Netflix is home to some of the best TV shows of all time, but it can’t be said that all of them don’t have bad episodes – however, many other Netflix shows can brag about all their episodes being great. Although it has both licensed and original content, Netflix has stood out for its variety in the latter.
With its original TV shows, Netflix has explored different genres – from sci-fi with Stranger Things to drama with Ginny & Georgia –, and while it has many hits, not all of its projects have succeeded. Even among the most successful Netflix shows, not all of them were safe from bad episodes, but there are some “perfect” TV shows in that regard in Netflix’s catalog.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Netflix has an interesting variety of animated TV shows, with some of its best and most popular being BoJack Horseman and Big Mouth, but there are also some hidden gems like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. Based on CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 video game, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is set a year before the game’s events.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is set in Night City, a dystopian metropolis overrun by crime, corruption, and cybernetic implants. The show follows David Martinez (KENN and Zach Aguilar), who, after losing everything, decides to live on the wrong side of the law as an “edgerunner”, a high-tech, black-market mercenary.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is only one season long, with just 10 episodes, all of them a perfect combination of action, fantasy, and compelling characters. In the summer of 2025, a stand-alone sequel series was announced, but at the time of writing, it doesn’t have a projected release date.
Vikings: Valhalla
Vikings: Valhalla is the sequel series to Vikings, but it doesn’t follow any of the characters from the main series. Instead, Vikings: Valhalla is set more than 100 years after the events of Vikings, thus following new characters. With the conflict between Christians and pagans as a backdrop, Vikings: Valhalla focuses on Leif Erikson (Sam Corlett), Freydís Eiríksdóttir (Frida Gustavson), and Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter).
The events of Vikings: Valhalla kick off with the St. Brice’s Day massacre, through which the show also introduces King Canute (Bradley Freegard) and Queen Emma (Laura Berlin). Although Vikings: Valhalla takes many creative liberties and isn’t entirely historically accurate, the interconnected stories of the characters make an engaging show that gets better with every episode.
The Midnight Gospel
Speaking of hidden animated gems on Netflix, The Midnight Gospel is one of them. This adult animated series was created by Pendleton Ward and Duncan Trussell, with concepts and dialogue taken from the latter’s podcast, The Duncan Trussell Family Hour. The Midnight Gospel takes viewers to the Chromatic Ribbon to meet spacecaster Clancy Gilroy.
Clancy owns an unlicensed multiverse simulator, through which he travels to other, bizarre worlds on the brink of disaster. There, he interviews some of the residents, discussing topics like love, death, magic, spiritualism, existentialism, and more. The Midnight Gospel was a critical success, but it only stayed for one season.
The Midnight Gospel stands out for its animation, themes, and depth, with every episode being an immersive experience and a visual delight. With each episode covering a different topic, there are no bad episodes in The Midnight Gospel.
The Queen’s Gambit
One of the best miniseries on Netflix is The Queen’s Gambit, and it can also brag about not having any bad episodes. Based on Walter Tevis’ 1983 novel of the same name, The Queen’s Gambit tells the story of Elizabeth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy), an orphan chess prodigy on a quest to become an elite chess player.
However, Elizabeth struggles with her mental health and substance-use disorder, which could get in the way of her road to success. The Queen’s Gambit is one of Netflix’s best TV shows ever, thanks to its production value, powerful performances, storytelling, and character development.
Baby Reindeer
Another entry on the list of best Netflix miniseries, and one that caused controversy, is Baby Reindeer. Created by Richard Gadd and adapted from his autobiographical one-man show, Baby Reindeer follows Donny Dunn (Gadd), an aspiring comedian working as a bartender at a pub in London. One night, he sees Martha (Jessica Gunning), a distraught customer, and gives her a free cup of tea.
What Donny isn’t counting on is this being the beginning of a nightmare, as Martha quickly develops an unhealthy attachment to him. Martha begins to stalk Donny in person and online, deeply affecting Donny’s personal and professional lives, while also forcing him to confront his traumatic past. Baby Reindeer isn’t an easy watch, but it’s one of Netflix’s best shows.
Adolescence
Speaking of Netflix’s best miniseries, Adolescence is another one of the streamer’s biggest hits. Created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, Adolescence takes the audience to a small town in England to meet the Miller family: father Eddie (Stephen Graham), mother Manda (Christine Tremarco), daughter Lisa (Amélie Pease), and 13-year-old son Jamie (Owen Cooper).
Their lives take a turn when Jamie’s classmate, Katie, is found murdered, and Jamie becomes the prime suspect. Adolescence is only four episodes long, but every episode is a masterpiece both visually and narratively. Surely, Adolescence isn’t an easy watch either due to the themes addressed in it, but it’s one of Netflix’s highest-quality works.
Squid Game
Some Netflix TV shows have become big cultural sensations, and one of them is Squid Game. Created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, Squid Game follows Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), a divorced father in deep debt as he’s also a gambling addict. Gi-hun is invited to take part in a series of children’s games to win a large cash prize, and he accepts.
However, the games are a deadly trap, as those who lose are killed, and their deaths contribute to the grand prize. Squid Game is suspenseful, terrifying, and emotionally heavy, with excellent performances, well-written stories, character development, and timely social commentary that made it one of Netflix’s finest works.
Dark
Dark is one of Netflix’s best and most complex TV shows of all time. Created by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese, Dark is set in the German town of Winden. The events of the series kick off with the disappearance of a young boy, triggering an intense search that seems to lead nowhere – however, some people close to the boy make a shocking discovery.
Dark brilliantly uses time travel, and unlike many shows (and movies) that use it, Dark avoids most timeline and narrative issues it can create. Every episode of Dark is part of a bigger story and is a piece in its complex timeline, and it all makes sense at the end.
The Haunting of Hill House
Netflix is home to Mike Flanagan’s best horror TV shows, and his masterpiece so far is The Haunting of Hill House. Loosely based on Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel of the same name, The Haunting of Hill House follows the Crain family: father Hugh, mother Olivia, and children Steven, Shirley, Theo, Luke, and Nell.
The Crains move into Hill House to renovate it and sell it, but unexpected repairs keep them there longer than planned. However, they begin to experience increasing paranormal phenomena, culminating in a tragic event. Years later, when another tragedy hits the family, the surviving Crains are forced to confront their past at the mansion.
The Haunting of Hill House goes back and forth between the present and the past, gradually revealing to the audience the secrets of Hill House, those of the Crains, and what really happened at the mansion. The Haunting of Hill House doesn’t rely on jumpscares, and leans more towards psychological horror.
Mindhunter
One of Netflix’s best TV shows ever, and one that deserved a lot better, is Mindhunter. Based on John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker’s 1995 true-crime book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit, the series introduces the audience to FBI agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany).
Along with psychologist Wendy Carr (Anna Torv), they operate the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit and launch a research project. This consists of interviewing imprisoned serial killers to understand their psychology and, hopefully, applying this knowledge to solve other cases. Thanks to this, the team interviews infamous killers such as Ed Kemper and Charles Manson.