Best TV Series To Watch On Netflix: Start With These
Best TV Series to Watch on Netflix: Start With These
The best TV series to watch on Netflix right now are Breaking Bad (98% Tomatometer), Better Call Saul (98%), Arcane: League of Legends (100%), The Chestnut Man (100%), and Stranger Things (90%). These critically-acclaimed shows span crime drama, animated fantasy, psychological thriller, and sci-fi horror, offering something for every viewer seeking elite storytelling quality.
Top 10 Highest-Rated Netflix Series (May 2026)
Based on Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer scores from May 2026, these series represent the cream of Netflix content with perfect or near-perfect critical approval:
| Rank | Series Title | Tomatometer | Genre | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Chestnut Man | 100% | Crime Thriller | 8 |
| 2 | Dark Winds | 100% | Crime Drama | 18 |
| 3 | Arcane: League of Legends | 100% | Animated Fantasy | 18 |
| 4 | Blood of Zeus | 100% | Animated Mythology | 16 |
| 5 | The Dragon Prince | 100% | Animated Fantasy | 27 |
| 6 | Supacell | 100% | Superhero Drama | 6 |
| 7 | Carol & the End of the World | 100% | Animated Comedy | 9 |
| 8 | Pokémon Concierge | 100% | Stop-Motion Comedy | 4 |
| 9 | Cyberpunk: Edgerunners | 100% | Animated Sci-Fi | 10 |
| 10 | Love on the Spectrum | 100% | Reality Documentary | 24 |
Must-Watch Premium Dramas
For viewers seeking character-driven masterpieces, these critically-celebrated dramas deliver exceptional writing and performances:
- Breaking Bad - Bryan Cranston's transformation from chemistry teacher to meth kingpin remains TV's greatest anti-hero story
- Better Call Saul - The prequel expands Vince Gilligan's universe with heartbreaking moral complexity
- The Crown - Peter Morgan's lavish monarchy drama spans six seasons with impeccable period detail
- The Queen's Gambit - Anya Taylor-Joy's chess prodigy story became Netflix's most-watched limited series with 96% Tomatometer
- When They See Us - Ava DuVernay's Central Park Five miniseries delivers overwhelmingly powerful truth
Best Netflix Original Series by Category
Organizing by genre helps you find exactly what matches your mood for tonight's watch session:
- Sci-Fi/Horror: Stranger Things (90%), Dark (95%), All of Us Are Dead (89%)
- Crime/Psychological: Ripley (86%), Lupin (98%), Top Boy (97%)
- Comedy: Derry Girls (99%), I Think You Should Leave (97%), Seinfeld (89%)
- Animation: Arcane (100%), BoJack Horseman (93%), Blue Eye Samurai (97%)
- Historical Drama: Bridgerton (83%), The Crown, Queen Charlotte (94%)
- International: Squid Game (86%), Kingdom (98%), Money Heist
New Releases Streaming in 2026
Netflix added 23 new critically-acclaimed series in early 2026, including Season 4 of Bridgerton and Beef Season 2 starring Oscar Isaac. Recent additions worth immediate attention include:
- Beef Season 2 - Road rage chaos with Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan (94% Tomatometer)
- One Day - Leo Woodall romance spanning decades (92% Tomatometer)
- Boy Swallows Universe - 1980s Brisbane coming-of-age (93% Tomatometer)
- One Piece - Live-action pirate adventure (93% Tomatometer)
Expert answers to Best Tv Series To Watch On Netflix Start With These queries
What is the #1 best show on Netflix right now?
The Chestnut Man holds the #1 spot with a perfect 100% Tomatometer score as of May 2026, featuring Danish detectives hunting a killer linked to chestnut figurines at murder scenes.
Which Netflix series has the highest critical rating?
Six series share 100% Tomatometer: The Chestnut Man, Dark Winds, Arcane, Blood of Zeus, The Dragon Prince, and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
What are the best Netflix original dramas?
Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, The Crown, The Queen's Gambit, and When They See Us represent the highest-quality original dramas with 96-98% scores.
Are there good Netflix series for binge-watching?
Yes-limited series like The Queen's Gambit (7 episodes), Unbelievable (8 episodes), and Ripley (8 episodes) offer complete stories in one weekend.
What international series should I watch on Netflix?
Squid Game (Korea), Kingdom (Korea), Lupin (France), Dark (Germany), and Derry Girls (Northern Ireland) deliver global storytelling excellence.
