Netflix Recommendations

Here are some shows that I have watched on Netflix that I enjoyed and am happy to recommend to other people. I have attempted to make my comments as spoiler free as possible but still make them informative. I have included trailers for the shows, which will give you a sense of the look and feel of the show but might contain some spoilers. The trailers are all for season 1 of the show. They are in no particular order. There are many shows on Netflix that I want to explore but the ones below are those that I have watched. Other recommendations welcome in the comments.

Travellers

An excellent time travel show. Only three seasons but with a satisfying conclusion.



The Umbrella Academy

An interesting and quirky look at time travel and dystopia. I am looking forward to the next season



Sense8

Eight people across the world have a connection. Unusual Sci-Fi with a satisfying resolution. It has strong and positive LGBTIQ themes. Series complete.



The Last Kingdom

Set at the same time as the show Vikings with English Kingdoms battling Viking invasions. I found it more interesting and satisfying than the Vikings TV show. So far with four seasons with I think more to come



Van Helsing

The Vampire apocalypse. Avoid if you don’t like horror shows, but this one has a very interesting story line and a satisfying resolution. Series complete



Shadow and Bone

Fantasy – chosen one / good vs evil, but done well. Covers the first book in the series very well. The introduction of very interesting characters from the follow-up series “Six of Crows” was a masterstroke. I am looking forward to the next season.



Outlander

Time travel / historical drama, based on the best selling series by Diana Gabaldon. So far 5 seasons. I am looking forward to season 6.



Anne with an E

An interesting adaption of Anne of Green Gables. I have one friend who hated it because she loved the book so much, but I enjoyed the show. Show completed with a satisfying conclusion



Gotham

Set in the Batman universe this tells the story of Commissioner Gordon from when he was a rookie detective. Back stories include Batman, The Penguin, Catwoman, The Riddler, The Joker, Bane, Poison Ivy and Scarecrow. Show completed satisfactorily with 100 episodes



Bridgerton

The loves, loves and rivalries of upper class families in Regency England (1813). Looking forward to the second season.



The Cook of Castamar

Set in Spain in 1720 a story of family rivalries and politics but with the central theme of the relationship between the Duke and his cook. A Spanish production. We watched it dubbed in English which was very well done, but there is the option to watch it in the original Spanish with English subtitles. Series completed with a satisfying conclusion.



Longmire

A modern day police procedural set in contempory Wyoming, USA. Six satisfactorily completed seasons.



The Witcher

A fantasy series based on the stories by Andrzej Sapkowski. I really enjoyed the first season and am looking forward to season 2. Note there are multiple timelines in the story.



The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf

An excellent one off animated prequel to the Witcher.



Godless

Set in the American west. This is an excellent limited series with 7 episodes



Blindspot

A FBI crime show with an interesting twist. There are currently 5 seasons and we have watched the first two. We will continue on with series 3 soon.



Love, Death & Robots

A collection of animated short stories spans several genres, including science fiction, fantasy, horror and comedy. I have watched the first four of the shows and will come back to it later. The animation is excellent.



Lucifer

Based on characters created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth and Mike Dringenberg, this is a redemption story for the original villain - the Devil. Six seasons with a satisfying conclusion.



Line of Duty

A great contemporary police drama with 5 seasons.



The Crown

A series following the life of Queen Elizabeth II. Excellent show currently with four seasons with season 5 coming next year.



Knightfall An excellent series on the Knights Templar. Currently two seasons with no plans for a season 3.



Rake

This great Australian show is on Netflix if you haven’t already seen it on the ABC.



Peaky Blinders

A notorious crime gang in 1919 Birmingham UK. An excellent show but I find it hard to find anyone in this show to barrack for as there are so many villains.



Marcella

A contemporary British Police procedural, made interesting by the personal, psychological struggles of its main character. Complete after three series.



Jack Irish

A great contemporary Australian crime series. Netflix has two seasons of the TV show and three movies.



Babylon Berlin

A German series set in Berlin in the late 1920s and early 1930s. A great story and highly atmospheric, made doubly so because we know what is coming in 1933. The dubbing was excellent so we watched it that way. Currently three seasons. The German Production company is filming the fourth season, so hopefully that season will appear on Netflix next year.



The Alienist

A psychological thriller set in New York in the late 19th Century. Two seasons. A third season has not been confirmed but no announcement for cancellation.



Happy

“Nick Sax is a corrupt, intoxicated, ex-cop turned hit man who is adrift in a twilight world of casual murder, soulless sex, and betrayal.” It is dark, violent and with plenty of graphic language but there are wonderfully comic and uplifting elements as well. Nick ends up with the most interesting sidekick! Only two seasons unfortunately.



Altered Carbon

A great Cyberpunk detective show unfortunately cancelled after two seasons. The first series follows fairly closely the first book, but the second series is completely different. I am a sucker for Cyberpunk and if you are too then you will really enjoy this show. Warning it is quite violent.



Russian Doll

“Russian Doll” is spiky, funny, devastating, and downright bizarre. It follows simmering New York City misanthrope Nadia through the most horrific, life-changing, revelatory night of her life.



Sweet Tooth

“Sweet Tooth is part fantasy, part sci-fi, part whimsy, part cold-eyed realism and most points in between. It is either warmly eccentric or hysterically crazy, perfect entertainment or a horrifying attempt to parlay the pandemic into a commercially palatable mashup.” The Guardian. But I liked it.



Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency

“As a freewheeling comedy-thriller, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency is agreeably daft entertainment even if it doesn't crib heavily from Douglas Adams' novels, serving as an incredibly loose adaptation. Quirky sci-fi comedy is fun but can be violent.”
I loved it. Unfortunately cancelled after two seasons.