Within the so-called "Golden Age of Tv," miniseries have taken over, and streamers like Netflix have been on the forefront. True crime is maybe essentially the most infamous subgenre right here, because of hard-hitting, auteur-driven exhibits like When They See Us and chaos-filled documentaries like Wild Wild Nation. However there's a bit of one thing for everybody, from historic conflict epics like Band of Brothers to small-scale rom-com-drams like One Day, revisionist Westerns like Godless, and the elevated horror of the Flanaverse.

It wasn't straightforward to slender it down, however right here is Leisure Weekly's record of the 23 greatest miniseries on Netflix now, as of October 2025.

01 of 23

Adolescence (2025)

This four-part miniseries has develop into a TV unicorn since its March 2025 launch, changing into an enormous hit with viewers, attaining common acclaim from critics, and incomes eight Emmys (together with Excellent Restricted or Anthology Sequence). Adolescence facilities on a 13-year-old boy (Owen Cooper) accused of murdering a feminine classmate, deftly exploring the motive that led to the crime in addition to the devastating affect it has on his household. Every episode takes place over the course of an hour and is filmed in a single steady take, from immersing us within the unnerving dread of the preliminary police interrogations to the sobering actuality of his household left to ponder the place they went improper. It's gripping tv, powered by masterful performances and pressing, economical storytelling. —Kevin Jacobsen

The place to observe Adolescence: Netflix

Solid: Stephen Graham, Owen Cooper, Ashley Walters, Erin Doherty, Faye Marsay, Christine Tremarco, Mark Stanley, Jo Hartley, Amélie Pease

02 of 23

Alias Grace (2017)

Should you're excited that feminine antiheroes are having a second, then Alias Grace ought to be subsequent in your watchlist. Created by Girls Speaking director Sarah Polley and directed by American Psycho helmer Mary Harron, Alias Grace follows Grace Marks (Sarah Gadon), a Nineteenth-century maid who’s in jail for allegedly murdering her employers. Like fellow Margaret Atwood adaptation The Handmaid's Story, Alias Grace is a strong critique of the plight of ladies in a patriarchal society, but it surely's additionally a miniseries that can preserve you continuously guessing concerning the protagonist’s guilt or innocence. —Janey Tracey

The place to observe Alias Grace: Netflix

EW grade: A–

Solid: Sarah Gadon, Edward Holcroft, Rebecca Liddiard, Anna Paquin, Zachary Levi, David Cronenberg

03 of 23

The Andy Warhol Diaries (2022)

This absorbing Emmy-nominated documentary collection follows the rise of the influential pop artist Andy Warhol. Using progressive expertise to simulate Warhol's voice, the collection brings the artist's meticulously written diaries to life, guiding us by means of his profession as a painter, the assorted loves of his life, and his emergence as a popular culture icon within the '60s. Aided by revealing interviews from numerous public figures whose lives have been touched by Warhol, The Andy Warhol Diaries is a fittingly fashionable tribute to a legend. —Ok.J.

The place to observe The Andy Warhol Diaries: Netflix

04 of 23

Child Reindeer (2024)

Primarily based on Richard Gadd's one-man present about his expertise with stalking, Child Reindeer begins with humor, then takes a pointy flip that makes you reevaluate the whole lot that got here earlier than. The Emmy-winning miniseries has been controversial, particularly after a lawsuit was filed by the girl who claims to be the inspiration for the collection. However, wherever you stand on the ethics of fictionalizing actual folks, Child Reindeer nonetheless stands by itself as intimate, gut-wrenching tv that's deeply private. —J.T.

The place to observe Child Reindeer: Netflix

Solid: Richard Gadd, Jessica Gunning, Nava Mau, Tom Goodman-Hill

05 of 23

Band of Brothers (2001)

When it first aired on HBO in September 2001, Band of Brothers was all however eclipsed by 9/11, however since then it's had a well-deserved renaissance. Following the journey of Straightforward Firm, the group of American paratroopers who captured Hitler's Eagle's Nest, the miniseries reunited govt producers Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg after Saving Non-public Ryan (1998) for a equally gritty, harrowing depiction of conflict and heroism. Band of Brothers has solely grown in stature over time, typically cited as one in every of HBO's most iconic exhibits and one of many biggest conflict dramas ever made. Now is an ideal alternative to revisit — or uncover — this landmark collection. —J.T.

The place to observe Band of Brothers: Netflix

Solid: Ron Livingston, Damian Lewis, Kirk Acevedo, Eion Bailey, Michael Cudlitz, Scott Grimes, David Schwimmer

06 of 23

Beef (2023–current)

The much less you already know going into Beef, the higher. Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, each wonderful as all the time, star as Danny Cho and Amy Lau, two folks whose fates develop into intertwined after a highway rage incident. As their habits escalates, the miniseries turns into more and more deep and unusual.

EW's critic writes, "What begins as a manic vengeance journey veers sharply into an intense, philosophical, and at instances meandering exploration of generational trauma, the Asian immigrant expertise, and the fathomless thriller of our inside selves." A second season is within the works with an all-new forged (à la White Lotus), together with Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Charles Melton, and Cailee Spaeny. —J.T.

The place to observe Beef: Netflix

EW grade: B

Solid: Steven Yeun, Ali Wong, Joseph Lee, Younger Mazino, David Choe, Patti Yasutake

07 of 23

Bodyguard (2018)

Many exhibits would possibly construct to their first nail-biting sequence, however not Bodyguard. The primary episode begins with a 20-minute scene wherein David Budd (Richard Madden), a British Military conflict veteran affected by PTSD, tries to speak down a suicide bomber whereas on a prepare along with his two kids. EW staffers praised Madden's Golden Globe-winning efficiency, the portrayal of ladies in positions of energy, and the "what-the-heck-is-even-happening moments" that make the miniseries unimaginable to not binge. And the viewers appeared to agree: When it aired within the U.Ok., Bodyguard grew to become the nation's most profitable launch of a drama collection within the 2010s. —J.T.

The place to observe Bodyguard: Netflix

Solid: Richard Madden, Keeley Hawes, Gina McKee, Sophie Rundle, Vincent Franklin, Pippa Haywood

08 of 23

Escape at Dannemora (2018)

This Showtime restricted collection is decidedly darker than something Ben Stiller had directed earlier than, and he proved his dramatic bona fides right here. Primarily based on a real story, the collection follows two convicted murderers, Richard Matt (Benicio Del Toro) and David Sweat (Paul Dano), who orchestrate an escape from their New York correctional facility with the assistance of a jail employee, Tilly (Patricia Arquette), with whom they're each entangled. Bolstered by riveting performances (notably by Arquette), Escape at Dannemora is a slow-burn thriller that will get you extra invested with every episode. —Ok.J.

The place to observe Escape at Dannemora: Netflix by means of Oct. 21

Solid: Benicio Del Toro, Patricia Arquette, Paul Dano, Bonnie Hunt, Eric Lange, David Morse

09 of 23

Godless (2017)

Godless takes the Western style and turns it on its head, specializing in a city nearly solely run by girls after a mining accident kills many of the males. Jeff Daniels chews the surroundings as murderous robber Frank Griffin, giving a villainous efficiency for the ages (even when a few of his monologues run a bit of lengthy). However the girls are the standouts, particularly Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery and Merritt Wever as the lads's clothes-wearing, overtly feminist Mary Agnes. "I'm executed with the notion that the bliss of me and my sisters is to be present in childbearing and caregiving," she declares. —J.T.

The place to observe Godless: Netflix

EW grade: B

Solid: Michelle Dockery, Jack O'Connell, Scoot McNairy, Merritt Wever, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Sam Waterston, Jeff Daniels

10 of 23

Griselda (2024)

You've by no means seen Sofía Vergara fairly like this. The Fashionable Household alum sheds her comedic persona — and places on some prosthetics — to ship a chilling, Emmy-nominated efficiency as Griselda Blanco, the notorious Colombian drug lord. Based on director Andrés Baiz, who additionally labored on Narcos, Vergara was drawn to the function of a girl in a person's world and the chance to point out her vary. "This was an opportunity to reinvent herself and step out of her consolation zone," Baiz advised EW. "She knew she needed to dive in utterly into this function and…push herself to the restrict." —J.T.

The place to observe Griselda: Netflix

Solid: Sofía Vergara, Alberto Guerra, Martin Rodriguez, Juliana Aidén Martinez, Vanessa Ferlito, Christian Tappan

11 of 23

The Haunting of Hill Home (2018)

Much less of an adaptation than a reimagining, The Haunting of Hill Home has nearly nothing in widespread with the unique Shirley Jackson novel besides the characters' names. However director Mike Flanagan captures the spirit of the work; in true elevated horror style, the miniseries makes use of ghosts as metaphors for trauma and unresolved grief, reaching a horrible and exquisite climax with the now-classic episode "The Bent-Neck Woman."

"A ghost might be loads of issues: reminiscences, guilt, regrets, trauma, loss," Flanagan advised EW. "All of us have our ghosts to deal with, and that rivalry is the place we study essentially the most about ourselves, as people and as a society." —J.T.

The place to observe The Haunting of Hill Home: Netflix

Solid: Victoria Pedretti, Carla Gugino, Michiel Huisman, Elizabeth Reaser, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Kate Siegel, Mckenna Grace, Timothy Hutton

12 of 23

The Final Dance (2020)

You don't must observe basketball to understand The Final Dance. Chronicling Michael Jordan's ultimate season with the Chicago Bulls, this 10-part docuseries grew to become a quarantine favourite at a time when nobody may watch stay sports activities, portray a compelling portrait of ambition, management, and the worth of success. "Sports activities followers or non-sports followers, the Chicago Bulls have been a world phenomenon," director Jason Hehir advised EW. "This was a forged of characters that Hollywood couldn't provide you with, and Michael Jordan was the star of all stars." —J.T.

The place to observe The Final Dance: Netflix

Solid: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman

The 25 best miniseries ready to binge-watch this weekend The 23 best drama series on Netflix to get hooked on 13 of 23

Maid (2021)

Primarily based on Stephanie Land's memoir, Maid follows Alex (Margaret Qualley), a younger mom who escapes an abusive relationship and struggles to assist herself and her daughter. The miniseries is a uncooked and empathetic portrayal of the challenges confronted by these dwelling on the margins of society and a scathing indictment of the establishments that make it practically unimaginable to flee abuse and poverty. Qualley's real-life mom Andie MacDowell has an unsettling supporting function as Alex's mentally unwell mom, however Qualley is the star, and her nuanced, Emmy-nominated efficiency makes Maid each heartbreaking and provoking. —J.T.

The place to observe Maid: Netflix

Solid: Margaret Qualley, Nick Robinson, Anika Noni Rose, Andie MacDowell

14 of 23

Midnight Mass (2021)

The Haunting of Hill Home is Mike Flanagan's declare to fame, however some would possibly name Midnight Mass his magnum opus. The miniseries follows Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford), a person who returns to his non secular hometown after serving jail time for manslaughter. When a mysterious priest (Hamish Linklater) arrives, unusual and unexplainable occasions start to happen. Filled with slow-burn horror, it's Flanagan's most private work, based mostly on his experiences with restoration and his upbringing in a Catholic neighborhood. "I don't know the way lengthy I may have gone with out writing it," he wrote in a letter to critics. “This…was the story I all the time wished to inform." —J.T.

The place to observe Midnight Mass: Netflix

EW grade: A–

Solid: Zach Gilford, Kate Siegel, Hamish Linklater, Kristin Lehman, Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli

15 of 23

One Day (2024)

Neglect the 2011 movie model starring Jim Sturgess and Anne Hathaway — One Day on Netflix is now the definitive adaptation of the beloved novel by David Nicholls. The collection follows school classmates Emma (Ambika Mod) and Dexter (Leo Woodall), whose relationship unfolds on the identical day over the course of 20 years. A beautiful rom-com elevated by Mod and Woodall's chemistry and nuanced, charming performances, One Day could have you in tears by the tip of your binge. —J.T.

The place to observe One Day: Netflix

Solid: Ambika Mod, Leo Woodall

16 of 23

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (2023)

A prequel collection to rankings juggernaut Bridgerton, Queen Charlotte provides a lush, romantic take a look at the origins of some of the beloved characters. The miniseries, by tremendous creator Shonda Rhimes, delves into the younger Queen Charlotte's (India Amarteifio) rise to energy and her relationship with King George III (Corey Mylchreest). The story has a contemporary resonance as Queen Charlotte is written as a girl of shade, which is the idea of many historians. "I wished to inform the story of this younger girl of shade arriving on this world the place she by no means imagined she'd be," Rhimes advised EW. —J.T.

The place to observe Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story: Netflix

EW grade: B+

Solid: India Amarteifio, Adjoa Andoh, Michelle Fairley, Corey Mylchreest, Golda Rosheuvel

17 of 23

The Queen's Gambit (2020)

The miniseries that made everybody study chess throughout quarantine, The Queen's Gambit was the shock hit of 2020, charming audiences with its riveting story of chess prodigy Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Pleasure). Set throughout the Chilly Battle, the Emmy-winning collection traces Beth's journey from a Kentucky orphanage to the worldwide chess scene, all whereas coping with dependancy and inside demons. The fast pacing and ingenious visuals make chess matches as thrilling as a sports activities film climax, however Taylor-Pleasure's mesmerizing efficiency is the true draw. As EW's critic writes, "Queen's Gambit shall be remembered as the ultimate star-making second for Taylor-Pleasure, earlier than her film profession rockets quick and Furiosa-ly." —J.T.

The place to observe The Queen's Gambit: Netflix

EW grade: B

Solid: Anya Taylor-Pleasure, Invoice Camp, Moses Ingram, Marielle Heller, Thomas Brodie-Sangster

18 of 23

Ripley (2024)

Ripley brings Patricia Highsmith's notorious con artist to the small display screen in a trendy retelling that goes full noir, filmed solely in black and white. These modifications permit for a darker, lonelier model of Tom Ripley (performed by a career-best Andrew Scott), whose complicated psychology and lack of glamour is up to date for a contemporary viewers. "I didn't purposely attempt to get sympathy or empathy for him," creator Steven Zaillian advised EW. "I trusted that, simply by telling the story, that very same factor would occur because it did within the e book." —J.T.

The place to observe Ripley: Netflix

Solid: Andrew Scott, Dakota Fanning, Johnny Flynn, Eliot Sumner, Margherita Purchase, Maurizio Lombardi

19 of 23

Poisonous City (2025)

This four-part British collection is predicated on the real-life story of moms who fought their city's council on behalf of their kids. On the middle is the poisonous waste scandal in Corby, Northamptonshire, England, the place the mishandling of business waste led to delivery defects for a number of of the city's newborns. Jodie Whittaker and White Lotus alum Aimee Lou Wooden are excellent as two of the moms whose infants have been affected, and the collection is directly infuriating and provoking because it portrays the lengthy and winding highway of in search of justice. —Ok.J.

The place to observe Poisonous City: Netflix

Solid: Jodie Whittaker, Aimee Lou Wooden, Rory Kinnear, Brendan Coyle, Robert Carlyle, Joe Dempsie, Claudia Jessie

20 of 23

Unbelievable (2019)

Primarily based on the devastating, Pulitzer Prize-winning article "An Unbelievable Story of Rape" from ProPublica and the Marshall Undertaking, Unbelievable is a hard-hitting, unusually compassionate police procedural about two detectives (Toni Collette and Merritt Wever) as they examine a collection of sexual assaults. Kaitlyn Dever provides a heartbreaking efficiency as Marie, a rape survivor dismissed by authorities, which the actress known as "the toughest factor I’ve ever executed in my profession." However as an alternative of dwelling on the gendered injustices, the miniseries highlights the significance of getting girls in positions of energy, because the empathetic strategy taken by the feminine investigators is essential to righting the wrongs of the case. —J.T.

The place to observe Unbelievable: Netflix

EW grade: B+

Solid: Toni Collette, Merritt Wever, Kaitlyn Dever

21 of 23

Unorthodox (2020)

Primarily based on Deborah Feldman's memoir, Unorthodox tells the story of Esther "Esty" Shapiro, a younger girl who flees her ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn for a brand new life in Berlin. The miniseries is a gripping story of self-discovery and insurrection, with Shira Haas delivering a unprecedented flip as Esty. She earned an Emmy nomination for her efficiency, not least due to that highly effective singing scene. "The present is a couple of girl discovering her voice, and in that scene, she's actually discovering it," Haas advised EW. "She's even stunning herself of what's popping out of her." —J.T.

The place to observe Unorthodox: Netflix

Solid: Shira Haas, Amit Rahav, Jeff Wilbusch

22 of 23

When They See Us (2019)

Ava DuVernay's When They See Us is a searing, unflinching account of the wrongful convictions of the Central Park 5, 5 Black and Latino youngsters who have been falsely accused of a brutal assault in 1989. The miniseries powerfully depicts the systemic racism and injustice confronted by these younger males, following their harrowing journey from arrest to exoneration. With DuVernay's auteur contact and stellar performances from an ensemble forged, particularly Jharrel Jerome, who received an Emmy for his portrayal of Korey Clever, When They See Us is as emotionally devastating as it’s vital viewing. —J.T.

The place to observe When They See Us: Netflix

Solid: Asante Blackk, Jharrel Jerome, Niecy Nash-Betts, Felicity Huffman

23 of 23

Wild Wild Nation (2018)

Cult documentaries have been part of our media weight-reduction plan, however Wild Wild Nation is one it’s important to see to imagine. Chronicling the rise and fall of the Rajneeshpuram commune in Oregon throughout the Eighties, the docuseries delves into the controversial practices of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his followers, resulting in some of the weird, stunning, and underreported occasions in American historical past. It's a wild trip crammed with twists, authorized battles, and an interesting forged of real-life characters. —J.T.

The place to observe Wild Wild Nation: Netflix

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