Netflix is the world’s most popular video streaming service. It’s the first thing that comes to mind when you begin to wonder what to watch at night to just chill out. So that you do not spend hours searching for a worthy series among hundreds that can be found on Netflix, we’ve prepared a detailed guide to the projects that are most worthy of your attention.
Documentaries
Dogs (2019)
Stories about the relationships of people and dogs from around the world. It features stories about life, acceptance, loss, the impossibility of coexistence, and enormous love and devotion. A documentary capable of melting even the iciest of hearts.
Wild Wild Country (2018)
A documentary about the most mysterious person in the history of philosophy and culture – Osho (Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh). The miniseries tells about a town in a desert which the thinker founded for himself and his faithful followers. The series will be interesting to both Osho fans and generally anyone interested in philosophy.
Our Planet (2019)
The shooting lasted four years and took place in 50 countries of the world in a wide variety of locations – from icy deserts to impenetrable jungle, from the deepest trenches to the outskirts of Chernobyl. The series is about the ecosystem, extinction of animals, and other results of human activity. It also tells about the beauty of our planet that should definitely be preserved.
Inside Bill’s Brain: Decoding Bill Gates (2019)
This miniseries is about the life and work of Bill gates. In the series, one of the wealthiest people on the planet raises environmental issues, the problem of insanitary conditions, climate change, and many other topical issues.
Making a Murderer (2015)
A documentary with a hint of a detective about Steven Avery, who spent 18 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. You need to watch it to understand the American judicial system, as well as the fact that there are no ideal systems. Apart from that, you will understand that justice is a rather vague term.
Abstract: The Art of Design (2015 – 2019)
A documentary about world-famous illustrators and designers made by Scott Dadich, the former editor in chief of Wired. During his life, Scott managed to watch a million documentaries, and all of them, in his opinion, were damn boring. According to him, this series is different from everything you have ever seen about design. This cannot but intrigue.
The Innocent Man (2018)
This one is about murders, investigations, false and unfair sentences, and features of the judicial system. Those who were interested in watching Making a Murderer will like this series, too.
Comedies
Grace and Frankie (2015 – 2020)
You can start a new life at any age. The series tells about two women whose friendship is developing at a time when their husbands say that they love each other and that they are going to get married. The heroines have to face acceptance and forgiveness.
Derry Girls (2018)
The time to laugh has come. This series will tell you about a girl named Erin, who is a high school graduate. Her life is not only girlfriends and lessons but also police cars, British Army checkpoints, and tight control by security forces. All this is generously seasoned with 90s music like Cranberries and Nirvana, bomber jackets, Dr. Martens shoes, weird hairstyles, and old gadgets.
Love (2016 – 2018)
The old-age question is, “Can men and women really be just friends?” The series is generously seasoned with humor, romantic moments, and thoughts of the main characters.
Maniac (2018)
It’s a comedy with a touch of black humor. The lab of Dr. James K. Mantleray is looking for volunteers for a pharmaceutical trial conducted by Neberdine Pharmaceutical Biotech. Their drug supposedly can treat any physical and mental disorders. The main characters want to take this chance: Owen, who is diagnosed with schizophrenia, and Annie, who thinks that there’s no point in her life. As luck would have it, no one told the couple about possible side effects. No one told other people who wanted to try the miracle drug about side effects either, though.
Master of None (2015 – 2017)
Unsuccessful Indian actor Dev lives in New York, appears in commercials and dubious movies, and tries to earn a living. Unlike his serious peers who already have families, Dev is merely trying to have fun in the company of singles like him, who have few important things to do. There’s a high risk of seeing a lot of yourself in the childish protagonist (at least in some life moments).
The Kominsky Method (2018 – 2019)
Sandy Kominsky was a famous actor in the past. However, glory is not an eternal thing, and now the former star is forced to be an ordinary acting teacher in Hollywood. His friend is a former agent, and they manage to keep in touch for several decades. It’s a warm and charming series about a close relationship, loyalty, support, and the ability to hide true feelings under the guise of irony. It is also about how important it is not to lose heart in any, even the most difficult situations.
Girlboss (2017)
This series is inspired by the story of Sophia Amoruso, who, from a rebellious girl who despises career growth, has turned into one of the most influential women of our time. The evolution of a lazy young person with a bunch of problems (including those in personal life) is really fascinating to watch. One does not often see a person who, seemingly, without any purpose, finds the mind-boggling lifework that he/she completely immerses oneself into.
Disjointed (2017 – 2018)
After a successful marijuana legalization campaign, fierce hippie Ruth and her son are looking for good “cannabis consultants” for a shop specializing in medical marijuana that they want to open in Los Angeles.
The Good Placе (2016 – 2020)
The usual sales manager Eleanor Shellstrop has not managed to become a good person throughout her life. But fate gives her a peculiar second chance: after her death as a result of an accident, Eleanor winds up in another, much better world. The thing is that the girl got into this world by accident. Now, she has to adapt to new and unusual conditions and become the best version of herself – in general, to do everything that she could not do in ordinary life.
Science fiction
Stranger Things (2016 – present)
If you haven’t had time to watch this series yet, then now is the time. It is atmospheric, nostalgic, and will be interesting to everyone – from kids to senior citizens. In a small town in the 80s, very strange things happen: people disappear, including little Will Byers, a girl with superpowers, who “bad people” are looking for, appears, and monsters from the Other Side wander around.
Dark (2017 – present)
This German series that “suffers” from comparisons to Stranger Things makes a gloomy impression and draws you into its small world. One can really draw an analogy with Stranger Things: a child disappears, mystical things happen, almost every town inhabitant has many terrible secrets. At the same time, Dark is a much more viscous, slow, and complicated series – the time travel conspiracy alone is worth hell of a lot. To understand the intricacies of time in the series, you may have to carefully watch it more than once or even twice. This series will definitely not do as background noise.
Sense8 (2015 – 2017)
Eight stories of entirely different people from around the planet that establish an emotional and physical connection between each other. Each episode is dedicated to a separate character and what happened (or is happening) in his/her life. The characters will have to unite for salvation because the influential people of this world begin to hunt for them.
Lost in Space (2018 – 2019)
Because of the interstellar spacecraft accident, the Robinson family is landing on another planet located several light-years from their initial destination. Now, the family has to adapt to new conditions and try to survive.
The ОА (2016 – 2019)
After a seven-year absence, the main character returns home, where she is met by her desperate parents. No one knows what really happened, and the girl is in no hurry to tell where she was and how she was able to get rid of her blindness. The Russian mafia, scientists, sectarianism, psychic abilities – sometimes, it seems like the series tried to cover almost all the topics that concern humanity.
Travelers (2016 – 2018)
It’s a Canadian-American science-fiction series about time travel. The last people on Earth who were able to survive send their consciousness to the bodies of people of the 21st century. This is necessary in order to ultimately save humanity from a disaster that can lead to its death.
The Protector (2018)
It’s a series with a simple plot that is really addictive at the same time: charismatic and lively characters compensate for its naivety, which is also captivating in its own way. If you do not want to engage in complex analytics and delve into the intricacies of the plot, but just want to relax watching some quality content – bear this series in mind.
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (2016 – 2017)
Dirk Gently is firmly convinced that everything in this world is interconnected. He opens a detective agency and uses his own non-trivial approach to solve complicated cases.
Black Mirror (2015 – present)
The episodes of Black Mirror are not actually related to each other, but they tell about the lifestyle of modern people in modern society, about techno-paranoia, social networks, and other attributes of our time. The creators tried to demonstrate most of the shortcomings of the 21st century in a non-trivial way.
Dramas
13 Reasons Why (2017 – present)
This series, based on the book of the same name written by Jay Asher, is dedicated to children: their relationships, problems that seem insoluble, violence, and cruelty that lead to irreversible consequences. The story of the main character is actually a cry for help and a request not to be silent when you really have something to say. The series will be useful to watch for not only children but also their parents. It will help them find the courage to calmly talk with their kid and build trust in their relationship.
Dogs of Berlin (2018)
Two detectives take the case of investigating the murder of a player of the German football team. There are many suspects: mafia, neo-Nazi groups, and even the Turkish clan. The personal interests of the police, which sometimes hinder the investigation, intervene in the course of the case. The characters are ambiguous: there is no clear and ordinary division into “bad” and “good” ones because everyone has their own motivations. Everyone has their sins, too, of course. The series is exciting, so be careful – there is a chance to oversleep for work in the morning after watching the show late at night.
Jessica Jones (2015 – 2019)
Jessica Jones is a former superhero who had to return to life as a mere mortal person because of a tragedy. She is trying to start a new chapter in life and become a detective, but a person from her past changes all her plans.
The Rain (2018 – present)
For several years, the main characters are cut off from the world with a deadly rain. They are yet to find those who survived and find their loved ones. Most importantly, they need to understand how to live in a new empty world after it stopped raining.
The Crown (2016 – present)
This is a story of the British that rules in the middle of the twentieth century. All details are impeccable and carefully thought out: rooms, costumes, paintings, phrases, and other attributes of that time. Fans of The Game of Thrones will likely appreciate The Crown as well.
A Series of Unfortunate Events (2018 – 2019)
Three children are left without parents after a terrible fire and end up in the custody of Count Olaf. Their murderous relative wants to steal the inheritance of the orphans and even intends to kill them. Children try to get help from other adults, but classically, no one believes them, so they have to fight the odious count on their own.
Narcos (2015 – 2017)
In the first two seasons, the story of the most famous drug lord of all time and simply the ambiguous personality of Pablo Escobar is revealed. Being engaged in criminal activities and having become the biggest drug dealer, Escobar paid great attention to charity and tried his best to protect his children from drugs (although he tried almost all illegal drugs except heroin). The creators of the series tried to stylize Narcos as a documentary, adding chronicles and short videos, while maintaining the show’s artistry.
Riverdale (2018 – present)
We may risk and compare Riverdale with Twin Peaks, except that Riverdale is a series without mysticism and with its own unique atmosphere.
Bloodline (2015 – 2017)
The respectable Rayburn family has a small hotel on the coast. The eldest son Danny happens to be at the celebration of the 45th anniversary of the hotel as well, he is asked to stay and look after the building. But Danny cannot undertake responsibility and gets involved in the drug business, thus endangering his whole family.
Animated series
Hilda (2018)
This series is a joint production of Great Britain and Canada based on the comic book series of the same name by illustrator Luke Pearson. It tells a story about the adventures of the world’s bravest girl Hilda and her friends. You need to watch it if you want to spend the evenings in a cozy atmosphere.
Castlevania (2017)
One of the best video game adaptation to date. Yes, the basis of the series is the famous game Konami Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, released in 1989. Events are unfolding in the 15th century. The main character, a vampire hunter, needs to overcome a lot of obstacles in order to finally meet the most terrible bloodsucker – Count Dracula.
F is for Family (2015)
Comedy American-French-Canadian series, which, despite being animated, is still suitable for adults. The series is about an ordinary average family. Their problems might seem rather ridiculous from someone else’s perspective, but if you look closer, you can easily recognize the same troubles that concern you. If you like The Simpsons, Family Guy, and everything like that, the series is definitely for you.
Watership Down (2018)
The main characters are rabbits in search of a new shelter. The thing is that one of them had a dream about an imminent disaster. Rabbits need to leave their old place, go through many adventures, and at the same time, find a new cozy and almost perfect home.
Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia (2016 – 2018)
It’s an animated series specially created by Guillermo del Toro for the streaming service. In the story, a young man receives a magical amulet and the title of a troll hunter along with it. Now, the young man also has to protect the good trolls living in the underground under the human city. Everyone who loves fantasy and stories about the chosen ones (hello, childhood with Harry Potter) is invited to watch it.
Big Mouth (2017 – present)
“A cartoon not for kids” – this is how this one can be briefly described. It is about adolescents and all the “charms” of puberty: relationships with parents, sexual desire, self-pleasure, trust, and attempts to build personal boundaries. Here, you will find a lot of jokes about the areas below the belt, but there’s enough of the educational component as well.
BoJack Horseman (2014 – 2020)
BoJack Horseman is a star in the past, and now he is an alcoholic with a bad temper and a markedly neglectful attitude towards others. Hiding behind irony and anger, BoJack suffers from loneliness and mistakes he once made and, unfortunately, cannot recover. Fans of the old-school animated series Daria will like this one.
Love, Death & Robots (2019)
It’s an almanac series that contains of 18 episodes that last from 5 to 15 minutes, so you can watch the entire show in just one evening. Short stories created by different directors are not interconnected in terms of the plot, they’re simply short stories on various topics.
Dramedies
The End Of The F***ing World (2017 – 2019)
The British film adaptation of a graphic novel of the same name by Charles Forsman is a dark comedy-drama. Here, you can observe two teenagers who clearly have some psychological problems. They don’t like the ordinary world – they are writing their own story, violating all moral standards.
American Vandal (2018 – 2019)
It’s a pseudo-documentary series that mimics the format of journalistic investigations. Two schoolchildren are trying to find out if one bird-brained high school student actually drew indecent pictures on cars of all teachers or if someone framed him. Despite the simplicity of the plot, American Vandal captivates no worse than the stories about Sherlock Holmes.
Sex Education (2019 – 2020)
The British series about high school from Moordale. Teenage sexuality, sexual identity, sexual abstinence, masturbation, unplanned pregnancy, and other things that concern teenagers – all these have found a place in the show. By the way, it’s worth looking not only for teenagers but also for parents, in order to help them better understand their own children.
Dear White People (2017 – present)
The series is based on the 2014 movie Dear White People. It is about four college students who are forced to endure jokes and humiliation because of their skin color. Their detractors still have no clue that a moment of rebellion will inevitably come. The topics of racism and xenophobia, unfortunately, remain relevant, because these phenomena have not disappeared in our lives.
After Life (2019 – present)
When his beloved wife passed away, Tony also wanted to die. The only thing that stopped him was the thought that after his death, no one would take care of his dog. And Tony decides to live, but in a completely different way – to do whatever he wants and not pay attention to other people. Unfortunately, people around him are not enthusiastic about it at all. The leading role was played by the super-famous comedian Ricky Gervais.
Lilyhammer (2012 – 2014)
This American-Norwegian series is about an old age of the New York gangster Frank who, saving his own skin, testified in a trial against the new Mafia head. Under the witness protection program, Frank moves to the small town of Lillehammer in Norway, dreaming of a quiet life, cozy winters, and beautiful women. The reality that the former criminal falls into is completely different and does not live up to his expectations.
Russian Doll (2019 – present)
Groundhog Day in a modern way. On her birthday, Nadia is knocked down to death by a car. In some miraculous way, she comes to her senses and appears at her birthday party again. Nadia needs to understand how to get out of this vicious circle, and most importantly, how to stay alive.
Orange Is the New Black (2013 – 2019)
A series about the events in a women’s prison based on Piper Kerman’s autobiographical book. The main character must spend more than a year in prison because of her past mistakes. She has to say goodbye to her comfortable and prosperous life as well as find common ground with her fellow inmates and survive.
Everything Sucks!
Critics compared the series with Stranger Things, except that this one features no mysticism and focuses on the personal life of each character, their feelings, fears, and a desire to save their identities.
Easy (2016 – present)
The story (or rather, the stories) about eight friends in the bustling Chicago and their relationships, sex, masculinity, new technologies, and the city’s hustle and bustle. Spouses experiencing a marriage crisis, lesbians, brewers, writers, and female photographers – every character is different and, at the same time, interesting and catchy. And the topic of sex and related problems are covered perfectly in the show.
Political shows
1983 (2018)
The first Polish Netflix series that tells an alternative history of the country, where the devastating terroristic attack of 1983 helped preserve the socialistic system. In this reality, the Iron Curtain did not fall, and the USSR remained intact. The dystopian novel 1984, which appears in the list of banned literature, is also mentioned in the series.
House of Cards (2013 – 2018)
US presidential candidate promises promotion to ambitious congressman Frank if he helps him become president. The newly elected head of state did not keep his promise, and Frank plans to take revenge. The series was closed after six seasons due to a scandal with Kevin Spacey, who was one of the main characters.
Ingobernable (2017 – present)
First Lady of Mexico, Emilia Urquiza, is gradually getting disappointed in the actions of her husband, which seem worthless and ineffective. The woman begins making her own plans that could improve life in the state and is going to implement them as soon as possible.
Horrors
Ghoul (2018)
India of the future is suffering from a military regime whose goal is to fight terrorism. The authoritarian government is doing everything in its power to destroy religious fanatics and extremists. A newly recruited military officer who is fiercely loyal to the authoritarian regime hands her father over to the authorities for his “anti-government” activities. However, in the future, she will have to prove her loyalty to the regime more than once.
Kingdom (2019)
It’s not another “second-rate zombie series”: the characters are complex, the plot is perfectly structured, and it is surprisingly hard to get enough of it. You may watch it if you like Game of Thrones and love tickling your nerves.
Hemlock Grove (2013 – 2015)
Not the most innovative plot: the quiet life of a town ends after the murder of a high school student. Around the same time, a family of gypsies came to Hemlock Grove. One of its members quickly found common ground with one of the locals. Together, they are involved in the investigation of the crime.
The Haunting of Hill House (2018 – present)
This series is to be watched by those who are not tired of horror films with the concept of a “spooky house where paranormal things happen.”
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018 – present)
The story of the modern Sabrina is different from the 1996 series. The main character is just as young and in love, but her problems are much more serious: to remain a mere mortal or turn into a witch.
Superhero shows
The Umbrella Academy (2019 – present)
Superheroes came together to find out the details of the death of a loved one and save the world from evil. Superheroes are not perfect, just like in every similar series, because everyone has their own hears, desires, and problems. This is what makes the show even more fascinating.
Luke Cage (2016 – 2019)
The main character becomes the owner of a superpower after the prison experiment. He decides to escape from prison and lie low, but it is quite difficult to do because of his superpower.
Iron Fist (2017 – 2018)
The series is based on Marvel comics. The main character has to deal with the problems that have plagued him since his childhood.
Daredevil (2015 – 2018)
The series is about the double life if a superhero. During the day, the protagonist is a lawyer, and at night, he is a crime fighter.
The Punisher (2017 – 2019)
This series is based on Marvel comics and will tell you about the punisher who devoted his whole life to the fight against the mafia.
