Miniseries, or limited series (essentially shows that are intentionally single-season) have become one of the most popular storytelling formats in recent years, all thanks to streaming platforms like Netflix. In an era when social platforms like TikTok entice us to consume media in a very rapid manner, our brains are way more susceptible to binge series that don’t require that much of our free time. There’s an overwhelming number of new movies and TV shows coming out every month, hence why we’re more likely to choose a limited series to watch next, in order to keep up with everything. It's a smaller commitment.
In this regard, Netflix is one of the leading providers of miniseries that are bingeworthy. Indeed, every month, the streamer continuously adds new TV series just as quickly as it cancels them. As such, there's virtually no shortage of stuff to watch. Let's take a look at Netflix miniseries that you should definitely watch next, if you haven’t already.
20 The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)
Fans were treated to a fresh new tale of horror as Mike Flanagan followed up on his Haunting of Hill House series with The Haunting of Bly Manor. Majorly adapted from Henry James’ 1898 novella The Turn of the Screw, the series also features some of the author's other short stories.
Flanagan reassembled the Haunting staples in Victoria Pedretti, Kate Siegel, and Oliver Jackson and put them in a blender full of gothic brooding and romance, before presenting a cocktail full of terror and raw emotions. The Haunting of Bly Manor does well to extend Flanagan’s repute as a master of horror, starting strong and creepy and not quitting until the last frame.
19 Transatlantic (2023)
Transatlantic is based on the real-life Emergency Rescue Committee that was responsible for arranging safe passage for several refugees in Nazi occupied France. Led by an incredible Gillian Jacobs (Love, Community), Transatlantic does a great job at capturing the high stakes panic and chaos often associated with the oppressive Nazi regime. A stylish and informative rendition of a somewhat sad subject, Transatlantic is one of the most underrated shows on Netflix at the moment.
18 Bodyguard (2018)
With the excellent Bodyguard, Richard Madden flexed his acting muscles for all to see. Having had a somewhat muted performance in Game of Thrones, Madden’s special forces officer David Budd was put through the wringer in Bodyguard. A thriller on steroids, Bodyguard has all the workings of a classic action show while being tethered in human emotions like love and loyalty. Unlike many of its peers, Bodyguard pits one man against the system, and then displays the consequences once the system spits him out.
Revolving around police officer David Budd whose been assigned to protect the controversial yet well-meaning home secretary Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes), Bodyguard blurs the boundaries between professional and personal protection as Budd finds himself running on a constant treadmill of stress and chaos to keep his subject and lover alive.
17 Halston (2021)
Documenting the life of fashion icon Halston (Ewan McGregor), the show charts the late designer’s quick rise to fame and rapid fall from it. A hazy portrait of a life filled with dizzying opulence, one wrong turn away from a tail-spin into destruction, Halston perfectly hits home the age-old Icarus adage, “fly too close to the sun, and you’ll burn your wings."
Despite being one of the shortest miniseries on Netflix at five episodes, Halston delivers its salts worth with McGregor's rumbunctious performance at the heart of all things.
16 Inventing Anna (2022)
Shonda Rhimes’ Inventing Anna took Netflix by storm upon its release in 2022. Based on the true story of notorious trickster Anna Sorokin, the show sheds light on Anna’s antics as she conned her way into New York’s upper class circle pretending to be a wealthy German heiress. Anna then used her network to deceive people of thousands of dollars in cash, jewelry and services from her targets.
Once she was found out, a courtroom saga raged on which revealed that, despite not having any wealth, college degree, or business experience, Sorokin was successful in fooling most of Manhattan's elite, for about four years, ironically revealing she wasn’t even German.
15 Midnight Mass (2021)
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From Mike Flanagan, the creator of The Haunting of Hill House, comes this creepy, mysterious, and atmospheric Netflix miniseries that keeps you guessing till the very end. In Midnight Mass, we follow the citizens of Crockett Island as they experience seemingly impossible supernatural phenomena after the arrival of a charismatic young priest. Monsignor Pruitt's appearance coincides with that of a man who was recently released from prison. His inclination toward miraculous events and frightening omens brings an atmosphere of dread throughout the town.
As tensions rise and the townsfolk get caught up in fear and blind faith, this haunting tale of science and spirit becomes an engrossing battle of humanity between light and darkness. Hamish Linklater’s performance as Father Paul was critically appreciated, and the show became arguably the best horror series of 2021.
14 From Scratch (2022)
A limited series that brings in a dash of romance and a handful of drama, From Scratch is based on a memoir of the same name. It revolves around Amy Wheeler and Lino Ortolano, a Sicilian chef she meets while studying in Florence. The two fall madly in love and build a life together. But just as quickly as their love blossomed, their pretty little world came crashing down when Lino was diagnosed with cancer.
The limited series handles this unexpected tragedy with such grace and humor that it is impossible not to be invested. Zoe Saldana is incredible as Amy, fighting to keep her family intact, thriving most in the face of loss and adversity. Basically, Tembi Locke's work gets impressive treatment as it reminds us that love is powerful; it is complicated and eternal and ultimately irresistible.
13 Behind Her Eyes (2021)
Nothing is truly what it seems in Behind Her Eyes. Revolving around the lives of three people – Louise, a single mother working as a receptionist for a psychiatrist; David, her new boss and the man she’s having an affair with; and his mysterious wife Adele, whom Louise secretly befriends – the show is irresistible and captivating from start to finish.
With only six episodes, it manages to create a web of dark secrets, dream-walking abilities, and a mind-bending triple cross as things start to escalate between the main characters. And when the truth finally emerges, the viewer is left asking, “wait, what?” and struggling to put the pieces of a painfully complex plot together.
12 Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (2023)
A spin-off of the very popular Netflix show Bridgerton, this lovely limited series focuses on the origins of Queen Charlotte. Before the ballrooms and courtyards were lit by romance and laughter of the ton, there was a young Queen who went through hell to bring the country equal rights and justice.
On the surface, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story may be a story about the marriage between Charlotte and George, but beneath the fine lines is a teenage princess finding her voice as the ruler and her rise to power in a world dominated and controlled by men. With George’s madness, the pressure to give the crown an heir, to see “The Great Experiment” succeed, and finding love amidst pleasantries, Charlotte’s only escape was to preside over a court filled with ambitious royals and scandalous nobility. If you loved the period setting of the Bridgerton era, you’re sure to love Queen Charlotte.
11 Anatomy of a Scandal (2022)
Based on the novel of the same name, written by Sarah Vaughan, Anatomy of a Scandal is a thrilling drama that follows a privileged Oxford politician, James Whitehouse, as he stands accused of a shocking crime. His unproblematic, picture-perfect life is upended while his wife stands by him. But as the case grips the nation and James’ image is torn apart at trial, Sophie finds cracks beginning to show in her husband’s defense. Prosecutor Kate Woodcroft has several political considerations to make while building her case, but she stops at nothing.
The show, in all its fierceness, tackles issues surrounding class, privilege, consent, and the truth by combining elements of intrigue and suspense in a way that is truly remarkable. Overall, as the wrenching drama in Anatomy of a Scandal unfolds in and out of the courtroom, hidden secrets come to the surface, and certain relationships change forever.
10 Maid (2021)
Starring Margaret Qualley in one of her most phenomenal roles, Maid is a 10-episode drama miniseries that follows Alex, a young woman who struggles to provide for her young daughter while trying to escape an abusive relationship. When matters get out of hand, Alex finally gathers the courage to flee and finds herself moving between shelters and low-income housing facilities with her daughter.
She begins working as a maid, and the grueling work of cleaning other people's homes only leaves her with little wages and lots of disrespect; thus, she attempts to navigate government assistance and tries to keep her daughter safe. Qualley shines as a compassionate and determined mother in a show tries to spotlight the unromanticized reality of life on the financial edge with a careful gaze.
9 The Queen’s Gambit (2020)
Driven by her inner demons and fueled by tranquilizers, orphan Beth Harmon’s obsession with chess carries her, in two loving arms, from Methuen Home to the world championships. The Queen’s Gambit begins as a simple study of its main character’s rocky road to chess stardom, but as Beth storms the male-dominated world of the sport, the show becomes more intense than many other Netflix flagship projects.
Anya Taylor-Joy, who had already been in the spotlight way before her career-defining role, delivers a powerhouse performance as the prodigy struggling to find her place in the world while outsmarting her competitors on the board. The seven-episode show garnered worldwide appreciation for portraying the Cold War era with precision. It pulls you into the '60s cultural zeitgeist and paints an unforgettable portrait of a genius.
8 Beef (2023)
Pairing up Ali Wong and Steven Yeun is probably the best thing Netflix could have done. Beef follows Wong’s Amy Lau, the owner of Kōyōhaus, a store that sells plants, who gets into a road rage incident with Yeun’s Danny Cho. What follows is a series of back-and-forth escalations, as the two try to ruin each other’s life and settle the score. The dark comedy of Beef won massive acclaim from audiences and critics alike.
The reason? Its humor and clever writing instantly elevate the imaginative premise, and with elements like reflecting on past trauma, commenting on class divide and the misuse of power, as well as potential cracks in a seemingly perfect relationship, the show earns major appeal. Not to mention the stellar performances from the leads, which only earned them praise and applause.
7 Seven Seconds (2018)
Based on the Russian film The Major, Seven Seconds is a crime drama series created and executive produced by showrunner Veena Sud. The plot follows the aftermath of tensions between Black citizens and white cops in Jersey City, after one of the cops kills a teenager in a hit-and-run accident. Clare-Hope Ashitey plays assistant prosecutor KJ, who wants to prosecute the "accident" as a hate crime. But the more the case dags on, the more tense the situation becomes. The thick Jersey accent will be stuck in your brain by the end of the miniseries, and there's a high possibility you'll cry your eyes out every other scene, but the watch is worth it. Regina King's incredible performance is well worth the small cost of admission.
6 Black Earth Rising (2018)
Written and directed by Hugo Blick, Black Earth Rising is a British television series that later began streaming on Netflix. The story centers around Kate Ashby (Michaela Coel), a Rwandan-born English legal investigator, who is also the survivor of the Rwandan genocide. When her adoptive mother Eve takes a case following the prosecution of an international war criminal — a Rwandan militia leader — the story becomes personal for Kate. The miniseries takes a global approach to race, injustice, and personal integrity. It's a wonder that the series didn't sweep every single European and American awards show.
5 Godless (2017)
Written and directed by Scott Frank and starring Jack O'Connell and Michelle Dockery in the main roles, Godless is one of the best Western dramas of the past decade. Set in 1884, the Netflix miniseries follows a young outlaw on the run from his vengeful ex-mentor. He somehow winds up in a remote New Mexico town populated almost entirely by women. The series was named one of the year's 10 best by The Washington Post and Vanity Fair. Even if you've never watched a Western before and your only incentive is O'Connell, you'll most likely enjoy the miniseries a lot.
4 Unorthodox (2020)
Unorthodox is the first Netflix series to be primarily in Yiddish. It's a German drama inspired by Deborah Feldman's 2012 autobiography, Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots, and directed by Maria Schrader. The story follows 19-year-old Esty, who lives among the Satmar sect of the ultra-Orthodox community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Unhappy in her arranged marriage, she decides to flee from her family to Berlin, but the past seems to always catch up to her. It stars acclaimed actors that you've probably never heard of, such as Shira Haas, had extremely positive reviews from major magazines, and ended up receiving eight Primetime Emmy Award nominations. In other words: you should drop everything and watch it now.
3 When They See Us (2019)
Based on the 1989 Central Park jogger case, when a white woman was assaulted while jogging, When They See Us is a powerful crime drama series created by Ava DuVernay. It spans a quarter of a century and follows five young men who were falsely accused of a heinous crime. It centers on their lives, their fight for justice, exoneration in 2002, and ultimately the settlement reached with the city of New York in 2014.
The cast features all Emmy nominees and winners, such as Jharrel Jerome, Asante Blackk, Jovan Adepo, Michael K. Williams, and Logan Marshall-Green. What's admirable about the retelling of the real events is that the real Central Park 5 were involved in the process of dramatizing their own story. The five men were later interviewed by Oprah Winfrey herself in a Netflix special.
2 Unbelievable (2019)
Based on the 2015 news article "An Unbelievable Story of Rape," Unbelievable is a true crime drama miniseries starring Toni Collette, Merritt Wever, and Kaitlyn Dever. It's about a series of rapes in Washington State and Colorado, specifically about a teen that reports her rape and then recants her story because no one believed her. Two women detectives take the case and do their best to reveal the truth. The amazing thing that the miniseries achieved was creating a compelling crime show without giving any recognition to the attacker. It asserts that the pathology of male psychopaths are not as interesting as the weight of trauma on the victims, a bold and meaningful assertion in the age of a hit Jeffrey Dahmer series.
1 Alias Grace (2017)
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Based on Margaret Atwood's 1996 novel of the same name, Alias Grace is a Canadian miniseries directed by Mary Harron and written by Sarah Polley. It follows the character of Grace Marks (Sarah Gadon), an Irish immigrant whose job is a maid, as she gets convicted for the murder of her employer. When a psychiatrist arrives to evaluate her mental state, things get tricky. The question becomes whether she should be pardoned due to insanity enters the case. What's interesting is that while we devour the series, we also realize that Grace is a very flawed and complex main character, who's an extremely unreliable narrator and remains an enigma until the very last scene.