most popular DreamWorks' animated series.
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The Adventures of Puss in Boots
There is no Shrek: The Animated Series, but Puss in Boots has his own show on Netflix. The Adventures of Puss in Boots has been very well received, and there are at least 52 more episodes of the series yet to come... which will be released over the next few seasons.
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Richie Rich
DreamWorks also produced the new live-action adaptation of Richie Rich, the youngest 1%er ever.
For this incarnation, Richie is a little more environmentally conscious, and he made his trillions (yes, trillions) by turning vegetables into an energy source.
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DreamWorks Dragons
DreamWorks Dragons is a continuation of the How to Train Your Dragon franchise that premiered on Cartoon Network for two seasons before moving to Netflix. It also happens to be one of the best DreamWorks shows on Netflix.
The fourth season will debut near the end of June.
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Project MC2
Project Mc2 is a live-action comedy / educational series that puts a spotlight on "a highly-secretive group of female operatives that are trying to protect the world."
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Dinotrux
Dinotrux is kind of like Transformers for very young children. The heroic dinosaurs are mashed up with construction vehicles, and they even fight evil mechanical dinosaurs called D-Structs.
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The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show
Unlike the DreamWorks feature film, The Mr. Peabody and Sherman Show has a more conventional 2-D style, as the title characters attempt to host a time-travel comedy and variety show.
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Popples
If there is anything that is so cute that it's almost grotesque, it would be the Popples. This show is based on a popular toyline, but it looks like the stuff of nightmares to us.
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Care Bears & Cousins
The Care Bears and their cousins are definitely meant for the youngest of viewers. They share and they care, and that's pretty much what they're all about.
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Atelier
It's pretty odd to follow up on Care Bears & Cousins with Atelier, a Japanese teenage drama whose title loosely translates to "Underwear." But this is chronologically the show that debuted after it!
This show is about a group of teenagers working in "a lingerie design house," but it's about as inoffensive as teen dramas get. If it was any less threatening, it would be a Disney show!
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Dawn of the Croods
Another DreamWorks show, this time based on The Croods. Dawn of the Croods uses traditional 2-D animation for this prequel series that follows the adventures of the titular family in prehistoric times.
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Degrassi: Next Class
Degrassi is a long-running Canadian teen drama franchise that is currently on its fifth incarnation with Degrassi: Next Class. Netflix is the official U.S. home for this series, and it has already been renewed through season 4.
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LEGO Bionicle: The Journey to One
The new era of LEGO Bionicle debuted earlier this year. LEGO Bionicle: The Journey to One follows "the Toa, part-organic, part-machine heroic beings with power over the elements in their quest of safeguarding their island home of Okoto and protecting its inhabitants from the evils of Makuta, the main antagonist."
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LEGO Friends: The Power of Friendship
LEGO Friends is a LEGO brand specifically meant for young girls. The first episodes of the LEGO Friends: The Power of Friendship animated series debuted earlier this year.
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Lost & Found Music Studios
Lost & Found Music Studios is a light teen drama that comes from Canada. It follows a group of young musicians who participate in an elite music program as "they explore and discover their musical identities."
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Kong: King of the Apes
Kong: King of the Apes is a very strange take on King Kong. Basically, it takes place in the future, where Kong has been framed by an evil genius for crimes he didn't commit. So, the big ape teams up with three kids to stop the nefarious schemes of the man who framed him.
Also, Kong gets to fight robot dinosaurs, so there is that.
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Voltron: Legendary Defender
The classic '80s animated series, Voltron has been completely reimagined by the creative team behind Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.
So far, the critical response to Voltron: Legendary Defender has been good, but there's no word yet about a renewal.
