Opening up the Netflix app can feel daunting if you're not already in the middle of a show or have a movie in mind. We've all done the infinite scroll, spending an hour looking for something before just giving up and tuning into a comfort watch like Scandal or Sex and the City. Plus, with so many shows coming and going, some stick around longer than others. It helps to know what's worth your time -- and what's about to disappear. That's why we've put together a list of our favorite shows on Netflix, often highlighting series that just arrived or will be leaving soon.
There's no better time to check out some of the platform's biggest 2025 Emmy winners such as the limited series Adolescence, which won eight awards including outstanding limited or anthology series, or animated series Arcane, which took home the award for outstanding animation program along with three others. We're also excited for the return of the Kristen Bell-Adam Brody romantic comedy Nobody Wants This, so we're bingeing season one before season two arrives on Oct. 23.
If you're looking for your next favorite series, here's our roundup of some of the best shows you can stream on Netflix. And if you'd rather go with a movie instead, here are our picks for the best movies on Netflix.
Read more: Best Streaming Services of 2025
Netflix Adolescence (2025) Adolescence, the story of a young boy accused of killing a classmate, has gripped viewers since its release this year. The series earned 13 Emmy nominations this year and won 8, including outstanding limited or anthology series and acting awards for Owen Cooper, Stephen Graham and Erin Doherty. The series became a phenomenon for its unique filming style: Each of its four episodes is shot in a single continuous take, giving the show a live-theater feel.
Netflix Nobody Wants This (2024-) In the Netflix original comedy series Nobody Wants This, Kristen Bell stars as Joanne, an L.A. podcaster with no religious ties who falls for a rabbi, Noah, whose family struggles to accept their interfaith relationship. The show is hilarious and works especially well thanks to Bell and Brody's romantic chemistry. Season one is an easy weekend binge as you wait for season two to arrive later this month.
Netflix Love on the Spectrum (2022-) If you're looking for the antidote to a stressful day, look no further than Love on the Spectrum. The show, now in its third season, is a docuseries about young adults on the autism spectrum who are looking for love, and it is just about as heartwarming and generally wonderful as you can imagine. Each of the show's three seasons contains either six or seven episodes, making it the perfect binge if you need a rush of dopamine. The newest season also took home the Emmy Award for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program.
Netflix Arcane (2021-) Pulling from League of Legends lore, Arcane stands out as an animated fantasy series about socioeconomic inequalities in Piltover and Zaun. Corruption, violence and more are explored in the show through the characters' journeys. The critically lauded show took home the 2025 Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program.
Bridgerton (2020-) One of the most aesthetically pleasing shows on this list. Bridgerton is set in Regency-era England as the Bridgerton siblings search for love while navigating high society -- and being the subject of anonymously penned gossip pamphlets. The show's third season earned three Emmys at this year's award show, including one for narrator Julie Andrews who won for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance.
Jan Thijs 514-992-2316, Jan Thijs Orphan Black (2013-2017) Originally broadcast on BBC America, Orphan Black is a Canadian sci-fi series about a woman named Sarah Manning (Tatiana Maslany) who witnesses the suicide of a woman who appears to be her exact clone. As Sarah digs into the other woman's past, she learns that they're two of many clones who were part of a secretive experiment, and now the lives of her and her "sisters" are in danger. The show, which lasted for five seasons, is a solid mystery, but Maslany is truly a marvel as she toggles between her multiple roles.
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