Best TV Shows on Netflix in 2023

Looking for the best TV shows on Netflix? With 2021 on the doorstep, it's time to start making those early 2021 lists. So what better way to kick 2021 than the best TV shows available to binge-watch on Netflix?

The list includes newly added shows like The Serpent and Alice in Borderland (what did you expect for a website called Borderpolar?).

You'll also find plenty of classics in our best Netflix show choices too.

Hannibal, Mindhunter, Broadchurch, and Breaking Bad are just some of the series we all love. Check out our list of the best Netflix TV shows in the US below.

Make sure to be in good mental shape while watching some of these shows. They can wear you down.

Maid (2021)

Arguably the best TV show on Netflix in 2021 and one that remains a must-watch this year too. Maid touches on the sensitive subject of domestic violence and its reproduction from generation to generation.

Margaret Qualley (Alex) and Andie MacDowell (Paula) deliver great performances as extraordinary daughter-mother combinations. We follow Alex's struggle to escape the circle of violence with the system against her.

Seasons on Netflix: 1

Chestnut Man/Kastanjemanden (2021)

Two detectives hunt for the killer linked to a missing child of a politician after finding a chestnut figurine left at the scene of a grisly murder. A Danish title, gruesome crimes, and politics. In case you haven't guessed it already the masterminds behind Chestnut Man are the creator of the Killing (Forbrydelsen) and it definitely delivers the same feel in a more modern setting.

If you love the Scandinavian crime TV show scene you are going to love Chestnut Man as it serves the genre well.

Seasons on Netflix: 1

Squid Game (2021)

How can something so hyped-up be underhyped? Netflix's Squid Game is a fantastic show, especially for those who like Korean revenge dramas (e.g., Oldboy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Lady Vengeance). One could argue that it bears several similarities with Alice in Borderlands, which also made our list.

In Squid Game, hundreds (456) of broke players end up in a structure located on a remote island in South Korea. Inside the structure, they compete in children's games and what awaits them is a valuable prize. But the stakes are incredibly high. Losing in the Squid Game means death. Squid Game has now stormed into Roblox superstardom too!

Seasons on Netflix: 1

Narcos

Narcos is a masterpiece among Netflix Originals and one of the most suspenseful TV shows. Follow Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian, Game of Thrones) as Javier Peña and Boyd Holbrook as Steve Murphy, two DEA agents trying to take down Colombia's biggest drug cartels. Pablo Escobar's Medellin Cartel and the Cali Cartel. Narcos is a highly addictive and 100% binge-worthy TV show. Get ready for a ruthless show where the bad guys always win. Well, almost… And then, there's always the CIA steering something in Latin America. One of the best shows on Netflix and even beyond the platform.

Seasons on Netflix: 3

Narcos: Mexico

After watching Narcos, the first thing you want to do is check if Narcos: Mexico is worth watching. Yes, it is –100%. At the same time, it doesn't reach the heights of Narcos – for the most part. Narcos: Mexico delivers an equally talented cast with Diego Luna as Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, a drug trafficker and visionary. Witness a man creating an empire from nothing by establishing the Guadalajara cartel while the DEA goes head-on with him. And you will eventually meet Scoot McNairy in the plot, the narrator in Narcos and Narcos: Mexico.

Seasons on Netflix: 2

The Serpent

A new entry in the Netflix Originals follows Tahar Rahim as Charles Sobhraj, a man known in Asia as “the Serpent.” A very chilling story of a serial killer entirely different than others. On the outside, Charles Sobhraj looked “perfect,” Hannibal Lecter perfect, while targeting Western tourists following the hippie trail in South Asia, particularly Thailand. One way to experience ‘The Serpent” is to lecture on what can happen when racism and a personality disorder meet each other. Nevertheless, get ready for a disturbing experience if you jump in.

Season on Netflix: 1

Alice in Borderland

Alice in Borderland is based on the homonymous Japanese suspense manga series written and illustrated by Haro Aso. Three delinquent Japanese gamers end up in a parallel Tokyo Universe from a public restroom, where they have to compete in a survival game.  A full of violence for the holiday and a manga adaptation for a holiday?

“Once you pass the borderline, there is no going back.”

The 8-episode first season will get you hooked.

Seasons in Netflix: 1

The Queen's Gambit

Beth Harmon; or Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch, Peaky Blinders). You either fell in love with her or wanted to be like her. Whether you like chess or not, you will enjoy The Queen's Gambit because it makes even chess look attractive on the screen. Not to bash at chess, but it's quite a boring game to the average person. Beth is a child prodigy who learns chess from a janitor at an orphanage. And then goes on to challenge a male-dominated chess scene. She becomes obsessed with chess, and her life ends up in a constant cycle between chess and addiction.

Anya Taylor-Joy does a fantastic job bringing to life a character that seems to suffer from something that looks very similar to a borderline personality disorder. You won't get bored following Beth Harmon's struggles and triumphs in what is one of the best TV shows of 2020 and a personal favorite for me.

In this seven-episode miniseries, which you might devour in a single day, you will also witness moments of outstanding cinematography in one of the best shows to watch in 2021. A Netflix Original at its best!

Seasons on Netflix: 1

Hannibal

Netflix US has added all three seasons of Hannibal to stream, and what you should expect is a masterpiece of artistic crime brilliance. While Hannibal was canceled after season 3, that doesn't matter: this is the best adaptation of Thomas Harris' books about cannibal Hannibal Lecter, and you will get a complete story. FBI profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) works closely with psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) to solve serial killer cases. At the same time, Lecter commits murders of the highest artistic form behind the scenes.

However, what starts as a stand-alone artistic sequence becomes a more complex, serialized show in season 2. In season 3, which adapts the Red Dragon story, Hannibal becomes extraordinarily avant-garde, crafting a grotesque and gory affair between Graham and Lecter. Hannibal is filmography at its absolute best; there is no better way to put it.

Seasons on Netflix: 3

Sherlock

Sherlock has reached a point where it is borderline acceptable as the best TV series to watch on Netflix. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman's sole existence, though, as 21st century Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are enough of a reason to watch it. Not that the show does not hold its merit. It's a Sherlock Holmes adaptation, after all.

Sherlock consists of four three-episode seasons where each episode is more of a feature film. Season 1 will make you think that you are on to something brilliant. By the end of Season 2, you will be wondering whether this is one of the best shows you have ever watched. In season 3, there is a visible decline, and in Season 4, you will start wondering about the show's direction.

And yet there is so much excellent TV in Sherlock that I think it's still very deserving of a spot on this list.

Seasons on Netflix: 4

Broadchurch

Another British crime show on the list, Broadchurch, is a personal favorite and delivers straight-out excellence. The show follows Alec Hardy (David Tennant) as he tries to solve the murder of a young boy in a small coastal town in the UK. From there, a story of mistrust and the struggles of the local community and protagonists will unravel. David Tennant delivers another breathtaking performance, accompanied by Olivia Colman.

Broadchurch is fantastic and very unsettling and real at the same time. British TV at its best.

Seasons on Netflix: 3

Breaking Bad

If you are looking at this list, you have probably already watched Breaking Bad. If not, you now know where to start. A high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine to secure his family's future. Sounds dull, huh?

Breaking Bad is a slow show, but the acting and storytelling are spectacular. It is also filled with so many fascinating characters that lead Vince Gilligan to create another show on this list, Better Call Saul –Breaking Bad is a testament to excellent narration and how to navigate a very compelling plot. To be clear, Breaking Bad is not just one of the best TV shows on Netflix. It's one of the best TV shows, plain and simple.

Seasons on Netflix: 5

Better Call Saul

Better Call Saul brings to life the trials and struggles of criminal lawyer Jimmy McGill as he slowly turns to his alternate persona, Saul Goodman. Expect compelling storytelling in this show as more of the “bad guys” from Breaking Bad join the scene. You wouldn't be disappointed with this one if you enjoyed its big brother.

Seasons on Netflix: 5

Mindhunter

David Fincher. Or, to be more precise, David Fincher at his best. Mindhunter is a psychological crime thriller TV show following two FBI agents, Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), as they establish the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit. The show focuses on behavioral science to perform social profiling of serial killers in the 70s, such as David Berkowitz, Ed Kemper, Dennis Rader, Jerry Brudos, and Charles Manson.

If your mental health and guts can handle it, Mindhunter will reward you with its very unsettling storytelling, so it's one of the best shows to watch on Netflix.

Seasons on Netflix: 2

The Last Dance

The Last Dance arrived with a bang in 2020, and unfortunately, it was a one-and-done document. Waiting for a new TV show episode is not a rare phenomenon. Waiting so eagerly for new episodes of a documentary is certainly not often the case. But “The Last Dance” is so addictive, well-made, flawless that there was no other choice. And with the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan, and Scottie Pippen at their best, we were doomed to get stuck before starting.

The Last Dance is not perfect, but it's a chance to relive the GOAT's legacy, so it's a must-watch for every NBA fan. One of the best Netflix shows to watch in 2021 if you haven't already.

Seasons on Netflix: 1

Master of None

Master of None follows the personal and professional challenges that face a 30-year-old New York actor, whose trials range from the immigrant experience to what pasta he should eat for dinner. Aziz Ansari is brilliant, and it shows here, too, in a show he co-created and stars on. Master of None is getting a Season 3 too, so it's a good time to watch and get ready for it!

Seasons on Netflix: 2

Lovesick

The show that once was called “Scrotal Recall.” Instead, I'd go with “Lovesick,” A comedy about a man who learns he has an STD and must tell his former sexual partners about his condition. Lovesick is a brilliant British comedy and one of my favorite comedies on Netflix. Highly enjoyable, and you will get a terrific laugh out of it. If you are feeling down, watch it asap. It is a very romantic little gem in TV shows, and the performances from its lead actors are brilliant and very charming –a very refreshing British gig.

Seasons on Netflix: 2

This concludes our list of best TV shows on Netflix, but stay tuned as we will keep updating the list as more shows come out with our best picks!

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