Best TV series on Netflix in November 2024
If we were to name every single series currently available on Netflix, we’d be here all day. Luckily, we don’t need to name every single series - just some of the best ones! Here’s 25 that should be on your watch-list right now.
Breaking Bad
Drama | Crime
Summary:Walter White, a science teacher, has just learned that he has cancer. In a bid to pay for his medical bills, he turns to a life of crime, cooking meth and selling it. He soon gets the taste for it, and with the help of his former pupil, Jesse Pinkman, gets into life-threatening scrapes as he navigates the criminal underworld. All the while, he tries to keep his brother-in-law who works for the DEA from figuring out his secrets. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul star.
Why you should watch: They really don’t get much better than this. Breaking Bad grew into a global phenomenon when it was first released, and it’s still regularly in the ‘best tv shows of all time’ conversation, over a decade on from its conclusion. The acting is genuinely some of the best you will ever see on television and the storylines will have you hooked. Plus, the final few episodes are some of the best things ever put to television. It is deserving of all the hype and more.
Available now
Better Call Saul
Crime | Drama
Summary:Set both before and after the events of Breaking Bad, this spin-of series follows Saul Goodman and his journey towards becoming the corrupt lawyer we all know and love. It also follows his life after the conclusion of Breaking Bad. Bob Odenkirk returns to play Jimmy McGill aka Saul, with Rhea Seehorn, Jonathan Banks, and Giancarlo Esposito all play important roles in the show too.
Why you should watch: It’s very rare that a spin-off is as good as its parent show, and it’s even rarer that it’s better than the show that birthed it. However, it can be argued that this is the case for Better Call Saul. Whatever made Breaking Bad so damn good and addictive is here in spade loads. And with the magnetic Odenkirk in the lead role, you’ll find it difficult to take your eyes away from the screen. One of the best tv shows of all time, let alone one of the best spin-offs. It’s a travesty of justice it never won an Emmy, despite being nominated 53 times.
Available now
Baby Reindeer
Drama
Summary:Netflix’s newest smash hit tells the story of Scottish comedian Donny, who is kind to a crying woman in a pub. However, he soon comes to regret it after she begins to stalk him. The stalking becomes more and more sinister, and soon enough, his whole life is crumbling around him. Comedian Richard Gadd plays Donny, with Jessica Gunning portraying his stalker, Martha.
Why you should watch: There’s a good reason why this show won Emmy’s recently and has raved about from all four corners of the globe. Baby Reindeer is fantastic. It’s funny and emotional, and deeply disturbing at times. It’s an intimate, sensitive look into the main character’s psyche and his complicated relationship with the woman making his life hell. Gunning is unnervingly brilliant as Martha and deserves all the awards. With a score of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, this is a show that should be at the top of your watchlist.
Available now
Squid Game
Action & Adventure | Mystery | Drama
Summary:This Korean drama follows a single father encountering money problems. In a bid to win millions, he takes part in the Squid Game. However, the children’s games that he has to take part in turn out to be horrific games where the losers get killed in increasingly brutal ways. Star Wars: The Acolyte star Lee Jung-jae leads.
Why you should watch: It’s one of the best foreign language dramas on the streamer at the moment, as it has been for the past three years. This series will shock you, it will make you watch through your hands, and it will break your heart. It is easily one of the best foreign language series on the streamer, and rightfully took the word by storm when it was first released. If you enjoyed it, there’s good news - another series is coming out in December, with a third season wrapping everything up after that. Chilling, brutal television - what more could you want.
Available now
Outer Banks
Action & Adventure | Drama | Mystery
Summary:This drama follows a group of teens living in the Outer Banks suburbs. When one teen’s dad goes missing, he enlists the help of her closest friends to embark on a journey to find his dad.. However, along the way, they stumble across some legendary treasure that might provide some answers as to where he is. Stranger Things star Chase Stokes, Glass Onion’s Madelyn Cline, and American Horror Stories actress Madison Bailey all lead the cast.
Why you should watch: There’s a good reason why Outer Banks regularly finds itself in conversations about the best that Netflix has to offer. It’s fun, it’s dramatic, it’s got mystery and intrigue, and it’s got enough there to keep you going back for more. As the Rotten Tomatoes website wrote: “Outer Banks' over-the-top melodrama is balanced out by a strong sense of adventure that's bound to hook those looking to capture that summer feeling”.
Available now
Stranger Things
Drama | Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Mystery | Action & Adventure
Summary:In a small town called Hawkins in the 1980s, 12-year-old Will Byers goes missing. Coinciding with his disappearance is the appearance of a young, mute girl called Eleven, who has powers beyond anyone’s comprehension. The series follows a group of teens as they embark on a mission to find their missing friend, as well as take on the forces of darkness invading our world from the nightmarish dark dimension of the Upside Down. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice star Winona Ryder leads a series which launched the careers of many, including Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Sadie Sink, Joseph Quinn, and Maya Hawke, to name but a few.
Why you should watch: Stranger Things is easily one of the most iconic things to come out of Netflix since it launched. It’s full of drama and horror and scares, and there’s plenty of mystery. Not only is there a new threat from the Upside Down to face every series, but there’s also the compelling mystery behind Eleven’s history and her origins too. The actors are great, and it’s no surprise that most of them have gone on to enjoy hugely successful careers in the last decade. It’s a series that will hook you and draw you in, leaving you desperate for more. The fifth and final season is currently in production and is expected to be released next year.
Available now
The Crown
Drama
Summary:The Crown follows the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II, from her early days on the throne and her marriage issues with Prince Philip, to her latter days in power. Major events from British and royal history are depicted, including the coronation, the wedding of Charles and Diana, the death of Diana, and the meeting of William and Kate, amongst much more. Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, and Imelda Staunton play the Queen in a cast that also contains the likes of Gillian Anderson, Matt Smith, Dominic West, Vanessa Kirby, Emma Corrin, Josh O’Connor, and many, many more.
Why you should watch: This is a series well worth investing your time into, whether you’re a fan of the royals or not. The series takes an honest, at times unflinching, look at their lives, and doesn’t shy away from the messy drama that happens behind closed doors. The acting is phenomenal too, and it’s no surprise that so many of the actors have been nominated for, and won, awards for their performances. It’s a fascinating series that covers the life of one of the greatest monarch’s in British history, and is endlessly watchable. Worth tuning in for.
Available now
Sex Education
Comedy | Drama
Summary:Otis Milburn’s mum is a sex therapist, but he has absolutely zero experience in the department. Despite this, he finds himself becoming his school’s resident sex therapist, as he helps his classmates out with their own sex, health, and relationship issues. The series also takes an honest look at gender and trans issues. Asa Butterfield leads, with the likes of Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa, Barbie’s Emma Mackey, Aimee Lou Wood, and Gillian Anderson amongst the impressive cast.
Why you should watch: Sex Education is another jewel in the Netflix crown. It’s funny, it’s heartwarming, and it’s so, so relevant. The characters are well-rounded and will instantly take a place in your heart. And the issues they’re dealing with are dealt with surprisingly deftly and sensitively for what is mainly a comedy/drama. It’s also no surprise that most of the main actors have gone on to enjoy much success in the last few years. A heartwarming joyride from start to finish, this is definitely one to watch, especially when you need a pick-me-up.
Available now
Bridgerton
Drama
Summary:Set in Regency-era London, Bridgerton follows the upper class of England romancing, falling in love, and attending a hell of a lot of parties and balls. Each series focusses on a different member of the Bridgerton family and their love story, from Daphne falling in love with Simon to Colin’s romance with Penelope Featherington. There’s also a prequel series about Queen Charlotte when she was younger. The series stars the likes of Nicola Coughlan, Jonathan Bailey, Adjoa Andoh, and Golda Rosheuvel.
Why you should watch: If you’re a fan of the book series, then you’re going to love this. And even if you’re not, the sheer amount of drama will make this a series that you just won’t be able to stop watching! The characters will take root in your heart, and you’ll be fully invested in their love stories almost immediately. It’s surprising how watching people going to balls and falling in love just doesn’t get boring! There’s another series on the way, which will be focussing on Benedict Bridgerton falling in love, so keep your eyes peeled for that one…
Available now
One Day
Drama
Summary:Based on the book of the same name, One Day follows the lives of Emma and Dexter. Every episode focuses on the same day - July 15 - every year, from 1988 to 2007. It charts their ups and downs, their relationships, and their own complicated friendship, which began with a snog at their graduation party. Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod lead the cast, which also features Tim McInnerney, Eleanor Tomlinson, and Essie Davis.
Why you should watch: If you want to be in floods of tears by the end of the episode, then be our guest and stick this on. Seriously, this is such a heartwarming, heartbreaking series that will have you praying for a happy ending. Woodall and Mod’s chemistry is electric, and you are rooting for them throughout. Rotten Tomatoes says it best: “Chronicling the passage of time with well-observed sweep, One Day is by turns giddy and somber but always swooningly romantic”.
Available now
Friends
Comedy
Summary:This sitcom follows a group of friends - who are in their 20s and 30s - living in Manhattan, New York. It follows them as they embark on a series of misadventures as they navigate life, relationships, sex, their careers, and much more. Jennifer Anisto, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, and the late Matthew Perry lead the cast.
Why you should watch: Have you even lived if you’ve never seen at least a bit of Friends? It’s one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time, and is still just as well loved now in 2024 as it was 30 years ago. Endlessly quotable with characters that’ll have you in stitches, Friends is the best thing you could watch if you’re down in the dumps. Or want to laugh. Or want to turn your brain off. Or want to to just watch something damn good. Great stuff.
Available now
Top Boy
Drama
Summary:Set in London, this series follows two drug dealers as they navigate the dangerous, gritty underworld of the capital. The series explores the tension between gangs, and between those who are engaging in criminal actives with those who just want to live honest lives. It also follows drug-dealer Dushane as he embarks on a journey to become his area’s so-called ‘Top Boy’. Ashley Walters leads the cast as Dushane, with Micheal Ward playing Jamie.
Why you should watch: It’s really no surprise that Top Boy has had some fantastic reviews since being released. The tension in each season is palpable, and despite Dushane and Jamie’s activities not exactly being morally right, you’ll find yourself rooting for them all the same. As The Independent once wrote, Top Boy is “seriously good television”.
Available now
Manifest
Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Mystery | Drama
Summary:Families are left devastated when a plane carrying their loved ones disappears. However, five years later, the plane inexplicably returns, but the people on it haven’t aged a day. The series follows them as they attempt to adjust to a world that has moved on, all whilst having to deal with unexplained visions of future events that plague them. Melissa Roxburgh, Josh Dallas, and Athena Karkanis star in this supernatural drama.
Why you should watch: It’s a hugely unique, interesting premise that is done and explored in a brilliant way that’ll keep you entertained and hooked throughout. The characters are worth falling in love with, and their journeys will hook you. The supernatural elements will also unsettle and intrigue you - leaving you with plenty of questions that you’ll be desperate to have answered throughout the series’ four season run.
Available now
Heartstopper
Drama
Summary:Based on the comic series of the same name, Heartstopper follows gay teen Charlie as he falls in love with his classmate, Nick, whom he sits next to in form. The series also explores the lives and relationships of their classmates. Agatha All Along star Joe Locke plays Charlie, with His Dark Materials actor Kit Connor playing Nick. Doctor Who star Yasmin Finney and The Crown’s Olivia Colman also stars in this coming-of-age drama.
Why you should watch: It’ll capture your heart instantly. Nick and Charlie’s budding romance is so sweet and heartwarming and truthful that you’ll find it hard to forget about this series once you’re done with it. The acting is brilliant, and it’s no surprise that a number of the cast have gone on to land big roles in TV and on Broadway (and win awards, such as Emmy’s). As Rotten Tomatoes describes it, the show is “an inclusive romance told with striking sensitivity, Heartstopper is so effortlessly charming that viewers won't dare skip a beat”.
Available now
The Diplomat
Drama | War & Politics
Summary:This political thriller follows Kate Wyler, an ambassador for the US currently working in the UK. In her role, she must navigate an international crisis, all whilst dealing with her suffering marriage with a well-known politician. Keri Russell leads a cast that also features the likes of Rufus Sewell, David Gyasi, and Rory Kinnear.
Why you should watch: Aside from being as highly bingeable series to watch, one of the biggest highlights about this show is Russell’s performance. The Rotten Tomatoes critics census describes it best, writing: “Keri Russell's scrappy performance negotiates the best possible terms for The Diplomat, a soapy take on statecraft that manages to make geopolitical crises highly bingeable entertainment”. The rest of the cast are great too, and you’ll find it a series that’s difficult to take a break from.
Available now
Emily in Paris
Drama | Comedy
Summary:Emily, an American marketing executive from the US transfers to Paris to begin her new role offering an American perspective at a marketing company in the French capital. Whilst there, Emily must navigate the cultural differences, as well as relationships, friendships, and her new job. Lily Collins leads the cast as Emily, with Ashley Park and Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu also starring.
Why you should watch: It’s a feel-good romance comedy with a great cast and “bubbly watchablilty” (Rotten Tomatoes). Collins was made for the role, and is incredibly watchable as Emily (despite the character’s annoying flaws). It’s an easily bingeable series, and you’ll find the hours slipping by as you forget to stop after the end of an episode. A lot of fluffy fun that will undoubtedly put you in a good mood afterwards.
Available now
The Lincoln Lawyer
Drama | Crime
Summary:Mickey Haller, a lawyer and recovering addict, runs his business out of the back of his Lincoln Navigator Town Car. He takes on cases both big and small across Los Angeles. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo leads the cast which also features the likes of Neve Campbell and How I Met Your Mother star Becki Newton.
Why you should watch: It’s a great concept with a great cast. Sure, some of it can be a bit silly, but why does everything need to be gritty and realistic and uber-dramatic? The Guardian gave it three stars, calling it “nonsense” that is “worth the watch”, which is quite the selling point, to be honest! It must be doing something right with three seasons, and there could be more on the way considering how the third season ended…
Available now
Nobody Wants This
Comedy | Drama
Summary:A relatively new addition to the Netflix catalogue, Nobody Wants This is about a newly single Rabbi and a sex podcaster who begin a romance together. They must navigate their new relationship whilst having wildly different lives and beliefs. And, to make matters more complicated, their families don’t approve of the relationship. The Good Place star Kristen Bell stars as Joanne, with The O.C star Adam Brody playing Noah.
Why you should watch: It’s just perfect if you want to have laugh. Both Bell and Brody are great, and their chemistry is so watchable that you’d think they’d known each other for years (and not the fact that they’re fictional characters). As Variety wrote: “Bell and Brody have easy, warm, infectious chemistry, lapsing into casual and convincing banter from the moment they lock eyes”. The Guardian gave it a rare five star rating too, describing the show as “funny, sweet, scabrous and romantic as comedy gets”. High, high praise indeed!
Available now
The Sandman
Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Drama | Action & Adventure
Summary:Based on the iconic comic series of the same name, The Sandman tells the story of Morpheus, the manifestation of dreams. When Morpheus is captured by a cult, his realm, The Dreaming, falls into ruin, and nightmares run wild in the waking world. After escaping, Morpheus embarks on a mission to regain control of his realm and bring order back to existence. Tom Sturridge plays the titular character, with the likes of Gwendoline Christie, David Thewlis, Jenna Coleman, and Stephen Fry also making appearances throughout the series.
Why you should watch: If you want something out there and downright weird, you’re in the right place. The Sandman is as fantastical as fantasy gets, and is complex, confusing, and at times, incomprehensible - but in a very good way. If you’re a fan of the comics, you’ll love it, and if you’re not, you’ll want to read them after. The cast is great, the story is bonkers, and there’s another series on the way! Best catch up now!
Available now
Peaky Blinders
Drama | Crime
Summary:Set in Birmingham just after the First World War, Peaky Blinders follows the Shelby family, a criminal gang who rule the roost in the Midlands. The six seasons follow them as they attempt to stay at the top of the food chain, as they take on gangs from other cities and countries, as well as evade the authorities. Cillian Murphy leads a cast which also features the likes of After the Flood’s Sophie Rundle, Gangs of London’s Joe Cole, and the late Helen McCrory.
Why you should watch: It’s easily one of the best things to come out of the BBC in the last 10 years, if not longer. It’s dramatic, it’s gripping, it’s got memorable characters, it’s full of action, and no-one is safe. The stakes are real and extremely high in every single episode, and that doesn’t stop until the very final episode. If you’ve already watched it all (watch it again) and are missing the Shelby family, fear not! A movie is currently being filmed which will be releasing on Netflix in the next year or so.
Available now
BEEF
Comedy | Drama
Summary:A road rage incident between a man and a woman soon evolves into becoming a full on, long-running feud. The feud brings out some of their worst impulses and consumes them. The Walking Dead star Steven Yeun stars, as does Ali Wong, who plays his rival, Amy.
Why you should watch: Surely the eight Emmy award wins and three Golden Globe wins for the show are enough to convince you to give this 10-part series a go. Not only is it very funny, but the acting in it is great too. The show has received some fantastic reviews from critics too, with The Guardian in particular being big fans. They branded it a “delicacy worth savouring” - and we can’t help but agree! A second season is on the way with Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan in the lead roles, which is very exciting!
Available now
3 Body Problem
Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Mystery | Drama
Summary:Based on the sci-fi book of the same name, 3 Body Problem follows a group of scientists as they come into contact with an extraterrestrial civilisation. This then leads to several threats and worldwide changes. The series stars Jovan Adepo, Game of Thrones actor John Bradley, Rosalind Chao, and Liam Cunningham.
Why you should watch: If you’ve ever read the book, you’ll have probably thought that a TV adaption of it was impossible. Well, guess what? You’re wrong. Somehow, they’ve managed it - and made it very good at the same time. Critics have praised the series since it’s release. The Nightly branded it “ambitious” and described it as “towering and crammed with big ideas about intellectual curiosity, exploration and our place in the universe while still managing to tell intimate stories about human relationships”. Sci-fi doesn’t get much better than this on Netflix.
Available now
Big Boys
Comedy | Drama
Summary:Set in 2013, Big Boys follows two uni students who live together. Jack, who is in his first year, has just lost his dad and is now exploring his sexuality for the first time. The show follows this journey. Derry Girls star Daniel Llywelyn plays Jack, with Sweetpea actor Jon Ponting playing his flatmate, Danny. Doctor Who star Camille Coduri and Katy Wix also feature.
Why you should watch: The series proved to be a hit with critics when it first came out. The Telegraph described it as “one of the most funny, tender, profound sad-happy comedies” of the year. They also added that it was “worth anyone's time”. The Guardian were equally as praiseworthy, drawing similarities with another coming-of-age Netflix show, Sex Education. Praise doesn’t get much better.
Available now
Derry Girls
Comedy | Drama
Summary:Set during the Troubles in Derry, this sitcom follows the lives of four girls and their male best friend as they navigate teenage life and get into hilarious scrapes and misadventures whilst studying at an all-girls Catholic school. The show launched the careers of its stars - Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Nicola Coughlan, Daniel Llywelyn, Louisa Harland, and Jamie-Lee O’Donnell.
Why you should watch: It’s funny - like, very funny - and very emotional at times too. It’s touching, heartwarming, will have you laughing one minute and drying your eyes the next. It’s one of the best comedies of the 21st century, and has achieved ‘icon status’ in a ridiculously short amount of time. As the Irish Times said: “The writing in Derry Girls is sublime, the performances perfect, the casting is brilliant”. When you’re being mentioned in the same breath as The inbetweeners and Father Ted, you know you’re doing something right.
Available now
The worst thing about this list is that there were so many fantastic shows that we had to leave out. It may be a clichéd thing to say, but you really are spoilt for choice with the amount of high-quality series currently available on Netflix. Comedy, drama, sci-fi, thrillers - there seriously is something for everyone, in every mood, ever!
