Netflix’s Stranger Things has been a sensation since its first season was released in July 2016. Since then, it has garnered a cult following and its original cast has developed flourishing careers, in part thanks to the show kick-starting their careers.
While Stranger Things is one of the most popular Netflix shows at the moment, there are certainly other series, whether hidden gems or other wildly popular shows, that deserve recognition for being better. Whether they’re only a hint above, or their difference in quality is noticeable, and whether they’re better in all aspects, or just in parts, there are some Netflix shows that are simply of better quality than Stranger Things as it approaches its final season.
10 Mike Flanagan's Haunting Anthology Is A Perfect Mix Of Horror And Drama
Mike Flanagan’s famous Haunting anthology series, beginning with The Haunting of Hill House and followed by The Haunting of Bly Manor, is one of Netflix’s shining stars and has afforded Flanagan with the opportunity to continue working with Netflix on other series. Both installments are wrought with intense and emotional performances that are masterfully combined with the horror elements from the novels the stories are loosely adapted from.
The horror in both seasons is intense, with most fans agreeing that Hill House is the more frightening installment while Bly Manor is the more emotional, thanks to the heart-wrenching performances from the likes of Victoria Pedretti, Amelia Eve, T’Nia Miller, Rahul Kohli, and the rest of the talented ensemble.
9 Narcos Is A Realistic Depiction Of Columbian Cartels
Narcos had a three-season run on Netflix from 2015 to 2017. The first two seasons followed Pablo Escobar’s rise as one of the most famous kingpins in the history of drug trafficking, along with his interactions with DEA agents.
Narcos received positive reviews that increased with each season, the third being the most highly applauded. This makes sense, as the first season was mainly used to establish the context of the show early on, and once it could really bite into the action, the opportunities for the characters to show off their impressive acting and the show’s tight and action-packed writing.
8 Jason Bateman Takes On Acting, Directing, And Producing Duties In Ozark
Ozark completed its final season in April 2022 in spectacular fashion and is one of the most popular Netflix shows to come out in recent years. It follows Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman), as he moves his family to the Ozarks to launder money to make amends with people in the Mexican Cartel, whom he owes money due to a previous, failed money-laundering operation.
Bateman also worked on the show as an executive producer and director. Throughout the show’s run, it received a total of thirty-two Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations.
7 Black Mirror Mixes Up Genres For Fans Of Anthologies
For fans of anthology series, Black Mirror is a go-to on Netflix. Each episode is a different story, with some, like “San Junipero” and “Hang the DJ” being heartwarming while others, like “The National Anthem” and “Shut Up and Dance” being some of the most shocking viewing experiences on the streaming service.
While there hasn’t been a new season since 2019, the show has been greenlit for a new season on Netflix, and there has been talk of possible sequels and film adaptations to certain episodes.
6 Love, Death & Robots Is David Fincher's Current Project
Another anthology series that has become a hit for Netflix, Love, Death & Robots features episodes where each installment is under twenty-two minutes and all are produced by a different cast and crew. The show’s executive producers include David Fincher and Tim Miller, who created the show as a re-imagining of an animated sci-fi film that they initially intended on developing.
The most recent season was released in May 2022, and as with the previous seasons, has received positive reviews, though the newest season is being lauded as the best yet, currently sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
5 Midnight Mass Is Classic Mike Flanagan
Another collaboration between Mike Flanagan and Netflix is his standalone series, Midnight Mass. While the series features many returning actors from his Haunting anthology, this series is in no way related to that universe, though it can still hold up against it in terms of horror and emotional writing. The series is also reminiscent of Flanagan’s staples in his work, including poignant monologues and intense imagery.
Many viewers have compared this series to the works of Stephen King, despite King having no involvement in the show's writing. It’s not a stretch to say that Flanagan was inspired by King’s work, however, since Flanagan has adapted two of King's novels in the past; Doctor Sleep and Gerald’s Game.
4 Maniac Flew Under The Radar
Maniac is a limited series starring Jonah Hill and Emma Stone that flew under the radar upon its release in 2018, but is a mind-bending sci-fi show that deserves more acclaim. In the series, Hill and Stone are two participants in a pharmaceutical drug trial in a semi-futuristic New York.
Despite its limited publicity, Maniac was met with positive reviews. Hill and Stone give impressive performances and the interesting premise keeps viewers involved throughout the whole series. While this show isn’t as well known as other Netflix series, it certainly has the same high quality.
3 Gerard Way Wrote The Umbrella Academy
Based on Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá’s comic of the same name, The Umbrella Academy is currently one of Netflix’s top series with a highly anticipated upcoming season. The series features an ensemble cast including Robert Sheehan, Elliot Page, Aidan Gallagher, and many more talents that carry the show’s enigmatic humor that easily translates from the popular Dark Horse comic.
The show follows a group of adopted superhero siblings as they work together as a family, albeit an incredibly dysfunctional one, to prevent an imminent apocalypse. According to Netflix, The Umbrella Academy is one of the most viewed shows on the platform.
2 Dark Is Netflix's First German Series
Dark is a German science-fiction series that had a three-season run from 2017 to 2020. The show follows a fictional town’s response to a child’s disappearance as some inhabitants try to get to the bottom of the mystery. The show proceeds to delve into time travel and the connections and secrets various members of the town have via different places in time.
Some fans have compared the show to Stranger Things, citing the heady sci-fi and suspenseful, complex writing as well as the young leads’ impressive performances.
1 The Queen's Gambit Made Chess Popular
Considered the breakout role of Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen’s Gambit was a viral success for Netflix upon its 2020 release. The limited series is based on the 1983 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis and follows Beth Harmon (Taylor-Joy) on her rise as a chess prodigy while working through life as an orphan and the struggles that came from her early childhood.
The Queen’s Gambit is one of Netflix’s most-watched shows and its virality resulted in a surge in the public’s interest in chess. It has been nominated for numerous awards, and Anya Taylor-Joy in particular was awarded several accolades for her performance in the miniseries.