15 Best Drama Shows to Watch on Netflix When it's Time to Get Serious About Your Binging
15 Best Drama Shows to Watch on Netflix When it's Time to Get Serious About Your Binging
There’s a good chance that Netflix will always be the premiere place for a perfect mix of old and new. That’s a perk of being the first major streaming service: you have access to all the greats. For drama series enthusiasts looking for a new suspenseful binge, or just one with a bit more gravitas than your semi-monthly rewatch of New Girl, we got you covered, friend.
The streaming service has a whole litany of series to checked out, but we’ve scoured the catalog to find the 15 that are most worth your time. Full of true-crime series, old favorites, and a few that might surprise you with just how much it offers, this is the kind of power list that you aren’t going to be able to knock out in just a couple days. This list is television goals. You come back after binging all of this, and we’ll give you a medal because there’s easily over 1,000 hours of prime television below. And the drama? It’s off the map.
Black Mirror
The sci-fi anthology series looks at the relationship–and consequences—of a society that depends on technology. There are few episodes that won’t send a chill down your spine and have you feeling a bit skeptical of your phone.
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Dexter
Michael C. Hall stars in this series about a blood-splatter analyst for the Miami police who leads a double life committing crimes by night. And we’re not talking petty theft. Think of it this way, if you’ve got a skill set that can manipulate murder scenes… yeah. You get it.
Grey's Anatomy
Yes, it’s absolutely on this list. Because once you’ve finished all the rest of these, Grey’s Anatomy currently has 15 seasons waiting for you. The drama series has been going since 2005 (with no signs of stopping), and it has evolved more than a few times, ranging from fast-paced medical procedural to legacy show with social commentary.
Mad Men
The prestige drama from AMC is often seen as one of the earliest entries into “the golden era of TV.” Even better, it ends up turning into a beautiful ode to the role women played in the era. Jon Hamm leads the cast, but Elisabeth Moss, January Jones, and Keirnan Shipka do their fair share of heavy lifting.
Maniac
In this miniseries, Jonah Hill and Emma Stone play two strangers, Annie Landsberg and Owen Milgrim, who meet during a pharmaceutical trial. They each struggle with their own mental-health challenges and doing the trial for different reasons, but of course, it doesn’t go as planned.
Mindhunter
This series, starring Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany, is about FBI agents in the 1970s who attempt to catch serial killers by examining how their minds work.
Narcos
Narcos follows the real-life rise and fall of some of the most notorious cartel lords in history.
Outlander
This series, based on the novels by Diana Gabaldon follows the story of married combat nurse Claire Randall, who lives in London in 1945. She is transported back in time to 1743 Scotland, where she meets and falls in love with Highland warrior Jamie Fraser. She also becomes involved in the Jacobite uprisings, which is not exactly a safe situation to be in. You think this is a weird time-jump romance, but we promise it’s so much more.
Ozark
Jason Bateman and Laura Linney star in this story about a Chicago financial advisor who has to move his family to the Ozarks of Missouri, where he works for a drug boss. This show is very gripping, but speaking as someone from Missouri, it does only further the stereotype that we all just hang out in the woods selling drugs. Whatever—what are you gonna do?
Peaky Blinders
If you’re into gangster stories, this show, about a notorious gang in 1919 Birmingham, England, is a must.
Queen of the South
Teresa’s boyfriend was recently killed by a drug cartel, and she is suddenly forced to work for them. You’re going to need a few friends on your side in a situation like that.
Unbelievable
This series, starring Toni Collette, Merritt Wever, and Kaitlyn Dever is based on a longform piece from ProPublica and the Marshall Project. It follows Marie, a teenager who is charged with lying about her rape, and the female detectives who eventually uncover that Marie was telling the truth all along. The moral of the story: Believe. Women.
The West Wing
If you like political dramas in which the plots are nowhere near as wild as what’s going on in the news now, then this is a safe bet. Also, Allison Janney is the press secretary, which is an alternate reality everyone should embrace.
The Witcher
Henry Cavill stars as Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter who finds that people are often the most evil thing he encounters.
Finally watch that show people have been yelling at you about for years. And maybe a couple new ones, too.