The 20 best shows on Netflix to binge watch in 2021!
It has been almost 15 years already that Netflix became a streaming platform, and since 2013 it has been putting out some amazing original shows you can watch on any of the best websites to watch movies and TV shows.
Currently, a lot of its catalog has been taken over by these original productions, which to their credit are indeed mostly great. You can also find some of the classics that will never die out (Friends, anyone?), but since there are just so many different options it can be somewhat hard to find what to binge-watch next.
There’s no definite answer as to what are the best shows on Netflix (many of which you can even watch on the best IPTV options) since each person has their own particular tastes. To make an approximation, we have selected some series that have received wide critic and public acclaim, as well as some of our personal tastes.
It is worth noting that this list does not follow any particular order, either ratings or preferences. So, just read more down below to learn which ones are the best alternatives for you to binge-watch next.
Tip: if you want to do something else than watching TV shows, it may be worth checking out which ones are the best free music download websites, the most popular artists on Spotify, and learn how to listen to music offline for free!
1. Cobra Kai
Cobra Kai is a show that gives continuity to one of the most famous movie franchises in the 1980s: Karate Kid. It is set 34 years after the events in the first movie, and it shows what happened in the future of the iconic Daniel-san and his rival, Johnny Laurance.
While this show could be simply a generic continuation, it brings an interesting twist: in Cobra Kai, the main character is not Daniel LaRusso, the hero in the movies. In fact, Cobra Kai talks about Johnny Laurence, adopting his perspectives about what happened in the 1984 movie.
In the show, the villain from back then decides to reopen the old dojo where he trained to teach karate to a new generation of young people. That’s where the show stands out, but mixing references of the boomers with the reality of young people. Everything, of course, accompanied by a lot of fighting!
Cobra Kai has three seasons, with a fourth set to be released this year. Tip: how about marathoning the movie trilogy Karate Kid before you get started? This way, you’ll be with all the references at the tip of your tongue when you start watching one of the best shows on Netflix in 2021!
2. Lupin
A show of French origin, Lupin talks about the life of the burglar Assane Diop, who draws inspiration from the legendary Arsène Lupin to do his work. In the show, the character looks for revenge against a rich family who has unfairly accused his father of a crime he didn’t commit.
Since it is such a recent release, Lupin has only one season, and it is quite simple to binge watch and finish quickly.
3. The Queen’s Gambit
A miniseries with only seven episodes, the show draws inspiration from the homonymous book by Walter Tevis. The plot follows the young Beth Harmon, who loses her mother and is sent to an orphanage. There, she learns chess and is revealed to be a prodigy at the game.
At the same time, she develops a drug and alcohol addiction, which proves to be a hindrance in her journey. In the show, we follow this young woman through her entire life, until her adulthood, where she struggles with addiction while she keeps ranking up in chess and winning against the best adversaries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDrieqwSdgI
4. Bridgerton
Just like is The Queen’s Gambit case, Bridgerton is based upon a book. In this case, it’s a book series by the author Julia Quinn. The series is certainly one of the best shows on Netflix, and it is set in the British high society in the 19h century.
It tells the story of eight brothers who are in search of love and happiness in a society where traditional customs still are hard at work. Particularly in the upper crusts of society!
5. Emily in Paris
A romantic comedy show, Emily in Paris shows the adventures of a young American girl who finds the job that lets her live out her dream of living in the French capital. The problem: she didn’t bother to learn how to speak French.
As such, she’ll go through some unexpected situations and even difficulty when it comes to living and adapting herself to the local culture without the help of her family members and her close friends. The show has only one season, and it is a light and easy to follow show.
6. High Score
By far one of the best shows on Netflix, and definitely one of the best Netflix documentaries, High Score tells some of the most important stories about the gaming industry, starting at the golden age of the arcades until the current gaming environment we have, in six episodes.
In a simple, educational, and fun manner, the show talks about some of the biggest names of the market, such as Super Mario’s creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, and Atari’s founder, Nolan Bushnell. Via these stories, the show seeks to tell how games became a billionaire market moved by the passion of its creators.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4jopG1wX88
7. 3%
A Brazilian fiction show, 3% is amazingly well-received both in its origin country and in the rest of the world. It’s set in a futuristic, yet dystopic, society. Split in two territories, the Offshore is highly technologically evolved, while the Inland is populated by the poorest of the poor who are always lacking resources.
Every year, the young people who turn 20 have the opportunity of going through a rigorous selective process to go from the Inland to the Offshore. Only 3% manage to beat the Process. The show follows a group of these people, their motivations, and the secrets behind this meritocratic society.
3% has four seasons, and its story ended in 2020.
8. The Haunting of Bly Manor
A continuation of the plot started in The Haunting of Hill House, this show tells the misfortunes of a cleaning lady who has just arrived at the manor of the Bly family. With the goal of taking care of the newly-arrived twins, nephew and niece to the owner, she will see some of the hauntings that happen there.
Even though it is considered to be a continuation to The Haunting of Hill Hause, The Haunting of Bly Manor is an independent, unconnected, story. On the other hand, it is a part of an anthologic show, which might present some event that connects everything in the end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tykS7QfTWMQ
9. Sex Education
At first sight, Sex Education sort of looks like an American Pie of nowadays. This show, however, goes much further than the fifth grade jokes that the movies are known for. The show follows the highschool life of a teenager who, unlike his classmates, is not interested in sex.
The reason: his mother is a sex therapist and she can’t wait to talk to him about it! On the other hand, he ends up counseling his classmates with the knowledge he acquires – even though unwillingly – by listening to his mother’s sessions.
10. Dark Desire
A married woman suspects that her husband is cheating on her. So, she decides to spend a weekend away with a friend, but she ends up falling in love. However, what seems to be an extramarital adventure might have some dark undertones, when a crime involving her family happens.
This makes the protagonist start to question herself about the truth of the situations she went through, even with her closest of friends. With a second season already confirmed, its first season has 18 episodes and it easily is one of the best shows on Netflix
11. Good Morning, Verônica
A Brazilian police show, Good Morning, Verônica tells the story of a cop in the administrative area who witnesses the suicide of a young woman and then receives a distraught phone call from a woman asking for help.
Going much beyond her job description of a São Paulo police clerk, she takes upon herself to investigate the crimes. What seems to be two different tragic cases will reveal a huge corruption scheme, protected by a terrible secret. Good Morning, Verônica has only one season so far, but it has a second confirmed season.
12. Black Lightning
Going to the DC side of the Force. Black Lightning brings the veteran hero from the Superman universe. A successful principal in a public school, the hero who chose to retire his cape and live as a regular person will need to don it once again to rescue his daughters from a kidnapper.
Of course, the brief return to activity by the hero doesn’t end there. And to make matters worse, how can he be a hero without putting his family in danger?
13. Star Trek: Discovery
Those who were missing a science fiction show must have their wishes sated with Start Trek: Discovery. Other than being a part of one of the most popular franchises ever, Star Trek: Discovery can also easily be considered to be one of the best shows on Netflix!
That’s due to the adventures of the spaceship and the new cast of characters has been well-received by the fans. Showing events that happened 10 years before the original show, Discovery brings back what made the original franchise so popular: space exploration and contact with new planets and civilizations.
14. Money Heist
Another one of the best shows on Netflix that are on the mind of its audience and that has gone viral is Money Heist. The Spanish show follows the story of the mysterious The Professor who recruits eight thieves with distinctive skills to take part in the biggest heist of the century: to invade the Spanish mint and print 2 billion euro!
Each of the characters uses a world capital as a codename, including a Rio, and the first season is set in the days where the characters are stuck in the Mint with over 60 hostages. Will the mission succeed?
15. The Crown
If heists are not your thing and you prefer shows full of intrigue and conspiracy, The Crown might be a better fit. Following the crowning of the young Queen Elizabeth II, the show follows the life of the longest-standing Queen of England, showing the biggest events since 1947, when she married, to this day.
16. Titans
DC doesn’t leave Marvel alone and it is Netflix subscribers who get to enjoy the rivalry between the two, fighting to have the best hero shows on Netflix. Titans is the most recent show competing with Marvel productions. The show follows the Young Titans, and for the first time, they are portrayed in a live-action.
Robin, Beast Boy, Starfire, and Raven are all in the first season – and the second is underway -, and the episodes show the origins of each one of them, uniting the team. Even though the characters are young, Titans is full of swearing and violence, looking much more adult than the cartoons.
17. The Umbrella Academy
Another show that draws inspiration from a homonymous comic book, The Umbrella Academy portrays a group of orphaned superpowered siblings who reunite where they were raised. They reunited because their abusive father, who adopted and trained them to become heroes whether they liked it or not, died.
However, at this reunion, they end up discovering an imminent threat to humanity, and they unveil secrets that were kept for many years. The Umbrella Academy has two seasons so far, and it is one of the best shows to binge-watch that are on Netflix!
18. Better Call Saul
A spin-off of the highly-successful show Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul shows the story of the lawyer James Morgan McGill many years before he became known as Saul Goodman. In this show, you’ll get to know his entire life path and the events that made him become the character we know from the main show.
Even though it’s a spin-off, Better Call Saul was highly acclaimed by the public and critics alike, and it is a great way to get to know more about the universe of Breaking Bad.
It’s also worth mentioning that the world of Breaking Bad is also talked about in the movie El Camino, which is set after the events that happened in Breaking Bad, and the movie is one of the best movies on Netflix!
19. Good Girls
A comedy show with quite a bit of drama, Good Girls tells the story of a group of three suburban mothers with financial hardships. Tired of going through so much, they plan and rob a supermarket.
However, one of them gets recognized and discovers that the supermarket was merely a front for money laundering. Surprisingly, they manage not to be executed and become a part of a criminal scheme with no experience at it! Good Girls is currently in its third season, and it is one of the best shows on Netflix nowadays.
20. Space Force
If you’re a The Office fan, you’ve most likely heard about Space Force. Created by one of the people responsible by The Office, along with Steve Carrell, Space Force tells the tale of an aeronautic general who got promoted to commander of the new American military space force.
Just like in The Office, the incompetence and the disconnected from reality way of the general portrayed by Carrell make us question how he reached such a high patent. The satire, however, flirts with real life and makes us understand that incompetent people can, actually, get to high ranking positions.
Other than Steve Carrell, some renowned comedians also take part, such as Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe from Friends), and Fred Willard, who passed shortly after the show was released. Released in May 2020, Space Force is set to return in its second season still in 2021!
Which ones are the best shows on Netflix in your opinion?
Let us know in the comments which ones are your favorites and if you agree or disagree with our list. Don’t forget to also check out the video websites like YouTube, the apps to watch anime, and the live TV apps for Android!
