The 20 highest rated series on Netflix

The series offering on Netflix is abundant; there is something for every viewer that matches their taste. Whether you are a fan of horror, science fiction, or just a huge lover of Peaky Blinders, Breaking Bad, or various Netflix Originals; Netflix Netherlands has it all in store for you. This doesn't make it any easier to make a viewing choice. To help you with that, we have listed the highest-rated best series on Netflix.

The figures are based on the IMDb rating, where we drew the line at anything above 8.5 points. However, there are many more good Netflix movies and series. Think of all the content that appears new on Netflix every month.

Best Netflix Series 2023

Breaking Bad (2008-2013) ☆ 9.5
Breaking Bad is the most highly rated and the oldest addition to this list. In the series, we see how high school teacher Walter White produces meth to pay his typical American hospital bills. To make drug production succeed, he forces an old student of his to cooperate. This leads to all sorts of consequences: money laundering, drug lords, lies, and murders are all part of Breaking Bad. The series was praised with an Emmy and laid the foundation for the streaming era.

Our Planet (2019 – 2023) ☆ 9.3
The legendary Sir David Attenborough tells all sorts of things about – yes – our planet in Our Planet. With his honey-sweet British accent, Attenborough takes the viewer to Arctic wilderness, the depths of the ocean, vast landscapes in Africa, and various jungles in South America. The first eight-part season took four years to produce, with around 600 people in 50 countries around the world capturing natural wonders.

The Last Dance (2020) ☆ 9.1

In the fall of 1997, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls fought for their sixth NBA title in eight years. Coach Phil Jackson called it ‘The Last Dance’ because Jordan played his last game after thirteen years. In the Netflix series The Last Dance, the viewer is front row at the iconic game, which was unfortunately also overshadowed by tensions in the club's management.

Better Call Saul (2015 – 2022) ☆ 9.0
After the success of Breaking Bad, producers Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould knew that a spin-off about the dubious lawyer Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) in Breaking Bad would also be a success. Good for them and good for us, because Better Call Saul is also one of the best series on Netflix. The sixth and final season of Better Call Saul has been postponed multiple times; first due to the corona crisis, then due to the heart attack that Bob Odenkirk suffered during filming. Last April, the sixth season was released, including a legendary cameo from Breaking Bad's Walter White.

When They See Us (2019) ☆ 8.9

When They See Us is based on a true story that gripped the world in 2019. The series is about five black teenagers who were wrongfully convicted of a rape. The four-part series, clearly one of the best series on Netflix, focuses on five teenagers from Harlem: Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise. In 1989, the teenagers were arrested and only 25 years later were they released. The case is also known as the ‘Central Park Five’ and is emblematic of racism in America.

Peaky Blinders (2013-2022) ☆ 8.8
The British Peaky Blinders is set in the English industrial city of Birmingham, just after World War I. A notorious criminal street gang from the working-class neighborhood of Small Heath is led by Thomas ‘Tommy’ Shelby (Cillian Murphy), who wants to climb the social ladder through crime. Tommy is the most feared man in Birmingham, but everyone knows how to find him when they want to walk the dark path. Peaky Blinders consists of six seasons full of tension and crime, with the last season released early last year.

BoJack Horseman (2014 – 2020) ☆ 8.8
The adult animation BoJack Horseman on Netflix was unique in its kind: a streaming service publishing a high-quality animated series had not occurred in 2014. In BoJack Horseman, we follow BoJack, a depressed, anthropomorphic horse in Hollywood who wants to get his acting career back on track. The Netflix series has been labeled by many media platforms as the best animated series ever, for example by GQ and IndieWire.

Narcos (2015-2017) ☆ 8.8

The Colombian crime series Narcos focuses on the DEA's hunt for Pablo Escobar and his Medellín cartel from the late seventies to the early nineties in the first two seasons. In the third season, Pablo Escobar is out of the picture, but the fight against large-scale cocaine trafficking continues, and Javier Peña (Pedro Pascal) takes on the life-threatening Cali cartel. After the success of Narcos, Netflix decided to produce another Spanish series about drug cartels in 2018, this time Narcos: Mexico.

Dark (2017-2020) ☆ 8.8
Dark is one of the best Netflix series of recent years. The sci-fi series plays with the notion that the fate of humanity is predetermined. An interesting plot that works with different timelines, supernatural events, and an underlying apocalypse. Dark is of German origin and is often compared to Stranger Things (that series can be found further down this list).

Black Mirror (2011 – ?) ☆ 8.7

In 2020, Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker announced that ‘for the time being, no new Black Mirror season is coming’. The reason? The world was already dark enough. If you have gotten used to the darkness of the present day or just can't get enough of it, then the popular Netflix series is a recommendation. In Black Mirror, you are taken into extreme hypothetical situations where society falls apart; from technological dominance to the disastrous consequences of the climate crisis.

Stranger Things (2016 – ?) ☆ 8.7
In 2016, one of the – to date – highest-rated Netflix Originals started: Stranger Things. The sci-fi series has its origin in the town of Hawkins in the eighties, where secret experiments and supernatural powers were at play. A strange girl named Eleven is found, who becomes friends with a group of boys. This quickly leads to extraordinary dangers: the mysterious The Upside Down begins to take over the town, and the residents have little idea how to deal with the bizarre situation that arises.

Mr. Sunshine (2018) ☆ 8.7
Mr. Sunshine is a Korean Netflix series about a young boy who was born as a slave to Americans but escapes to America after a traumatic event. The series is set during the historical, fascinating Shinmiyangyo event in 1871, when the Americans undertook an expedition to Korea. The boy eventually returns to the Korean Joseon dynasty as an officer of the American navy. As he falls in love with the daughter of a Korean aristocrat, he discovers a plot by foreign troops to colonize Korea.

The Crown (2016 – 2023) ☆ 8.76

The Crown is a series that appeals to everyone. The life of British Queen Elizabeth II is romantically documented in the Netflix series. From her coronation as queen to raising her children; all the major events in Elizabeth's life are narrated. Multiple quality casts take on the roles of the royals, portraying the passage of time in their lives credibly. An award-winning series with a strong plot, formidable acting, and cinematography that leaves a deep impression.

Mindhunter (2017-2019) ☆ 8.6
In the seventies, little was known about how the thought processes of the world's greatest criminals worked. FBI agent Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) wants to change that in the Netflix series Mindhunter. He tries to develop methods with his colleagues Bill Tench (Holt McCallany) and Wendy Carr (Anna Torv) to explain extreme criminal behavior. The Netflix series is based on the true story of FBI agent John E. Douglas.

The Haunting of Hill House (2018) ☆ 8.6
The Haunting of Hill House is a modern adaptation of Shirley Jackson's novel of the same name, about five siblings growing up in America's most famous ‘haunted house’. The suicide of the youngest sister forces them to confront the ghosts from their own past. Some of those ghosts are in their minds, while others hide in Hill House. The Haunting of Hill House shocked the world in 2018 due to its high horror content and terrifying scenes, in which the Dutch Michiel Huisman also acts.

Making a Murderer (2015–2018) ☆ 8.5
True Crime could very well be one of the most successful Netflix formulas, and the docuseries Making a Murderer is one of them. The Netflix series tells the story of Steven Avery, an American who spent eighteen years in prison for a serious crime he did not commit. When he was released in 2003, he was arrested again two years later for the murder of Teresa Halbach. A remarkable case, which brought a lot of controversy to the surface.

Formula 1: Drive to Survive (2019 – ?) ☆ 8.5
This behind-the-scenes docu of Formula 1 has given new fans an unprecedented insight into the workings and personalities of the F1 grid in recent years. Reportedly, the series has been an important driving force behind the revival of the sport's popularity, especially in the United States. Formula 1 fans have come to realize that not everything that happens in Formula 1: Drive to Survive is actually as it is initiated. Still, it remains one of the better series on Netflix.

The Queen’s Gambit (2020) ☆ 8.5

The Queen’s Gambit is a short drama series based on the novel of the same name by writer Walter Tevis from 1983. The series is about the life of orphan Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy). She lost her mother at a young age in a traffic accident, causing the nine-year-old girl to end up in an orphanage and start taking pills. When Beth learns to play chess from the janitor of the orphanage, she discovers that she has a special talent for it. As she pursues her dream of becoming a great chess master, she fights against both her opponents and her addictions.

Chef’s Table (2015-2019) ☆ 8.5

The Netflix food documentary series Chef’s Table follows different top chefs around the world over five seasons by highlighting their cooking style, philosophy, and cuisine. It is a documentary series that gives Netflix a large-scale insight into haute cuisine. In addition to Chef’s Table, there are also the series Chef’s Table: France, Chef’s Table: BBQ, Chef’s Table: Pastries, and the most recent Chef’s Table: Pizza. Each one is a recommendation.

Ozark (2017-2022) ☆ 8.5
Ozark is one of the best series on Netflix, with the last season released last year. In the thrilling first season of Ozark, the Byrde family moves from Chicago to the Ozarks in Missouri because Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) needs to continue his money laundering practices elsewhere. However, the Ozarks do not seem to be the right place for that. Even in the quiet town where Marty settles with his family, unrest continues. In the four seasons, you see how the precarious money laundering practices of the Byrdes are regularly made impossible by other criminals.

Image: Netflix