The arrival of Netflix as the world’s prominent film and television streaming service has been 20 years in the making. Founded in 1997 by marketing director Marc Randolph and computer scientist and mathematician Reed Hastings, Netflix began life as an online video-on-demand business similar to bricks-and-mortar video retailers such as Blockbuster. Over the next decade, the Californian based company built a dedicated following of film and television lovers by offering a cheap and fast way for people to view content. In 2007 the company branched out and created their own online streaming service while continuing to offer a DVD and Blu-Ray rental service. Netflix went from strength to strength, expanding into Canada in 2010 and producing its own content, debuting with the acclaimed House Of Cards in 2013. Finding success with their own show Netflix began investing in its own content, offering Netflix Originals alongside the vast library of films and television shows already being shown. As of January 2018, Netflix had 117.58 million paying subscribers worldwide, with almost half of them being American. You can find Netflix in 190 countries and their original programming has become the heart of the streaming service.
30 Best: Mindhunter
Any type of true-life crime series and you’ve got me hooked so it’s easy to see why Mindhunter makes this list. But it’s not only my personal opinion, with critics and fans alike praising the Netflix Original show.
It’s a gritty and disturbing look into the minds of criminals.
Based on the true-crime book, Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit, the show follows FBI agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany) as they navigate the early days of criminal profiling. Visiting various prisons across American and interviewing murderers and abusers they begin to find links between the prisoners upbringing and mental state and the crimes they commit. They hope the results of their study will enable them to profile and find serial criminals in the real world before they cause too much damage. It can be quite hard-hitting but Mindhunters is certainly worth your time.
29 Worst: Fuller House
First airing in the late 80s, Full House fast became a big hit despite never receiving critical acclaim. Over the course of the sitcom’s eight seasons, fans watched the Tanner families three daughters grow and mature before their very eyes, with the show having a happy ending when the final episode aired in May 1995.
For some unknown reason, the show was given a reboot by Netflix in 2016 and the results are disastrous. This adaptation revolves around recently widowed oldest daughter D.J. Tanner-Fuller and her three sons who move back into her old family home to start life again with help from her extended family. It’s poorly written and very unfunny show with the Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashely, wisely opting not to return. Despite being a total failure the show was renewed for a fourth season late last year.
28 Best: Stranger Things
Nostalgia is a money maker these days so Netflix developing a number of 80s set shows was always likely to happen. What wasn’t on the cards was how successful some of these new series would become, particularly the sci-fi horror drama Stranger Things. Set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, in the 1980s, Stranger Things follows a group of children looking for their friend who’s disappeared. They are aided by a mysterious girl with telekinetic powers and find themselves involved in Government conspiracies and facing supernatural occurrences. Inspired by the works of great horror masters such as Stephen King and John Carpenter and 80s pop culture.
Stranger Things is thrilling viewing.
Special mention must be made about the kids in the show. The entire cast of young actors are wonderful performers who bring a sense of childlike innocence to the dark grown-up themes littered throughout the show.
27 Worst: Sense8
Created by Lana and Lilly Wachowski (The Matrix franchise) and J. Micheal Straczynski, Sense8 is science fiction drama about eight strangers from across the globe who become sensates; human beings who are mentally and emotionally linked. The show details the characters everyday lives and how they come to terms with being linked while also learning more about their gift. They also have to deal with the Biologic Preservation Organisation who are trying to track them down for their own nefarious reasons.
Sense8 does have some interesting plot lines and became notable for its representation of the LGBTQ communities, but overall the show falls flat with some poor acting and poor character development. It’s received mixed reviews from fans and critics alike and despite being axed, is set to return for a two-hour movie finale to tie up loose ends.
26 Best: Altered Carbon
Based on the novel of the same name by Richard K. Morgan, the futuristic show takes place in a world where people’s memories can be saved, stored, and transplanted, into different bodies, known as sleeves. Set in the year 2384, mercenary Takeshi Kovacs (Joel Kinnaman) is awoken 250 years after having his previous sleeve terminated and given the chance to become a free man if he can solve the elimination businessman Laurens Bancroft (James Purefoy).
The show is very much indebted to Blade Runner visually, with a storyline straight out of a Philip K. Dick novel.
Themes of gender, race, and class, are woven into a tapestry of a cyberpunk crime mystery, and though at times heavy handed in it’s exposition, Altered Carbon is a thrilling ride.
25 Worst: Shooter
Adapting films as television shows seems to be the in thing these days but I’m really interested to know why certain flicks are chosen, such as the Mark Wahlberg vehicle Shooter. The film itself, about an ex-army sniper framed for the elimination of an Ethiopian Archbishop who has to clear his name while on the run, is a paint by numbers action flick without much substance, something similar with the Netflix version.
The first problem is Ryan Phillippe is no Wahlberg.
The next is the script which follows a similar trajectory to the original film, except this time Phillippe’s Bob Lee Swagger has been set up for the elimination attempt of the visiting Ukrainian President. The show doesn’t offer anything new in terms of plot threads or character development while the action is standard stuff.
24 Best: Master Of None
Although Aziz Ansari’s recent harassment revelations have put a downer on watching this show, Master Of None remains a Netflix favorite amongst single millennials. Ansari plays Dev Shah, an aspiring 30-year-old actor with a passion for food who is trying to navigate life in New York. The show is celebrated for illustrating the everyday struggles of a person of color, covering his relationships, family life, career, and cultural significance, in a white dominated society. Over two seasons, viewers watch as Dev finds himself falling in and out of love as his career finally takes off, with the did-they or didn’t-they final episode a fantastic way to end the series. The show has been nominated for a bunch of awards and picked up a couple of Emmys and a Golden Globe and has been universally praised by critics.
23 Worst: The Get Down
Full disclaimer, I’m not a fan of Bad Luhrmann so it’s obvious why The Get Down makes the worst side of this list. That said, I’m a massive hip-hop fan so was very open to the idea of a episodic program set during the rise of hip-hop culture. Despite my misgivings about Luhrmann, the Aussie has shown over the years he knows how to handle music themed productions, it’s just that like most of his films, The Get Down is more style than substance. Lurhamnn’s depiction of 1970s New York is spot on and the musical numbers featuring throughout the shows 11 episodes are fantastic. Props also for casting Jaden Smith and Jimi Smits and getting rap legend Nas as narrator, but the rest of the show itself is a bit meh.
22 Best: The Punisher
The best thing about season two of Daredevil was the introduction of the Punisher, so when Marvel let the cat out of the bag that they were giving him his own show the nerd inside me jumped for joy. Thankfully they didn’t botch the show with the terrific Jon Bernthal reprising his role of one man army Frank Castle as he investigates and tracks down those responsible for the elimination of his family.
The Punisher is the best Netflix Marvel adaption yet.
Bernthal brings a vulnerable darkness to the character and is ably supported by Ebon Moss-Bachrach as former NSA employee turned hacker David Lieberman, Ben Barnes as Castle’s former best friend Billy Russo, and Amber Rose Revah as Department of Homeland Security officer Dinah Madani.
The Punisher isn’t flawless, with the show being stretched out to 13 episodes when eight or ten would have sufficed, but generally it’s a dark and gripping tale of morality and redemption with Berntahl in career best form.
21 Worst: Iron Fist
If The Punisher is everything that’s right with Marvel’s Netflix shows than Iron Fist is the exact opposite. Martial arts expert Danny Rand (Finn Jones) returns to New York after being presumed deceased for 15 years to reclaim his father’s company now run by Harold Meachum and his children, Ward and Joy. Rand discovers the evil network The Hand have infiltrated the company and must balance the duties that come with being the mythical Iron Fist while finding out who ended his family.
Unlike many who slammed this show, I actually didn’t mind it, but it’s easily the worst Marvel series on Netflix. Jones is miscast as Rand and comes across as exceptionally annoying and self-servicing. It’s another show that would have been helped by less episodes and better dialogue.
20 Best: Bojack Horseman
Few animated comedies aimed towards grown-ups are as dark and resonating as Netflix’s BoJack Horseman. Set in an alternate world where humans and animals with human traits coexist side-by-side, BoJack Horseman is a trip.
Bojack Horseman is a washed up sitcom star of the 90s trying to relaunch his career.
The show follows his misadventures throughout a modern day Hollywood. The show takes a satirical look at celebrity culture while dealing with issues such as substance abuse, depression, and self-destructive behaviour, in a comedic yet realistic way. Will Arnett is fantastic as the voice of Bojack with awesome support from Alison Brie, Amy Sedaris, and Aaron Paul. The show features some great music from the likes of Tegan And Sara, Death Grips, and The Rolling Stones and has been largely praised by critics for its melancholy look at life.
19 Worst: Castlevania
The Castlevania series of video games have a soft spot in my heart as I remember playing them as a child. The same can’t be said for this adaptation by Netflix. Based on Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, the four part series focuses on disgraced demon hunter Trevor Belmont who has been tasked with taking down Count Vlad Dracula Tepes. The show is animated in the style of traditional Japanese anime but fails to impress while the comedy filtered throughout the script just doesn’t work.
The most surprising thing about Castlevania is the fact it was written by Warren Ellis, a man known for writing some of the best comic book series (Astonishing X-Men, Hellblazer, Iron Man) of the past decade. The plot is labouring and neither of the main characters engage the audience enough to be liked or hated.
18 Best: Beasts Of No Nation
One of the first official Netflix endorsed films, Beasts Of No Nation, is a harrowing account of child soldiers in Africa. After his village is ransacked by rebels and his brother eliminated, young boy Agu finds himself ensured into Edris Elba’s Commandant’s rebel forces. Here he is harmed and forced to endure military training before becoming one of the Commandant’s children soldiers. The film is bleak and at times hard to watch, shining a light on the human suffering of war, particularly the children in war-torn Africa.
Elba puts in his best performance as the charmingly evil Commandant.
Young unknown Abraham Nii Attah, is also a star in the making with his portrayal as the victimized Agu. This certainly isn’t pleasant viewing but is one of those must-watch films. Insightful, impactful, and gut-wrenching, Beasts Of No Nation will stay with you long after the credits end.
17 Worst: The Cloverfield Paradox
The original Cloverfield was a breath of fresh air when it came to the handheld camera style of films dominating the 00s. Following six New Yorkers as they navigate the city under attack from some unknown creature, it was a blast to watch in the cinema. Eight years later the psychological sequel 10 Cloverfield Lane arrived to mix reviews before this year Netflix released the third film in the series, The Cloverfield Paradox.
A science fiction film that tries to explain the events of the previous movies, The Cloverfield Paradox is an absolute mess of a film. Anyone hoping to discover the origins of the monster from the first film will be disappointed, as this is a standard science fiction flick about parallel universes and what causes them. The best part about this film is the cast. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Daniel Bruhl, John Ortiz, and Chris O’Dowd are fantastic but not even they can get this turkey over the line. Two thumbs down.
16 Best: GLOW
As a wrestling fan when I heard Netflix had invested in producing a series about female wrestling I was excited but unsure what to expect. Thankfully, all my fears were put to rest after binge-watching GLOW.
GLOW is based on the real-life wrestling promotion, Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling.
Following the lives of a group of female professional wrestlers in Los Angels during the 80s, GLOW is a fantastic look at what happens in and around the squared circle. Although set in the world of wrestling, it’s the interesting characters and their lives outside the ring that make this show engaging. Alison Brie is sensational as Ruth “Zoya the Destroya” Wilder and Betty Gilpin perfectly cast as rival Debbie “Liberty Belle” Eagan. Comedian Marc Moran and singer Kate Nash are both terrific and I’m looking forward to seeing where they take this show in the second season.
15 Worst: The Babysitter
Netflix has had a pretty good run with their original television shows but when it comes to their movies they have struggled. Case in point, The Babysitter. Youngster Cole has a crush on his babysitter Bee and after going to bed gets up to spy on her only to discover she is part of a demonic cult. Cole spends the film trying to outwit Bee and her friends before becoming the cult’s next sacrifice. It might sound enjoyable on paper but it’s 85 minutes of your life you’re never getting back. When the opening credits reveal the film is directed by McG (Charlie’s Angels, Terminator Salvation, Stolen, need I go on?) it’s obvious this isn’t going to be great, and even though Samara Weaving tries hard as Bee, this film is a tedious watch. If you really want a great atmospheric film about cults and babysitters, get around Ti West’s The House Of The Devil.
14 Best: Making A Murderer
Few real-life crime documentary television series have captured the public’s attention like Making A [Criminal]. Filmed over the course of 10 years, the series looks at Stephen Avery who was wrongly convicted of harm and attempted life-ending and sent to jail for 18 years, finally being exonerated by DNA evidence in 2003. Then four years later he is arrested for the elimination of a local photographer and sent back to jail, thanks largely to the testimony of his nephew, Brendan, who broke under police questioning.
This show will leave you wondering what really happened.
The show is a fascinating look at police procedural and the problems that can arise when trying to coerce a confession. I must admit the show does manipulate the audience into feeling sympathy for both Avery’s during the series but it’s hard not to when the evidence presented is dodgy at best.
13 Worst: Gypsy
Naomi Watts stars in this mundane series about a psychologist, who, bored with her job, begins to get involved with her patient’s lives. It’s a dull and slow ride with not one likable character, although it’s always good to see Billy Crudup back on screen. While the pacing and non-engaging plot is enough for Gypsy to make this list, the fact Netflix canceled it after just six episodes is another. This is the first Netflix Originals series to be axed before the show has even finished airing. Unfortunately for anyone who actually liked the show, its cancellation came at a time when Netflix was going HAM on their programming, as Netflix CEO Reed Hastings told CNBC. “We’ve canceled very few shows. I’m always pushing the content team: ‘We have to take more risk, you have to try more crazy things.”
12 Best: House Of Cards
The show that started it all, House Of Cards is a brilliant series delving into the cutthroat world of American politics. Adapted from the British miniseries of the same name, the show revolves around Congressman Frank Underwood, a scheming, manipulative, and downright horrible man (played by Kevin Spacey who it seems was just being himself). Having been passed over for the position os Secretary Of State, he plots an elaborate plan to win power with help from his wife Claire Underwood (Robin Wright).
The show has been a monster hit for Netflix, winning countless awards and praise from critics. While hard to talk about Spacey after the revelations about his personal life, he is tremendous as Underwood with able support from Wright, Kate Mara, Corey Stoll, and Kristen Connolly. The acting is great but it’s the writing that helps make House Of Cards so thrilling.
11 Worst: Flaked
Will Arnett starring in a comedy he developed with Arrested Development creator/executive produce Mitch Hurwitz sounds like a license to print money. Oh, how wrong they were. Flaked features Arnett as a recovering drinker making his way in the world in Venice, California. There are subplots involving love triangles and Arnett’s Chip being a self-help guru between jokes that fall flat and some poor dialogue, making Flaked a tedious watch at best.
It’s not easy watching Arnett in trash like this.
Arnett is much better than this, but considering he was involved with the writing of Flaked, maybe it’s best he sticks to working from other people’s scripts, like his more successful Netflix show BoJack Horseman. Somehow the show has lasted two seasons, and while there is no word on a third, here’s hoping they end Flaked now and put all their energy into creating a brilliant season five of Arrested Development.
