Following the boom of streaming services in the last decade, viewers are often overwhelmed with options. Max, Netflix, and Hulu, among others, have dozens of incredible shows perfect for binge-watching. For those unfamiliar with the term, devouring an entire season or series in one sitting is what it means to binge-watch. Since most of these streaming sites release entire seasons or series at a time, binge-watching culture has become central to television.
Binge-watching has influenced the narrative and episodic structure of television, and many series prove why this model of release can be so effective: it plays with expectations, setting cliffhangers along the way or simply giving a feel-good vibe to the viewers. As a result, all current streaming services boast some of the best shows to binge-watch ever, but which ones are truly the best binges on TV?
Updated on October 13th, 2023, by Mayra García: Streaming is one of the most popular activities right now. People are always eager for new series to binge on the best streaming services, such as HBO Max, Netflix, and Prime Video. This list has been updated with the best series available to stream right now. From comedy to drama, they are all worth it.
50 Bridgerton
2 Seasons (Netflix)
Based on the book series by Julia Quinn, Bridgerton quickly won audiences over with a swoon-worthy cast and scandalous storylines. While the first season revolved around Daphne Bridgerton and her romance with the Duke of Hastings, the second season shifted focus to Anthony Bridgerton, played by Jonathan Bailey, and his love life.
Despite the departure of fan-favorite Regé-Jean Page, Bridgerton proved it could successfully follow the book's unusual format of shifting lead characters each season. The show's second season broke streaming records for Netflix upon its release, cementing it as a binge-worthy series.
49 The Last Of Us
1 Season (Max)
Based on Naughty Dog's videogame, The Last of Us follows Joel (Pedro Pascal), a bitter carpenter trying to survive amidst the Cordyceps pandemic, and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old immune girl who may be the key to creating the vaccine. Together, they have to brave both the zombies and the corruption of this post-apocalyptic society.
The Last of Us is both a thrilling sci-fi series and a harrowing tale about human nature. Every episode delivers a poignant story about the survivors without neglecting the action-packed fights against zombies and other villains, forcing the audience to keep watching until the end.
48 Cunk On Earth
1 Season (Netflix)
Produced by Charlie Brooker, Cunk on Earth is a hilarious history mockumentary that follows the fictional Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan), an ignorant but confident journalist, as she delves into key moments in history and interviews actual experts on subjects from ancient Rome to primitive hominids to the Great Wall of China.
Morgan's deadpan delivery combined with her snarky comments on modern society makes Cunk on Earth an incredibly funny show to watch. The show only has five episodes, but viewers will want Philomena Cunk to expand on her history lessons by the end of the series. Hopefully, her first series, Cunk on Britain will find its way to any streaming platform
47 The Queen's Gambit
1 Season (Netflix)
The Queen's Gambit is one of the best streaming shows of the last few years. It tells the story of Elizabeth Harmon, a chess prodigy who's well on her way to becoming an elite player. The show focuses on Elizabeth's career and her struggle with drugs and alcohol, her familiar problems, and her love life.
The Queen's Gambit was a total phenomenon when it premiered, even winning a couple of Golden Globes. In only seven episodes, this series tells a harrowing story that viewers won't be able to pause. It definitely helps that Anya Taylor-Joy does a terrific job with her performance as Elizabeth as she turns chess into a thrilling high-stakes ride.
46 The White Lotus
2 Seasons (Max)
Created by Mike White, The White Lotus follows the lives of both guests and employees of the White Lotus Resort, a fictional hotel chain. Through the many complex relationships between both groups, the series explores human nature, its darkest recesses, and the many power dynamics embedded in it.
Both seasons of The White Lotus – set in Maui and Sicily respectively –, start with the murder of an unknown character. Then they go back and follow the circumstances that led to that moment. The show hooks the audience with this mystery, but viewers definitely stay for its great dark humor.
45 Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
1 Season (Netflix)
While fans wait for the third season of Bridgerton, they can watch Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, its prequel spin-off. This follows two timelines: one focuses on Charlotte's younger years and her eventual marriage to George II, and the second one sees Queen Charlotte deal with a succession crisis when her granddaughter, Princess Charlotte, dies.
Like Bridgerton, Queen Charlotte is far from historically accurate. However, it still has an intriguing plot and plenty of relatable, lovable characters that will charm the viewers immediately. Anyone who loved Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton will be happy to follow her personal story. Since Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story only has six episodes, it's a great option for a non-commital binge-watching session.
44 Never Have I Ever
4 Seasons (Netflix)
Created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, Never Have I Ever follows Devi Vishwakumar, an Indian-American Tamil teenager living in LA. After her father dies of a heart attack, Devi loses mobility in her legs due to the trauma. After she recovers, she struggles with her own identity in high school.
Never Have I Ever is an excellent comedy for the whole family and its hilarious plots and relatable characters quickly charm viewers. Never Have I Ever also touches on serious topics like self-identity, race, mental health, gender, and sexuality, shining a positive light on some of the most complex experiences in human life. Following the premiere of its fourth and final season, fans are sad to see it go, but satisfied with its ending.
43 That '90s Show
1 Season (Netflix)
Set 15 years after That '70s Show, That '90s Show follows Leia Forman, Eric and Donna's daughter, who spends the summer of 1995 with her grandparents in Point Place, Wisconsin. There, she befriends the locals, who will definitely remind fans of the original That '70s Show gang.
In only 10 episodes, That '90s Show offers a storyline that reflects '90s nostalgia and plenty of teen drama. Combined with the many cameos from the original cast and the show's updated sense of humor, it's a great, lighthearted watch.
42 Extraordinary Attorney Woo
1 Season (Netflix)
After graduating from law school, Woo Young-woo finds a job at a large film in Seoul. As Korea's first licensed attorney on the autistic spectrum, she seems awkward in the beginning, but slowly and steadily, she wins over her colleagues with her surprising emotional intelligence and photographic memory.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo follows Woo Young-woo's day-to-day life as she tackles different cases and deals with her own life. It's an adorable story, full of relatable characters. Besides, it does a decent job of grappling with the differences between Woo, her friends, and her loved ones. Both K-drama's long-standing fans and viewers who are new to the genre will enjoy this refreshing series.
41 Outer Banks
3 Seasons (Netflix)
Outer Banks follows the rivalry between the local "Kooks" and the wealthy seasonal residents, the Pogues, residing in coastal North Carolina. Its main storyline involves the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the father of a Kook named John, but it also explores the characters' daily dramas, their families, and their love lives.
Created by Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke, Outer Banks is a teen series that mixes different TV genres. It's full of mysteries, treasure hunts, and plenty of action and adventure. The relatable characters keep viewers invested in the story and it manages to pull quite a few surprises out of its hat in its three seasons.
40 Dark
3 Seasons (Netflix)
From the first episode, Dark lays out a mystery that eventually engulfs three generations. Every detail on the show fuels new theories about the truth behind the kids in various time periods, disappearing into a cave in Winden, Germany.
Dark is full of secrets and twists and its young cast knocks it out of the park at every turn. Viewers will find it impossible to stop watching this incredible sci-fi serie with a plot that only gets more and more complicated by the minute. Dark will have even those who don't consider themselves binge-watchers hooked.
39 My Adventures With Superman
1 Season (Max)
My Adventures with Superman reimagines Superman’s origin story using Shonen as inspiration. This anime-like animation follows a young adult Clark as he learns the ropes of superheroism, fighting different iconic DC villains, while working at the Daily Planet with his best friend, Jimmy Olsen, and his soon-to-be-girlfriend, the bright Lois Lane.
My Adventures with Superman is the perfect show for superhero fans as well as for those members of the audience who love occidental anime-influenced animation, such as Avatar: The Last Airbender or She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. It introduces new iterations of some of DC’s most iconic characters, but it makes them relatable, which only makes them better.
38 Firefly Lane
2 Seasons (Netflix)
Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke star in Firefly Lane as Tully Hart and Kate Mularkey, two best friends going through life together. Firefly Lane follows their friendship throughout the years, focusing on their personal problems and how they solve them.
Based on Kristin Hannah's book of the same name, Firefly Lane is a great show for viewers who want to lose themselves in a comforting story. It's full of sad and happy moments, but it's mostly a wholesome, cozy series about friendship. It's one of the best series to binge-watch in a feel-good marathon.
37 Sex Education
3 Seasons (Netflix)
Netflix's British comedy-drama Sex Education is a quirky, heart-warming depiction of adolescent relationships. The show expertly balances the tension and humor in teenage life with witty scripts and powerful performances, making it a perfect choice for binge-watching.
Sex Education has provided a stage for its impressive cast of young talent, and helped Ncuti Gatwa, the future Doctor on Doctor Who, achieve even more recognition. The show offers wholesome, relatable storylines and easy-to-digest content.
36 Money Heist
3 Seasons (Netflix)
Money Heist follows a genius dubbed the Professor who hires eight extraordinary criminals to pull a €984 million heist. The series follows their complicated plan while also exploring their personal relationships. The series shows both the heist and the team's planning in the previous weeks, interspersing flashbacks to show that things are much more complicated than they appear.
Money Heist follows two different timelines that eventually collide, so it's easy for viewers to get obsessed with the connections in this story. There's something addictive about the show's unreliable narrator and constantly shifting perspectives that always leaves viewers wanting another episode.
35 The Umbrella Academy
3 Seasons (Netflix)
Netflix’s Umbrella Academy is a fresh and unique addition to superhero TV. Based on the comic book series by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá, the show follows an eclectic group of superpowered siblings raised by the mysterious billionaire, Reginald Hargreeves. Hargreeves tries to raise them to be heroes, but instead leads them into dysfunction and disappointment, and when he dies they're left quarreling with each other as Armageddon looms large.
The Hargreeves siblings' powers are fairly unconventional, which helps the series stand out from its competition. The Umbrella Academy keeps viewers hooked as the team travels through time to stop the impending apocalypse. The Umbrella Academy cast and their impressive chemistry support an action-packed plot that has made the Netflix original a hit.
34 Transatlantic
1 Season (Netflix)
Based on Julie Orringer's The Flight Portfolio, Transatlantic is a historical drama that centers on the 1940s Emergency Rescue Committee that worked in France, Spain, and Portugal. The show follows its members and the people they've rescued, a diverse group of historical figures that includes Hannah Arendt, Marcel Duchamp, and Andre Breton.
Transatlantic is a miniseries with only seven episodes, but the audience will find themselves wishing it was longer. From its incredible cast — which includes Gillian Jacobs, Cory Michael Smith, and Corey Stoll— to its incredible writing, this drama tells a magnificent story that everyone should know.
33 Archive 81
1 Season (Netflix)
Archive 81 is based on the podcast of the same name by Daniel Powell and Marc Sollinger. In the series, Mamoudou Athie portrays Dan Turner, a conservator working with a set of H81 tapes that hide a big mystery. When Dan moves into the research campus that holds the tapes, he finds himself in the middle of a dangerous cult.
As good horror often does, Archive 81 lures the viewers in with unanswered questions and provides shocking resolutions to unexpected questions. The show delves into the supernatural, but it doesn't stop there, reminding its audience that humans can be monsters, too.
32 Breaking Bad
5 Seasons (Netflix)
One of the best-known shows of the 21st century, Breaking Bad's story of an underpaid chemistry teacher turned meth manufacturer needs no introduction. With unforgettable antiheroes Walter White and Jesse Pinkman at its center, the series brilliantly chronicled the unlikely team's dysfunctional descent into a murderous criminal underworld.
At this point, very few people who are interested in Breaking Bad haven't seen it, but it's a show that fans can revisit. Easily one of the best-performed and written shows of the decade, BB is full of shocking moments that will devastate viewers even as it forces them to keep watching.
31 Russian Doll
2 Seasons (Netflix)
Natasha Lyonne stars in Russian Doll as Nadia Vulvokov, a woman who's stuck in a time loop that forces her to relive her 36th birthday party, dying and returning to the same moment over and over. Things get a bit more complicated when she meets Alan Zaveri (Charlie Barnett), a man dealing with the same bizarre fate.
Russian Doll is both hilarious and relatable and a mysterious fantasy story. As it progresses, it becomes more and more obvious that the writers have no problem thinking outside the box. Even as it steps away from the clichés of its genre, it's always clear that this solid story will surprise viewers constantly.