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The 50 best shows on Netflix in May 2024

Jeff Bridges in A Man in Full.
Netflix

Netflix keeps such a regular schedule of updates that there’s not much difference in terms of new content between the beginning of the month and any other week. To kick things off in May, Netflix has debuted David E. Kelley’s adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s novel A Man in Full, while also adding the supernatural thriller Evil.

Neither of these series have broken into the list of the most popular shows on Netflix yet. But that could change by the end of the weekend, especially since A Man in Full is the first Netflix original of the month. Thankfully, it won’t be the last, as more new shows are on the way in May. And you can keep up with all of them by checking back every Friday as we update our list of the best shows on Netflix right now.

We’ve also rounded up all the best movies on Netflix, the best shows on Hulu, the best shows on Amazon Prime, and the best shows on Disney+ because we take our streaming seriously. Watching while traveling abroad? Use a Netflix VPN to access your country’s catalog from anywhere in the world.

New this week

A Man in Full

The cast of A Man in Full.
Netflix

It’s hard not to see a certain political figure in A Man in Full’s main character, Charlie Croker (Jeff Daniels), a real estate tycoon facing bankruptcy while continuously insisting that he’s a brilliant businessman. Croker’s enemies smell the proverbial blood in the water, and his entire empire is at stake.

Meanwhile, Conrad Hensley (Jon Michael Hill) has more down to earth problems as an encounter with a policeman ends with him facing charges of assaulting a cop. Only through Conrad’s loose association with Croker does he get a high-profile lawyer, Roger White (Aml Ameen). However, Roger’s lack of experience with criminal law may have dire consequences for Conrad when his freedom is on the line.

Genre: Drama
Stars: Jeff Daniels, Diane Lane, Tom Pelphrey, Aml Ameen, Chanté Adams, Jon Michael Hill
Seasons: 1

Evil

The cast of Evil.
CBS Studios

What’s a Paramount+ original series doing on Netflix? It’s here because Evil wasn’t always exclusive to Paramount+. It was originally on CBS, and now two seasons are available on Netflix, while the third and fourth seasons remain exclusive to Paramount+.

Think of this show as a religious take on The X-Files. Dr. Kristen Bouchard (Katja Herbers), priest-in-training David Acosta (Mike Colter), and atheist Ben Shakir (Aasif Mandvi) are hired by the Catholic Church to look into potential supernatural events. Their ongoing investigations cause Kristen’s natural skepticism to be challenged. The group also draws the attention of Dr. Leland Townsend (Michael Emerson), a man who seems to be in league with the evil forces that the team opposes.

Genre: Supernatural, Thriller
Stars: Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Kurt Fuller, Marti Matulis
Seasons: 4

Drama

White Collar

Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay in White Collar.
20th Century Studios TV

Netflix is going back to the well of USA Network originals with White Collar, which predates Suits by a few years. After several years in pursuit of a serial con man named Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer), FBI Special Agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) finds himself in a unique arrangement with his former target. In exchange for helping the FBI identify and prosecute white collar criminals, Neal gets to shave years off of his sentence.

Neal’s partner, Mozzie (Sex and the City‘s Willie Garson), is less than thrilled by the new deal, but Neal himself warms up to Peter’s wife, Elizabeth Burke (Tiffani Thiessen), before forging a friendship with Peter himself. Neal also has a hidden agenda, which includes his attempt to find out what happened to his girlfriend, Kate Moreau (Alexandra Daddario), and learn who has manipulated both of them.

Genre: Drama
Stars: Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Willie Garson, Marsha Thomason, Tiffani Thiessen, Natalie Morales
Seasons: 6

Killing Eve

Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh in Killing Eve.
BBC America

What do you do when the woman you love would just as soon kill you as kiss you? Killing Eve‘s title character, Eve Polastri (The Sympathizer‘s Sandra Oh), constantly has to ponder that question. From a distance, as a member of MI6, Eve develops a fascination with an assassin, Villanelle (Jodie Comer), that borders on a romantic obsession. In turn, Villanelle finds herself intrigued by Eve as well.

However, Villanelle is also an absolute psychopath with little regard about anyone’s feelings, especially Eve’s. Their early encounters are potentially lethal for Eve. But no matter how many twisted things unfold between them, neither Eve nor Villanelle can fully escape each others’ orbit.

Genre: Drama, Thriller
Stars: Sandra Oh, Jodie Comer, Fiona Shaw, Darren Boyd, Owen McDonnell
Seasons: 4

Black Sails

The cast of Black Sails.
Starz

Although Black Sails is a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, it really seems more like an excuse to use one of literature’s most famous pirates, Long John Silver (Luke Arnold), as one of the main characters in a sweeping historical pirate epic that pushes the limits of the TV-MA rating. The pirate at the center of this show, Captain James Flint (Toby Stephens), is only mentioned in Treasure Island. But Flint plays a much larger role in this story.

Flint may be one of the few pirates who realizes that their entire way of life is under a larger threat than just the English Navy. Civilization itself is the real enemy, and Flint believes that he’s the man who can unite the pirates of New Providence and preserve their independence. Now, Flint just needs to convince his crew, which is on the verge of committing mutiny. And if Flint can hang on to his power, there are even greater challenges that lie ahead.

Genre: Drama, Action, Adventure
Stars: Toby Stephens, Hannah New, Luke Arnold, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Tom Hopper
Seasons: 4

Baby Reindeer

Richard Gadd in Baby Reindeer.
Netflix

The name of this British series might lead you to believe that Baby Reindeer is something that it’s not. That’s why we’ll tell you right off the bat that Baby Reindeer is an unfortunate nickname given to Donny (Richard Gadd) by Martha (Jessica Gunning), a woman he barely knows. And because Donny was kind to her, Martha starts displaying stalker-ish behavior.

On some level, Donny must really like Martha, because he turns back from some obvious chances to curb her attachment before he can’t shake her. But once Martha settles on inserting herself into Donny’s life, there’s very little he can do to dissuade her.

Genre: Drama, Comedy
Stars: Richard Gadd, Jessica Gunning, Nava Mau
Seasons: 1

Ripley

Andrew Scott in Ripley.
Netflix

If you’ve ever seen Matt Damon’s 1999 film, The Talented Mr. Ripley, then you know the story of Ripley, which is also an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel. The key change here is that the show is filmed in black and white, and the characters are much older than they were in the film.

All of Us Strangers star Andrew Scott takes over the role of Tom Ripley from Damon, and he proves to be just as underhanded on the show as he was in the movie. In 1960, Ripley is hired by the wealthy father of Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn) to convince his playboy son to come home after an extended period abroad. But after meeting Dickie and his girlfriend, Marge Sherwood (Dakota Fanning), Ripley becomes enamored with their lifestyle and with Dickie himself. And Ripley will do just about anything to make sure that their good fortune becomes his.

Genre: Drama, Crime, Thriller
Stars: Andrew Scott, Johnny Flynn, Dakota Fanning, Vittorio Viviani, Bokeem Woodbine
Seasons: 1

Vikings

Torvi and Ubbe in a battle camp in Vikings.
MGM Television

The Viking Age has begun again, now that Vikings has returned to Netflix. The wildly popular historical drama was a big hit for History, as it chronicled the story of a Viking legend, Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel), and his heirs during the 8th and 9th centuries.

At the start of the series, Ragnar is a farmer who simply wants to provide for his family. As the series progresses, Ragnar’s exploits and raids help him climb the ranks of the Vikings until he becomes not only their leader, but the King of Denmark as well. However, it’s a dangerous way to live, and even Ragnar’s good fortune can only last for so long.

Genre: Drama
Stars: Travis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick, Clive Standen, Jessalyn Gilsig, Gustaf Skarsgård, Gabriel Byrne
Seasons: 6

The Resident

The cast of The Resident.
20th Century Studios TV

Fox canceled The Resident in 2023, but it’s found a bigger audience on Netflix, where fans can watch all six seasons at their leisure. While there is romance on The Resident, it’s a more focused medical drama that features doctors, nurses, and executives, some of whom make morally questionable decisions that have both positive and negative consequences for their patients.

Matt Czuchry leads the cast as Conrad Hawkins, a resident at Chastain Park Memorial Hospital who is thrown in on the deep end of the broken health care system before navigating his way into higher positions. Conrad’s not the only one who cares about the patients under his care, but it’s incredibly difficult to overcome the bureaucracy that keeps the hospital buried in red tape.

Genre: Drama
Stars: Matt Czuchry, Emily VanCamp, Manish Dayal, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Bruce Greenwood
Seasons: 6

Warrior

Andrew Koji prepares to fight in Warrior.
Max

Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji) didn’t migrate from China to San Francisco to fight, but he’s going to put his martial arts skills to the ultimate test in Warrior. The show is set in the 1870s, as two rival Chinese Tongs edge closer to an all-out gang war. Ah Sahm’s fighting prowess soon brings him to the attention of the Hop Wei Tong, who recruit him to their ranks. Ah Sahm also befriends Young Jun (Jason Tobin), the man who will inherit leadership of their Tong.

What Ah Sahm doesn’t initially realize is that his long-missing sister, Mai Ling (Dianne Doan), doesn’t need saving. Instead, she’s the de facto ruler of the Long Zii Tong, which forces Ah Sahm to choose between his family and his newfound comrades.

Genre: Drama, Crime
Stars: Andrew Koji, Olivia Cheng, Jason Tobin, Dianne Doan, Kieran Bew
Seasons: 3

The Crown

A man and a woman hold hands in The Crown.
Netflix

Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) is gone when the second half of The Crown’s final season begins, and Queen Elizabeth II (Imelda Staunton) is feeling her own mortality at the start of the 21st century. Now, it’s time for Diana’s sons, Prince William (Ed McVey) and Prince Harry (Luther Ford), to come to the forefront.

This half of the season recreates William’s courtship of Kate Middleton (Meg Bellamy), while Prince Charles (Dominic West) finally gets to wed Camilla Parker Bowles (Olivia Williams) as Elizabeth wonders what her legacy will be, and how the royal family will endure. Now that the series is over, you can also go back and check out the best performances in The Crown.

Genre: Drama
Stars: Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce, Lesley Manville, Dominic West, Olivia Williams, Elizabeth Debicki
Seasons: 6

Lupin

Omar Sy in promo art for Lupin Part 3.
Netflix

Omar Sy headlines Lupin as Assane Diop, a criminal who models his methods on the gentleman thief Arsène Lupin. While Assane has a lot of style, he doesn’t always consider how his life of crime will affect his estranged wife, Claire (Ludivine Sagnier), and their son, Raoul (Etan Simon).

This season, Assane is desperate to reunite with Claire and Raoul. Before he can do that, he will have to deal with a new enemy who is directly targeting his family. And this time, the gentleman thief may be out of options.

Genre: Crime, Drama
Stars: Omar Sy, Ludivine Sagnier, Clotilde Hesme, Antoine Gouy
Seasons: 2

The Lincoln Lawyer

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in The Lincoln Lawyer.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Lincoln Lawyer season 2 began with Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) taking a brutal beating, and that’s also where part 1 of the season left us. Season 2 part 2 picks up from there as Mickey finds himself in quite a bind. His new client Lisa Trammell (Lana Parrilla), is facing murder charges that may land her in prison for life. And the evidence that she may have done it keeps piling up.

To make matters worse for Mickey, he’s falling hard for Lisa. But a true crime podcaster named Henry Dahl (Matt Angel) seems determined to get between them so he can exploit Lisa’s story for his own gain.

Genre: Drama
Stars: Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Neve Campbell, Becki Newton, Jazz Raycole, Angus Sampson
Seasons: 2

Suits

Patrick J. Adams and Gabriel Macht stand next to each other in Suits.
Universal / Universal

It says a lot about Suits’ enduring popularity that the show has been at the top of Netflix’s most-watched charts despite ending four years ago. The series follows the unlikely partnership between prominent attorney Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht), and a brilliant con man, Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams). Harvey is so impressed by Mike’s legal knowledge that he hires him on the spot to be his associate despite knowing full well that he never went to law school.

Harvey and Mike’s efforts help the firm win several high-profile cases, even as Mike’s secret threatens to emerge. Meanwhile, Mike catches the eye of Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle), an ambitious paralegal with her own plans to advance in the legal world.

Genre: Drama, Comedy
Stars: Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, Rick Hoffman, Meghan Markle, Gina Torres
Seasons: 9

Black Mirror

Salma Hayek in Black Mirror season 6.
Netflix

Each episode of the dark sci-fi anthology series, Black Mirror, has a self-contained story, and the first installment of the sixth season actually targets Netflix itself! Schitt’s Creek‘s Annie Murphy stars as Joan, a woman who discovers that the Netflix of her world, Streamberry, is essentially stealing her life in real-time with Salma Hayek portraying Joan’s fictional self in the original series, Joan is Awful.

As with the previous seasons, series creator Charlie Brooker has attracted a lot of big-name performers to share the small screen in his stories. And each episode of Black Mirror is a mind-bending experience.

Genre: Sci-fi, Drama
Stars: Annie Murphy, Salma Hayek, Aaron Paul, Josh Hartnett, Zazie Beetz
Seasons: 6

Beef

Ali Wong and Steven Yeun lean out of their car windows in Beef.
Netflix

If you’ve ever had a moment of road rage, you know that what follows is not usually your best self. In Netflix’s black comedy, Beef, Danny Cho (Steven Yeun) and Amy Lau Nakai (Ali Wong) have a road rage encounter that transforms their lives, and not for the better.

Despite being strangers to each other before the incident, Danny and Amy’s lives become intricately tangled as their mutual rage for each other intensifies. This is not going to end well for either of them, but it’s almost impossible to look away from the carnage they leave in their wake.

Genre: Drama/Comedy
Stars: Steven Yeun, Ali Wong
Seasons: 1

Comedy

The Conners

The cast of The Conners.
ABC

If you know your network sitcoms, then you’re probably aware that The Conners is essentially Roseanne without Rosanne Barr. Almost the entire cast from the original Rosanne reprised their roles from the 1988 sitcom, including Barr, until she was fired for making numerous offensive posts on social media.

It turns out that The Conners‘ brand of blue-collar comedy works just as well without Barr, and the loss of Rosanne gives her widowed husband, Dan (John Goodman), a lot of interesting material before he and his now adult children get on with their lives and start something new. ABC is currently running the sixth season of The Conners, but fans of this series can catch it from the beginning.

Genre: Comedy
Stars: John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, Lecy Goranson, Michael Fishman
Seasons: 5

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

The cast of Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Universal Television

There are plenty of police procedurals on TV, but rarely any police sitcoms. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is one of those exceptions. This show occasionally has some serious moments, but for the most part it’s a gloriously unhinged comedy led by Saturday Night Live veteran Andy Samberg as Jack Peralta, a detective in the NYPD’s 99th Precinct.

Jake and his fellow misfits in the Nine-Nine are unconventional, but they get the job done … eventually. The late Andre Braugher co-stars as Captain Raymond Holt, the straightest straight man a comedian like Samberg could ever hope for, even though Holt himself is gay. For some reason, only the first four seasons are currently on Netflix, but the remaining four seasons will presumably be added later.

Genre: Comedy
Stars: Andy Samberg, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero, Joe Lo Truglio, Andre Braugher
Seasons: 8

Monk

Tony Shalhoub in Monk.
Universal Television

Can Monk follow in Suits’ footsteps and become a hit streaming series? During both shows’ time on USA Network, Monk was arguably more of a crossover hit. Tony Shalhoub stars as Adrian Monk, a brilliant detective for the San Francisco Police Department who completely unravels after the murder of his wife, Trudy (Stellina Rusich and Melora Hardin). Monk was already suffering from OCD and phobias before Trudy’s death, and his isolation only makes them worse.

Monk’s first nurse, Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram), and her eventual replacement, Natalie Teeger (Traylor Howard), actually make a lot of progress with him by getting him back out into the world as a consulting detective to his former colleagues. And Monk’s various quirks often lead to hilarious situations.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Mystery
Stars: Tony Shalhoub, Bitty Schram, Jason Gray-Stanford, Ted Levine, Traylor Howard
Seasons: 8

Loudermilk

The cast of Loudermilk.
Primary Wave Entertainment

Loudermilk flew under the radar when it originally aired on the Audience Network, but it’s getting a shot at a larger audience on Netflix. The series stars Sex and the City‘s Ron Livingston as Sam Loudermilk, an ex-movie critic and seemingly recovered alcoholic who has reinvented himself as a substance abuse counselor. Sam also has quite a way with words and sharp quips, which is why he’s not exactly known for his good bedside manner with the people in his support group.

Sam is very much a work in progress when it comes to his own life, but he has found some purpose in sponsoring Claire Wilkes (Anja Savcic). Will Sasso also stars as Sam’s sponsor, Ben Burns. There’s a lot of dark comedy in this series, and you’ll laugh a lot if you’re willing to go with it.

Genre: Comedy, Drama,
Stars: Ron Livingston, Will Sasso, Anja Savcic, Laura Mennell
Seasons: 3

Never Have I Ever

The cast of Never Have I Ever.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

After four seasons, Never Have I Ever wraps up the story of Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) and her high school trials Season 4 picks up with Devi in a weird and awkward space with her sometimes boyfriend, Ben Gross (Jaren Lewison), before she potentially finds new love with Ethan Morales (Michael Cimino).

Devi also has to deal with her efforts to get into the college of her choice, find emotional closure for her time in high school, and move past the death of her father. This is where Devi has to choose who she wants to be and what it will take to make her happy as she finally becomes an adult.

Genre: Comedy, Romance
Stars: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan, Richa Moorjani, Darren Barnet, Jaren Lewison
Seasons: 4

Wednesday

Moosa Mostafa and Jenna Ortega stare at the camera in a scene from Wednesday.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Tim Burton turns his attention to Wednesday Addams in this spinoff from the Addams Family franchise, Wednesday, which focuses on the elder Addams sibling. Jenna Ortega portrays the title character, who is sent off to prep school after an incident involving a high school water polo team and two bags of piranhas. While attending the school, she soon becomes wrapped up in a series of local murders, all while trying to come to terms with her own destiny and her parents’ legacy.

Genre: Comedy
Stars: Jenna Ortega, Christina Ricci, Catherine Zeta-Jones
Seasons: 1

Cobra Kai

William Zabka, Ralph Macchio, and Yuji Okumoto stand in track suits in a scene from Cobr Kai season 5.
Netflix

The hit sequel series to the original Karate Kid films, Cobra Kai brings back William Zabka and Ralph Macchio to reprise their respective roles as Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso, teenage rivals whose feud has extended into adulthood. Set three decades after the first film’s events, the series has down-on-his-luck Johnny attempt to start a new Cobra Kai dojo, only to have his ambitions reignite his rivalry with Daniel.

Over the course of several seasons, the series has followed the pair as they take on new students, deal with enemies and allies from their past, and eventually face a common threat — all while the teenagers under their care attempt to navigate their own high school trials and tribulations. Season 5 of Cobra Kai premiered in September 2022.

Genre: Comedy/Drama
Stars: Ralph Macchio, William Zabka
Seasons: 5

Mystery and Crime

Bandidos

The cast of Bandidos.
Netflix

Bandidos – or Bandits, if you prefer – is a new Mexican crime comedy starring Alfonso Dosal as Miguel, a con artist who has fallen on hard times. While getting drunk at a bar, Miguel meets an acquaintance of his father’s who has a lead on a long-missing Mayan treasure. Miguel quickly realizes that the treasure could be his if he can get a team together fast enough.

With so little time to act, Miguel gathers his ex-partner and ex-girlfriend, Lilí (Ester Expósito), as well as Wilson (Juan Pablo Medina) and Lucas (Juan Pablo Fuentes). The group thinks pretty highly of themselves, but their particular talent appears to be getting in way over their heads before finding some way to slink out of treasure. What they don’t know is that someone dangerous is also on the trail of the treasure, and they’ve already killed the man whom Miguel met in the bar to set off this treasure hunt.

Genre: Crime
Stars: Alfonso Dosal, Estar Exposito, Juan Pablo Medina, Mabel Cadena, Juan Pablo Fuentes, Andrea Chaparro
Seasons: 1

The Gentlemen

The cast of The Gentlemen.
Netflix

Much like FX’s Fargo, The Gentlemen is a spinoff of the feature film that shares its name. The key difference is that Guy Ritchie directed the movie and created the TV series, which acts as a standalone story with a brand new cast of characters. Theo James stars as Eddie Halstead, the new Duke of Halstead … but only because his older brother, Freddy Halstead (Daniel Ings), is hopelessly addicted to drugs.

Eddie’s new title comes with a catch because his recently passed father was deep in business with an incarcerated gangster, Bobby Glass (Ray Winstone), who runs an illegal marijuana empire. Now, Eddie has a piece of that empire as well, whether he likes it or not. And he definitely likes Bobby’s daughter, Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario), even if they’re not always on the same page.

Genre: Crime, Drama
Stars: Theo James, Kaya Scodelario, Daniel Ings, Joely Richardson, Giancarlo Esposito, Vinnie Jones
Seasons: 1

Fool Me Once

Michelle Keegan in Fool Me Once.
Netflix

Netflix’s adaptation of Harlan Coben’s Fool Me Once features Michelle Keegan as Maya Stern, a former special ops pilot who is reeling from the death of her sister, Claire (Natalie Anderson), and the murder of her husband, Joe Burkett (Richard Armitage). Now, Maya is left to raise her young daughter, Lily (Thea Taylor-Morgan), by herself.

Or so she thought. When Maya spots Joe hugging their daughter in a nanny cam video, she is thrust into a conspiracy that makes her wonder who she can trust. Meanwhile, Maya’s niece and nephew, Abby (Dänya Griver) and Daniel (Daniel Burt), begin their own investigation into their mother’s death. The secrets they discover will lead them back to Maya as they attempt to unravel the twin mysteries.

Genre: Thriller
Stars: Michelle Keegan, Adeel Akhtar, Natalie Anderson, Jade Anouka, Richard Armitage, Joe Armstrong
Seasons: 1

Berlin

The cast of Berlin.
Netflix

The title character of Berlin doesn’t let a little thing like death get in the way of a good story. This Money Heist prequel spinoff throws the spotlight on Andrés de Fonollosa (Pedro Alonso), the man who went by Berlin during the early seasons of the previous series. This show adds some new layers to Berlin as he leads his own team of thieves, including Kella (Michelle Jenner), Damián (Tristán Ulloa), Cameron (Begoña Vargas), Roi (Julio Peña Fernández), and Bruce (Joel Sánchez).

What brings this motley crew together under Berlin’s stewardship? A multimillion Euro heist, of course. But even the best-laid plans tend to unravel in the Money Heist universe, and there will be complications ahead.

Genre: Crime, Thriller
Stars: Pedro Alonso, Michelle Jenner, Tristán Ulloa, Begoña Vargas, Julio Peña Fernández
Seasons: 1

The Night Agent

Peter in a white sweater holding a gun in a scene from The Night Agent.
Dan Power / Netflix

It took The Night Agent less than a day to race to the top of Netflix’s TV series rankings, and it seems likely to make its leads, Gabriel Basso and Luciane Buchanan, into much bigger stars. As adapted for television by The Shield creator Shawn Ryan, this intense action thriller follows FBI Agent Peter Sutherland (Basso) after he stumbles upon clues that reveal a Russian mole is working inside the U.S. government.

Realizing that the fate of the country may be at stake, Peter will stop at nothing to unravel the conspiracy and unmask the mole. He also has an unlikely ally in Rose Larkin (Buchanan), a young CEO who has already been marked for death by their mutual enemies.

For more on this Netflix show, check out The Night Agent‘s ending explained.

Genre: Mystery
Stars: Gabriel Basso, Hong Chau, Luciane Buchanan
Seasons: 1

Horror

The Fall of the House of Usher

The cast of The Fall of the House of Usher.
Netflix

Horror maestro Mike Flanagan has one last miniseries for Netflix before he heads off to Prime Video. Flanagan’s final bow is The Fall of the House of Usher, a modern adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s short story and a few other works by Poe. In this incarnation, Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood) and his sister, Madeline Usher (Mary McDonnell), own a powerful pharmaceutical company, and they’ve passed on their ruthless streak to the next generation.

That is if there is a next generation. An enigmatic woman named Verna (Carla Gugino) may be behind the gruesome deaths of members of the Usher family. Everything that the Ushers have built is crashing down, and there may be something supernatural behind it.

Genre: Horror, Drama
Stars: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Mary McDonnell, Carl Lumbly, Samantha Sloyan
Seasons: 1

Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities

Logo for Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro curated this collection of short films from some of horror’s most visionary, creative directors and writers. The eight stories in the series’ first season hail from a wide range of filmmakers, including Vincenzo Natali (Cube), Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night), Jennifer Kent (The Babadook), and Del Toro himself.

Genre: Fantasy/Horror
Stars: Ben Barnes, Andrew Lincoln, Rupert Grint
Seasons: 1

The Midnight Club

The Midnight Club kids all sit around a table together in a dimly lit library.
Eike Schroter/Netflix

Mike Flanagan, the creator of The Haunting of Hill HouseThe Haunting of Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass, turns his attention to young-adult scares with The Midnight Club, inspired by Christopher Pike’s 1994 novel of the same name. The 10-episode series follows a group of young, terminally ill residents of a hospice who gather each night to tell each other spooky stories. The members of the “Midnight Club” make a pact that whoever dies first will try to send a message from the afterlife. With Flanagan at the helm of this show, be prepared for big scares.

Genre: Horror/Mystery
Stars: Iman Benson, Heather Langenkamp, Igby Rigney
Seasons: 1

Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Dead Boy Detectives

The cast of Dead Boy Detectives.
Warner Bros. TV

The Dead Boy Detectives comics are pretty far from DC’s A-list, but the lead characters were actually supposed to be boys, not Dead Young Adult Detectives, as they are in this incarnation. This is a spinoff from Netflix’s The Sandman series, and you will see some connections between the two shows. But it’s primarily a supernatural mystery show about Edwin Paine (George Rexstrew) and Charles Rowland (Jayden Revri).

Edwin and Charles had their chance to move on from Earth when they died, but they decided to stay and become their ideal versions of detectives. But just because they’re dead, it doesn’t mean that Edwin and Charles can’t be hurt as they try to live up to their new calling.

Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery
Stars: George Rexstre, Jayden Revri, Kassius Nelson, Briana Cuoco, Ruth Connell
Seasons: 1

3 Body Problem

A man walks in a mysterious landscape in 3 Body Problem.
Netflix

Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss’ new Netflix series, 3 Body Problem, is a sci-fi drama based upon the Chinese novel The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin. This is not a conventional story, although it’s not hard to guess that alien life is at the heart of the show’s premise.

Without giving too much away, a woman named Ye Wenjie (Rosalind Chao) made a decision decades ago that will eventually have grave consequences for everyone on Earth. An alien threat is coming that is beyond mankind’s ability to handle, and there’s a real question about whether anyone can do anything about it because the arrival may not take place for decades, if not longer. The only advantage that humanity has is time, and even that may not be enough to find a solution.

Genre: Sci-fi, Drama
Stars: Benedict Wong, Jess Hong, Jovan Adepo, Eiza González, John Bradley, Alex Sharp, Rosalind Chao
Seasons: 1

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Aang in Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Netflix

Nickelodeon’s beloved animated series gets a second chance in live-action with Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. In this fantasy world, a young boy named Aang (Gordon Cormier) awakens after 100 years on ice to learn that the Fire Nation has completely wiped out his people in the Air Nation.

As the Avatar, Aang is the only living person who can bend fire, water, earth, and air — and potentially bring peace back to the world. Two waterbenders, Katara (Kiawentiio) and Sokka (Ian Ousley), join Aang on his quest, but the trio is pursued by the exiled Fire Nation prince, Zuko (Dallas Liu), who desperately wants to capture the Avatar and reclaim his place in the kingdom.

Genre: Fantasy
Stars: Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley, Dallas Liu, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Ken Leung
Seasons: 1

Resident Alien

Alan Tudyk as Harry Vanderspeigle in Resident Alien.
Universal Content Productions

Meet Harry Vanderspeigle (Alan Tudyk). In Resident Alien, he’s just a normal small-town doctor who’s secretly an alien plotting to exterminate humanity. No big deal, really. Harry could actually succeed in his mission, too, if these pesky human emotions weren’t giving him feelings that are completely alien to him. Harry is also so bad at pretending to be human that he fails to blend in with the crowd.

However, Harry’s most immediate problem is Max Hawthorne (Judah Prehn), the young son of the mayor who can see through his human disguise. As for Max, he’s going to have a hard time convincing anyone that Harry is out to get him.

Genre: Sci-fi, Comedy
Stars: Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund, Levi Fiehler
Seasons: 3

The Sandman

Tom Sturridge sits on a bench with Kirby Howell-Baptiste in a scene from The Sandman.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Neil Gaiman’s celebrated comic book series comes to life in this adaptation that casts Tom Sturridge as Morpheus, the lord of the world of dreams. When a cruel dabbler in the occult accidentally imprisons Morpheus, it begins a tale that unfolds across multiple generations and through myriad realms and ultimately puts the future of humanity at risk.

In development for more than two decades, The Sandman is a project long thought impossible to adapt faithfully, but the series somehow manages to weave together the enthralling stories and powerful themes of Gaiman’s acclaimed fantasy saga.

Genre: Fantasy
Stars: Tom Sturridge, Boyd Holbrook, Jenna Coleman
Seasons: 1

The Witcher

Henry Cavill in The Witcher.
Image via Netflix

Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) and Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra) now know who’s been pulling their strings in the Continent, but that knowledge might not be enough to save them as The Witcher returns with the final three episodes of season 3.

With Geralt waylaid and fighting for his life, Ciri (Freya Allan) is off on an adventure of her own that may prove to be a transformative experience. But all roads lead back to Geralt as the series faces a turning point and a very, very long wait until the fourth season arrives.

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Action, Drama
Stars: Henry Cavill, Freya Allan, Anya Chalotra, Eamon Farren
Seasons: 3

Stranger Things

The cast of Stranger Things.
Netflix

One of the most popular original series on Netflix, Stranger Things has become a cultural touchstone in the short time since its 2016 debut. The series’ opening sequence lays out its sci-fi aspirations clearly: A scientist flees down an empty hallway, pursued by some unseen force that eventually nabs him as he waits for elevator doors to close; it then cuts to a group of kids playing D&D in a suburban basement.

The series is rooted in ‘80s genre nostalgia, from the mysterious creature terrorizing the fictional Indiana town to the secret government agency chasing the group of kids who encounter it. There are pieces of Stephen King, Steven Spielberg, and John Hughes strewn throughout Stranger Things, and the result is a show that will feel immediately familiar to people who grew up with that source material.

For more info on the final season, check out Stranger Things season 5: Plot, date, and casting rumors.

Genre: Sci-Fi
Stars: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown
Seasons: 4

True crime and Docuseries

Homicide: New York

The featured interview subjects of Homicide: New York.
Netflix

Dick Wolf has been mining true crimes for decades as material for all of his Law & Order shows and beyond. Now, Wolf is diving back into an actual true crime series, Homicide: New York, which features five real cases that are explored with reenactments and contemporary interviews with the men and women who investigated them.

This season’s episodes focus on the East Harlem serial killer, a decades-long cold case, and the Carnegie Deli Massacre. But there are plenty of other stories to explore should the series get additional seasons.

Genre: True Crime, Documentary
Stars: N/A
Seasons: 1

American Nightmare

Promo art of a woman from Netflix's American Nightmare.
Netflix

Netflix’s true crime documentary American Nightmare is aptly named because it’s the true story of how Denise Huskins and her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, were victimized by both a home invader and the police in 2015. Huskins was kidnapped, and Quinn was almost immediately accused of murdering her and hiding the body.

When Huskins was released, the police then openly accused her of staging the kidnapping. With Quinn and Huskins under intense pressure from law enforcement, the case was finally broken by a completely different police department, even after the damage had already been done to Huskins and Quinn.

Genre: True Crime
Stars: Denise Huskins, Aaron Quinn
Seasons: 1

Life on Our Planet

Dinosaurs roam the Earth in Life on Our Planet.
Netflix

Not many documentaries can boast of having Steven Spielberg as a producer and Morgan Freeman as the narrator, but Life on Our Planet is special. Unlike many documentaries, Life on Our Planet isn’t showing viewers the present or the recent history of our species, it’s going all the way back to the beginnings of the Earth, long before humans showed up.

CGI is used for sequences that could never be filmed, including the rise and fall of the dinosaurs, mass extinction events, and the eventual arrival of humans who may yet manage to destroy themselves without any outside help.

Genre: Documentary
Stars: Morgan Freeman
Seasons: 1

Beckham

David Beckham as a member of the L.A. Galaxy in Beckham.
Netflix

It’s not an exaggeration to say that David Beckham is one of the most famous sports icons on the planet, even if his fame in America doesn’t match the same intensity it has everywhere else. But given that the documentary Beckham, has topped the list of the most popular shows on Netflix, it’s safe to say that some of that popularity still extends to the U.S.

Beckham runs for four episodes, and it features David and his wife, Victoria Beckham, sharing stories that range from the beginning of his professional career, through some difficult years in their union, and up until his playing days came to an end.

Genre: Documentary
Stars: David Beckham, Victoria Beckham, Fisher Stevens
Seasons: 1

Predators

A cheetah looks at the camera in a scene from Predators.
Netflix

There are several world-class nature documentaries on Netflix, and the latest addition to that genre, Predators, is all about some of the deadliest hunters in nature. Actor Tom Hardy narrates the series, and naturally, three of the episodes focus on the big cats: cheetahs, lions, and pumas. The remaining two episodes focus on polar bears and wild dogs.

This miniseries offers a rare opportunity to watch these wild creatures facing real challenges to their survival beyond hunting down their next meal. Unfortunately for these magnificent creatures, climate change and natural disasters may prove to be even deadlier than they are.

Genre: Documentary
Stars: Tom Hardy
Seasons: 1

Our Planet II

A scene from Our Planet II.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

After a four-year hiatus, Our Planet is back for another season on Netflix, and it remains one of the most stunningly beautiful nature documentaries on the streamer. David Attenborough returns as the narrator of Our Planet II, which once again explores the impact that climate change has had on the environment and the creatures that live all over the world.

One of the major themes of this season is migration, as animals struggle to find new places to survive and thrive as they deal with both predators and pollution. As in the first season, the visuals are breathtaking and this is a unique look at the world that most people have never seen in person.

Genre: Documentary
Stars: David Attenborough
Seasons: 2

Animation

Masters of the Universe: Revolution

He-Man and Orco in a scene from Masters of the Universe: Revolution.
Netflix

There’s a crisis on Eternia in the next chapter of He-Man’s story in Masters of the Universe: Revolution. For the first time in his life, Prince Adam (Chris Wood) must choose between being the king of his people and being their champion as He-Man. Meanwhile, Teela (Melissa Benoist), undergoes a startling metamorphosis as well.

But those may be the least of Adam and Teela’s problems, as Skeletor (Mark Hamill, one of the best Joker actors ever) reemerges as the harbinger of Motherboard and the Horde. A revolution is coming, and this time He-Man and his allies are badly outnumbered.

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Stars: Chris Wood, Mark Hamill, Melissa Benoist, Liam Cunningham, Lena Headey
Seasons: 1

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

Scott Pilgrim and Ramona Flowers at a party
Netflix

Nearly two decades ago, Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim graphic novels had Harry Potter-like success. However, that success did not extend to the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World movie that was directed by Edgar Wright. Now, the franchise is getting a second chance in the anime series, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.

This time, the story is being retold in O’Malley’s original art style, with Wright executive producing the show. Almost all of the main cast members reprised their roles for this series, including Michael Cera as Scott, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead as the girl who wins his heart, Ramona Flowers. Unfortunately for Scott, he won’t be able to woo Ramona until he defeats her seven evil exes in battle. And we mean video game style battles to the death, not a game of Parcheesi.

Genre: Anime, Fantasy, Romantic Comedy
Stars: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, The Marvels star Brie Larson
Seasons: 1

Blue Eye Samurai

Mizu, the lead character of Blue Eye Samurai, prepares for battle.
Netflix

Sometimes, a show can sneak up on you and become a breakout hit when you least expect it. That’s what’s happening right now with Blue Eye Samurai, Netflix’s unconventional anime series. Logan and Blade Runner 2049 screenwriter Michael Green teamed up with his wife, Amber Noizumi, to create the series set in Japan’s Edo period when the country was closed off from the world.

Mizu (Maya Erskine) is the titular blue-eyed samurai, a distinctive physical trait that she goes to great lengths to hide in her quest for revenge. Mizu’s skills quickly make her a lot of powerful enemies, even though her greatest secret is that she’s a woman, despite passing herself off as a man. She also tends to leave behind a lot of collateral damage in her wake, because she lets nothing get between her and her deadly goal.

Genre: Anime, Drama
Stars: Maya Erskine, Masi Oka, Brenda Song, Darren Barnet
Seasons: 1

Castlevania: Nocturne

Richter Belmont and Maria Renard in key art for Castlevania: Nocturne.
Netflix

The first Castlevania anime was a crossover hit for Netflix that appealed to fans of the video games that inspired it, as well as horror and animation lovers. Castlevania: Nocturne, picks up a few centuries later and thrusts the story into the middle of the French Revolution. With Dracula out of the picture, the Vampire Queen, Erzsebet Báthory (Franka Potente), is planning an apocalypse that could bring about the end of the world.

It’s going to take some new heroes to defeat Báthory, including Richter Belmont (Edward Bluemel), Maria Renard (Pixie Davies), and a former slave-turned-sorceress named Annette (Thuso Mbedu). Each of the trio has a personal stake in this conflict, but none more than Richter. A vampire killed Richter’s mother, Julia Belmont (Sophie Skelton), and he wants his revenge.

Genre: Fantasy, Horror
Stars: Edward Bluemel, Pixie Davies, Thuso Mbedu, Franka Potente
Seasons: 1

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

David and Lucy look at the Earth from the moon in a scene from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This edgy, high-octane anime series is inspired by the Cyberpunk 2077 video game, but you don’t need to know anything about its source material to appreciate the brutal, bonkers adventure it offers. The series follows a young street kid in the neon- and chrome-filled Night City who falls in with a crew of mercenaries and soon finds himself struggling to hold on to his humanity in a world obsessed with cybernetic augmentation.

Genre: Animation
Stars: n/a
Seasons: 1

Arcane

A character collage poster of the cast of Netflix's Arcane.
Image via Netflix

You don’t need to know anything about the League of Legends game franchise to enjoy this critically-acclaimed adult animated series set in a steampunk world where magic and technology shape the simmering relationship between a utopian metropolis and the oppressed city in its shadow.

Full of gorgeous animation and compelling characters, Arcane follows a pair of sisters whose tragic childhood puts them on opposite sides of the war to come, set against a stirring, powerful score. Once you dive into the first season, it’s difficult not to see it through to the end in one shot — which is probably why Netflix green-lit a second season premiering sometime in 2023.

For more info on the next season, please read everything we know so far about Arcane season 2.

Genre: Animated/Sci-fi
Stars: Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, Harold Lloyd
Seasons: 1

Editors' Recommendations

Blair Marnell

Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek Monthly, SYFY Wire, Superhero Hype, Collider, DC Universe, and the official sites for Star Trek and Marvel. He also lends his pop culture expertise to Digital Trends on a variety of TV, movie, and streaming features.

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Jenna Ortega in Miller's Girl.

It should come as no surprise that this year's hit rom-com Anyone But You has a stranglehold on the top slot of the list of the most popular movies on Netflix. But it is somewhat surprising to see Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver completely disappear from the list. That's going to make Rebel Moon – Part Three very unlikely to happen, and it may even discourage Netflix from committing extremely high budgets to its original sci-fi movies.

More tellingly, two of this week's new additions are modestly budget dramas: Miller's Girl and The Judge. The former features Wednesday's Jenna Ortega, while the latter has great lead performances by Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall. So it's not a mystery as to why both of those films are two of the top performers of the week.

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Saoirse Ronan and Beanie Feldstein in Lady Bird (2017)

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A man stands behind an old projector, his mouth agape and hand raised in a scene from UFO Factory on Hulu.

There's so much available to stream on Hulu that you might find it tough to choose. There are numerous Emmy-winning shows like The Bear and Dopesick, exciting network procedurals like Will Trent, and compelling new shows like Shōgun and We Were the Lucky Ones. No matter what you're in the mood to watch, you'll be able to find a quality show on Hulu.

When it comes down to decision time, however, narrowing down your watch list from all the available options can be tough. We have put together this list of the best shows on Hulu right now, and keep it consistently fresh so you'll always find something new. If you're looking for that show you forgot about but were meaning to watch, chances are if it's a thrilling drama or a hilarious comedy worth watching, we have it included here. Have a look and find a few shows to add to your watch queue.

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