1. Stranger Things
A rollicking, endearing '80s pastiche that leans deep into its inspirations – a little John Carpenter here, some (ok, a lot of) Steven Spielberg there, a dollop of Stephen King with a dash of Red Dawn – Stranger Things took off thanks in no small part to its neo-Goonies cast of Dungeons & Dragons-obsessed kids highlighted by Millie Bobby Brown's telekinetic Eleven. With its creepy parallel-dimension threat, underbelly teeming with mad scientists and commies, genuinely chilling horror moments and penchant for cliffhangers, the show all but perfected the binge-watch model.Part of the joy has been watching its young stars grow, but the adults evolve marvelously too, particularly Winona Ryder and David Harbour, who bring gravitas to the proceedings. Season 4 is currently in production after last season expanded the scope beyond the small town of Hawkins, Indiana. It can't arrive fast enough.
2. The Crown
The story of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign has landed countless wins on the awards circuit since its first season aired in 2016 – and for good reason. The writing is excellent, the acting wonderful and the cinematography outstanding, all contributing to the creation of a show appreciated even by those usually loath to give historical dramas a chance.
3. BoJack Horseman
A showbiz comedy about a self-destructive '90s sitcom star who happens to be a horse isn't exactly an easy sell. BoJack is, after all, a show about humanoid animals that's also a stark meditation on the nature of depression, greed, addiction, fame, obsession, abuse and generational trauma. Against all odds, it’s one of the funniest shows on television, rife with visual gags and acidic turns of phrase and unafraid to go to dark places and rebound with moments of tenderness.
Miraculously, the show stuck the landing, going out on a high note with the reflective, heartbreaking season 6. BoJack will make you cry. Whether it's due to laughter or its gut-punch narrative – again, about a talking horse – depends on what episode you're watching.
4. Squid Game
An outta-nowhere smash, this South Korean series exploded up the Netflix streaming ranks upon release in 2021 to become the most-watched show in the platform’s history. It’s a feat made all the more astounding given the subject matter. Effectively a more overtly class-conscious – and way more violent – take on The Hunger Games, the show centres around a contest in which financially desperate competitors are made to participate in a series of children’s games. The winner stands to earn a significant cash prize and the losers are killed off one by one. It’s hard to watch at times, due to both the gore and hyperventilating suspense, but once its hooks set in, it’s impossible to turn away from.
5. Orange is the New Black
Netflix’s most-watched original series changed the game from episode one. Though subsequent seasons had their flaws, from the beginning OITNB wooed us all with its smart writing and memorable characters. Ultimately it’s up to you whether you consider it a drama or a comedy – after all, it’s won an Emmy for both.
6. Master of None
Aziz Ansari's wry, ruminative, artistic tale of an Indian-American actor dating, eating and accessorising his way through New York City was a sensation upon its release in 2015, then it disappeared for five years following its Italian neorealism-inspired second season.
This year, it returned, with Ansari behind the camera instead of in front and focused on Lena Waithe's supporting character, Denise, as she hunkered down with her wife in the countryside. The narrative shift was jarring, but also a beautiful character study, proving that Ansari's gift for storytelling extends well beyond the semi-autobiographical.
7. Lupin
Omar Sy’s master-thief Assane Diop may be the most effortlessly charismatic man on TV just now. The world has been slow to catch up on the stylish adventures of French literary hero Arsène Lupin – think Thomas Crown’s light fingers combined with Sherlock Holmes’s smarts – but Netflix’s smash-hit two-parter, in which Diop channels Lupin in the name of revenge, has brought the non-French-speaking world right up to speed. Even the subtitle-averse will get a major kick out of its super-sexy Parisian backdrops and hairpin plot twists.
8. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Kimmy Schmidt will help fill that 30 Rock-sized hole in your DVR and leave you wishing you had Tina Fey as your therapist. Crafted by Fey and brought to life by the perfectly-cast Ellie Kemper, chipper Kimmy comments on modern society with the innocence of a child and the experiences of an adult (an adult locked in a bunker for most of her life, that is) to make you wonder just how we let some things in the world get so weird.
9. Russian Doll
Sweet birthday baby! In this dramedy, creator-director Natasha Lyonne stars as a game developer stuck in a Groundhog’s Day-esque time-loop scenario, forced to live the same day over and over again, until she discovers her circumstance is not quite as unique as it seems. With its not-wholly-necessary second season, the show seems trapped in a time loop of its own, but the first season is excellent on its own. Plenty of movies and series have explored similar existential themes using the same conceit, but few of them are as smart and soulful.
10. Ozark
Ozark has been relatively slow at capturing the attention and devotion of Netflix's audience, but it's now considered to be one of the best crime dramas of recent TV history. Jason Bateman is a financial advisor that moves his family from Chicago to Missouri after a money laundering scheme gone bad. The crime and the drama don't end after the move: expect the Mexican drug cartel and local criminals to make appearances in what often feels like a more dour Breaking Bad… which is really saying something.