Netflix has become the most dominant streaming service of all-time, as the sheer number of subscriptions that it has earned easily dwarfs the competition from Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Hulu, Disney+, Apple TV+, Paramount Plus, Peacock, and others. Although there are many Netflix shows with some serious flaws, the streamer has produced some truly amazing television that ranksamong the best in recent memory.
Netflix has blurred the line between television and film, as it often hires actors to star in its projects who have more experience appearing on the big screen. Although television was once thought of as a “lesser” medium, it is currently in a position in which it is even more experimental than film due to the more expansive storytelling and artistic control given to showrunners and directors. Here are the ten best Netflix shows with great acting.
10‘Narcos’ (2015-2017)
Narcoswas one of the first Netflix shows to turn into a global sensation,as it offered a smarter and more incisive analysis of the South American cartel war than any other previously existing piece of media.Narcoswas at its best when it focused on the exploits of the dangerous criminal kingpin Pablo Escobar, who was played in a career-defining performance byWagner Moura.
Narcoshad a far more extensive supporting cast than it was given credit for, asPedro Pascalbecame a huge breakout of the serieswithin its first two seasons, and then took over as the lead hero in its third. Although the core series wrapped, the legacy was continued when the spinoff showNarcos: Mexicobecame a blockbuster in its own right, and created great roles forMichael Pena, Diego Luna,andScoot McNairyamong others.
9‘Ozark’ (2017-2022)
Ozarkis one of Netflix’s biggest series ever, as it both earned mind blowingly high viewership numbers and contended for many major trophies at the Primetime Emmy Awards each year. AlthoughJason Batemanhad previously been best known for playing sarcastic, self-effacing comedy roles, he completely subverted expectations by playing the cold, nasty cartel accountant Marty Byrde.
Ozarkwas a show that continuously gave great opportunities to its female characters, asLaura Linney’s terrifying role as Wendy, essentially the “Lady MacBeth” to Marty, became one of the best villains in recent television history; despite initially appearing to be a comforting maternal presence, Wendy goes to very dark places as she tries to protect both her family’s livelihood and criminal empire. The show also gaveJulia Garnerher breakout role as the defiant rogue Ruth Langmore,which earned her multiple Emmy Awards.
8‘The Queen’s Gambit’ (2020)
The Queen’s Gambitwas a sensational miniseriesthat took inspiration from real historyto tell an original story about a young chess prodigy who comes to represent her country during the height of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. AlthoughAnya Taylor-Joyhad proven herself to be one of the generation’s most exciting actresses with her work inSplitandThe Witch, her hypnotic, heartbreaking performance inThe Queen’s Gambitis easily the greatest of her career.
The Queen’s Gambithad a surprisingly robust supporting cast, as it made the case that chess was less of an individual sport than some may imagine.Bill Campgave a brief, yet powerful performance as a chess mentor, withThomas Brodie-Sangsteradding a great burst of charisma as a brilliant young player who finds himself vying for a major prize at an international competition.
The Queen’s Gambit
7‘Peaky Blinders’ (2013-2022)
Peaky Blindersbecame one of the biggest blockbuster shows of its time, as despite earning a great deal of attention when it first debuted on the BBC, the series exploded in viewership once it became available to viewers across the world on Netflix.
Peaky Blindersis the project that proved Cillian Murphy’s talents to the world, as Thomas Shelby is easily one of the greatest characters in television history; both a ruthless gangster and a unflinchingly loyal family man, Shelby is a terrifying characterwho is hard not to root for.The series became known for bringing in great actors to appear as villains, includingAdrien Brodyas an Italian gangster,Tom Hardyas a Jewish gangster,Sam Claflinas a terrifying Nazi politician, andFinn Coleas a ruthless younger member of the family that tries to usurp Tommy for a leadership position.
Peaky Blinders
6‘Ripley’ (2024)
Ripleyis one of the few television shows released on Netflix that truly feels “cinematic;”thanks to the incredible direction bySteven Zaillian,Ripleyboth looks and feels like a classicpiece of neo-noir mystery. However, the series also benefited fromAndrew Scott’s incredible performance as the titular character, which may be the single best interpretation ofPatricia Highsmith’s beloved source material.
Ripleyis able to shed more insight on the character of Dickie Greenlead, asJohnny Flynnsucceeds in giving a brisk, disaffected performance as a cynical expatriate. AlthoughDakota Fanningadded a more emotional component to the story that allowed it to become even more gripping,Ripleyfeatured some surprising cameos, including the great playwrightKenneth Lonerganas Dickie’s father, andJohn Malkovichas another con artist (which is amusing considering that Malkovich played Ripley inRipley’s Game).
5‘Midnight Mass’ (2021)
Midnight Massmay be the most ambitious projectwithin Mike Flanagan’s horror canon so far, as the nightmare-inducing miniseries proved to be an amazing analysis of generational trauma, addiction, religious paranoia, the cult of personality, and the lack of mental health resources.
Although the entire cast is filled with excellent performances,Midnight Massfeatures an all-time great villain in Hamish Linklater, whose performance as a priest with demonic qualities epitomizes the type of terror that Flanagan has proven to be an expert at. Linklater is so subdued within his early scenes that it makes it even more terrifying when he lashes out in anger; although it was sadly both a performance and show that was overlooked by the Primetime Emmy Awards, the influence thatMidnight Masshas had on other horror shows is an indication of how influential it has already become.
Midnight Mass
4‘Godless’ (2017)
Godlessis another masterful project from Scott Frank, the screenwriter behindThe Queen’s GambitandDepartment Q, and has been praised for being one of themost accurate westerns of the 21st century.In a deviation from the tropes that are common within the western genre,Godlessis almost entirely focused on female characters who run their own society, withMerritt WeaverandMichelle Dockeryboth giving some of the best performances of their entire career.
Jeff Daniels earned many accolades for playing a ruthless western outlawwho has his own gang of obsessive followers, which proved to be the best television role he had gotten since the acclaim he received forThe Newsroom.Jack O’Connellalso gave a very strong performance as a lost drifter who is taken in and given the chance to be a hero that protects the innocent.
3‘Bloodline’ (2015-2017)
Bloodlineis a very underrated ensemble crime seriesthat explores the collapse of a Florida family as revelations are made about tragic events within their collective past. Although some felt that the show lost momentum after its terrific first season,Bloodlinenever failed to feature excellent performances, asKyle Chandler’s lead role ranked as the best of his careersinceFriday Night Lights.
Bloodlinealso provided a huge breakout role for Ben Mendeslohn, whose character became so iconic that he took home the Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series before his performance in the second season.Bloodlinealso gave an opportunity for older stars to receive comeback roles, asSissy Spacekwas given an important part to play as the family’s domineering, yet loving matriarchal figure who is forced to continue looking after her children as they reach adulthood.
2‘Mindhunter’ (2017-2019)
Mindhunteris one of the best projects that David Fincher has ever been involved with, which is no small statement considering the sheer number of all-time classics that he has directed. Fincher made a genius casting decision when he hired the Tony-award winning theater starJonathan Groffto play Holden Ford, a troubled FBI agent who develops a fascination (and later obsession) with understanding the psychology of serial killers.
Groff was able to show how Holden forces himself to empathize with the suspects, which leads him down an entirely different path of madness. In addition to the great supporting role byHolt McCallanyas FBI Agent Bill Tench, Holden’s more skeptical partner,Mindhunterfeatured an elaborate ensembleof supporting actors that appeared as various infamous serial killers that had been studied extensively by the media in the 1970s and ‘80s.
Mindhunter
1‘The Crown’ (2016-2023)
The Crownmay be the most impressive achievement in Netflix’s history, as in today’s day and age, it is very rare for a drama show to run for six seasons and still end on a strong note. Although trying to condense the entire history of the British Royal Family over the course of the 20th century seemed like it would be an impossible task,The Crownwas able to divide itself between three different casts, each of whom appeared for two seasons.
Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, and Imelda Staunton worked to each show Queen Elizabeth II at different points in her life,creating an immersive portrayal of one of the most recognizable and influential figures in world history. AlthoughThe Crownwas able to show the domestic lives of its famous characters,many of its best episodesfeatured standout performances by focusing on specific historical figures.
