It’s not your imagination: every week Netflix gives us a handful of reasons to stay inside and avoid all social interaction. From spectacular and unexpected original movies to TV series that blow the doors off the hype train, everyone’s favorite streaming company has given us a lot to binge over the past few months. Comedies, dramas, true crime documentaries – you name it and Netflix has provided it. But better than simply providing us with content, the content this year has been an embarrassment of riches.
Though the year isn’t even half over yet, the sheer amount of life-changing originals that Netflix has given us already is staggering. So how is one expected to sift through all of these originals and live a healthy life full of streaming AND going outside? Well, we recommend just giving up on going outside and focusing on the streaming. Because on that end, we at Screen Rant are here to help you decide which of Netflix’s newest originals are worth obsessing over.
With so much greatness available to stream and so little time to stream it, here’s the 15 Best New Netflix Originals, Ranked.
15. Luke Cage
When Marvel and Netflix brought us Luke Cage, and it's safe to say no one's looking back on the state of superhero TV anymore.
Gritty yet fun, badass yet funny, Luke Cage was everything fans wanted from the character ever since we were promised a movie decades ago. The series combined Netflix's skill for creating bingeworthy TV while also showing off Marvel's flare for action, and that made us consume its 13 episodes way too quickly. But with the heroes' Netflix show tying into the Defenders, fans of Luke Cage can expect even more from the hero for hire very soon.
14. Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
If you’ve seen Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency then you know it’s weird. If you haven’t seen Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency then you should know based on the title alone that it’s weird. Whichever way you look at Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency it’s gonna end up being weird, and that’s exactly what makes this the perfect Netflix show for your next binge.
Created by Max Landis based on the novel by Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently is the type of comedically unhinged, sci-fi tinged detective series that you’re not getting enough of in your daily life. And that’s because shows like this don’t come around very often. Focusing on a “holistic” detective – i.e. a man that solves strange cases via unconventional means and a dash of mind-reading – the series stars Samuel Barnett as the titular character and Elijah Wood as his sidekick. One part Sherlock, 100 parts insanity, Dirk Gently brings clever writing, quirky direction, and great acting together into a truly special Netflix Original Series.
13. The Discovery
The Discovery was Netflix’s biggest movie release to date back when it debuted in March, and with stars Jason Segel and Rooney Mara on board it was all set to generate the same buzz as the hottest Netflix Original Series. But then… nothing. A sci-fi thriller about what happens when an afterlife is unequivocally proven to exist, The Discovery ironically was discovered by no one and never discussed once it hit Netflix.
To say that more people should have watched The Discovery is an understatement. Considering that Netflix is spending subscribers’ money to land blockbuster titles, it makes sense that subscribers should want to check out the films their money is going towards. But buzz failed to generate for the movie and it just kind of died on arrival, with no afterlife to be seen. And though the movie wasn’t as spectacular, revolutionary, or entertaining as it could have been based on the premise, it’s still a solid movie that’s perfect for enjoying on a Saturday night in front of the TV.
12. Casting JonBenet
If there are two things Netflix does well, they are gripping true crime documentaries and quirky takes on classic genres. So when it was announced that Netflix would be bringing us Casting JonBenet, a quirky take on the classic true crime documentary genre, we all got excited. And then, since Netflix loves to make us happy, our excitement was paid off when we streamed the final product.
Casting JonBenet is a fascinating look at a missing persons case that many of us know all too well. But the fascinating thing about this docudrama is the new spin that director Kitty Green takes on the material. Rather than having interviews with people involved and showing re-enactments, Casting JonBenet is actually a documentary about the making of a JonBenet Ramsey film. With clips from prospective actors (from JonBenet’s hometown) auditions as well as their interviews regarding the case, the film is truly fascinating from start to finish. What results from the innovative experiment is one of Netflix’s finest documentaries in a library full of them.
11. Gilmore Girls
When Gilmore Girls came back in the form of four films each representing one season, Gilmore Girl fans were so excited that they couldn’t even speak at a normal pace. Or maybe that’s just the side-effect when people watch too much Gilmore Girls, as the series’ infamously quick, snappy dialogue has transfixed fans over the years as much as the tender relationship between the show’s two main characters. Nonetheless, the show made a triumphant return to Netflix and everything that fans loved had finally returned, but something else happened along the way.
As it turned out, Netflix’s Gilmore Girls was still enjoyable as hell to people who had never seen the original series and simply wanted some comforting TV in the age of…well, you know how crappy the last few months have been. Bringing audiences back to a simpler time in a charming little town, Gilmore Girls was the Netflix Original that no one knew they needed and yet were incredibly thankful to have.
10. Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return
Speaking of long-dead TV series making their return in the form of a Netflix series, how about Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return? The geeky cult hit has finally made it back from its long trip in TV purgatory, and it seems that all of the series’ infamous humor, charm, sarcasm, and nerdiness has made the trip back with it.
If you don’t know what Mystery Science Theatre 3000 is, but you keep hearing about it, an explanation won’t really do you much good. Technically the series lampoons various old sci-fi movie classic via heckling shadow-figures in a movie theater – but that’s not really a great way to sell a TV series. In reality, all anyone needs to know about MST3K is that the show is a geek’s paradise, and everything about it is lovingly crafted, filled with fun cameos, and perfect for binging on those late nights when Prestige TV is burning your eyes and you just need something to laugh about.
9. Anne with an E
Who ever thought that in this day and age – a cynical 2017 where every celebrity is basically dead and the 24-hour news cycle is a horror show – a series about a red-haired Canadian orphan girl in the 1890s would be a breakout Netflix Original hit. Well, that’s the reality we now live in, and you better get used to the hype, because Anne with an E is a damn good show, and it’s absolutely not what you think.
Everyone has some type of expectations about what an Anne of Green Gables show should be, but Anne with an E shatters those expectations by going surprisingly dark and cinematic with the story. Though still filled with the optimism and hope, the Netflix series is something you can’t wait to binge, simply because every episode takes your expectations and throws them out the quaint shuttered window and into the gently swaying wheat-field below.
8. The Keepers
It’s been a while since Netflix wowed everyone with Making A Murderer, and now they’re finally feeding our true crime obsession again with The Keepers. Filled with twisty plot-threads and sneaky reveals, this true crime docu-series is exactly what Netflix was made for. Turn on one episode and get drawn into the world of Sister Cathy, then find yourself seven hours later with your mouth wide open and starting Episode 1 from the beginning again.
Simply put, The Keepers is everything a true crime series should be. Engrossing and heartbreaking, filled with mystery and dread, The Keepers does a great job of serving up points of the murder case without rehashing or dragging things out in the same way that Making A Murderer often did. With a case as engrossing as this and answers still difficult to find, The Keepers may be the newest Netflix Original on this list, but it’s definitely going to be one that people are talking about for the longest time.
7. The Crown
The Crown is a big deal. It’s insanely expensive to make, it covers a topic that the whole world knows well but not nearly well enough, it features big name-brand actors, and it’s damn good television. For every Netflix subscriber on every side of the pond, The Crown is the must-watch show that even the hardest to please TV fans will find themselves drooling over.
When The Crown premiered hype was understandably high, but no one was really sure what to make of a show about the Queen of England. Would it be stuffy and boring? Well-produced but conservative and tame? No, no, no, and no. The Crown is everything a Prestige TV show should be, and there’s no doubt that as House of Cards and Orange is the New Black both fade away, The Crown will be Netflix’s biggest draw. The only question remains, after one season, is it too early to make a joke about this being Netflix’s crowning achievement? We don’t think so.
6. The OA
When The OA had its surprise debut in December, no one really knew what to expect. After all, Netflix likes to release it's originals after months of hype, so when viewers stumbled on the new mystery-thriller in their Netflix library, they were understandable thrilled and mystified. And that turned out to be the exact proper feeling for Netflix to generate, because The OA wound up being a show unlike any other, and after seeing its entire first season we still have no idea what happened. Not that we're complaining.
The OA is the type of show that could only find a home on Netflix, and that makes us proud Netflix subscribers. Filled with bold storytelling and risky narrative choices, the series plays in the sci-fi, faith, thriller, mystery, and even comedy genre from time to time, and it makes for a fascinating watch. Made to be binged from beginning to end, The OA is one of Netflix's best new originals simply because it's exactly that: original.
5. I Don't Feel At Home in This World Anymore
You may know I Don't Feel At Home in This World Anymore as being that movie with the long title that Netflix keeps recommending you. And while the title may be long, there's a reason that Netflix thinks you'll like this indie thriller. And the reason is because it's a damn good movie.
Like the best indies, I Don't Feel... (you can fill in the rest) is unexpected in all the right places, while remaining thoughtful and action-packed despite its small budget. Managing to do just about everything a great movie can, while also having a bonkers ending, the film is perfect for those nights in front of Netflix with a large group of people that don't agree on anything. Considering the quality of I Don't Feel... and the sheer amount of tones that it successfully utilizes throughout it's running time, there's guaranteed to be something for everything in this movie with the long title that Netflix keeps recommending you.