Miniseries are the perfect balance between the worlds of cinema and television, bringing the high production values of movies to TV’s long-form storytelling. As a result, these shows deliver a level of detail and complexity that film just can’t match while providing consistent quality that’s hard to achieve with a multi-season narrative. Unsurprisingly, Netflix is home to several great miniseries, but only a handful of them can be called true masterpieces. A high-budget, star-studded production isn’t enough to earn that title; it’s a term that can only be applied to a work of art that’s perfect in every way possible. It’s a high standard but, as these projects have proven, not an impossible one. Read on to discover our selection of the most brilliant miniseries you can stream right now on Netflix.
For more recommendations, be sure to check out our lists of the best movies and shows on Netflix, movies with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score on Netflix, or TV masterpieces on Netflix in general (limited series and otherwise).
Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.
‘Adolescence’ (2025)
Rotten Tomatoes: 99% | IMDb: 8.2/10
Adolescence
- Release Date
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March 13, 2025
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
-
Philip Barantini
One of the most talked-about shows of 2025, Adolescence is a British crime drama created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, with the latter also playing a lead role. Directed by Philip Barantini, the four-part series explores the story of a 13-year-old (played by Owen Cooper) who is accused of murdering a girl at his school. As the show progresses, we learn how his actions were influenced by severe bullying and his exposure to misogynistic ideology online. Graham and Cooper lead an ensemble cast that also includes Ashley Walters, Erin Doherty, Faye Marsay, Christine Tremarco, and more.
Adolescence premiered on Netflix in March 2025, receiving critical and audience acclaim for its outstanding direction, writing, cinematography, and performances, especially that of its young star. A painful yet necessary reminder of how social media exposes children to unprecedented levels of harmful content, the series has sparked conversations from living rooms to the British Parliament. It’s also great on the technical side, with each episode of the series filmed as a single continuous take. It’s easily one of 2025’s finest shows so far, one that we’ll be discussing for years to come.
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‘Maid’ (2021)
Rotten Tomatoes: 94% | IMDb: 8.3/10
Maid
- Release Date
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2021 – 2020
- Network
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Netflix
Created by Molly Smith Metzler, Maid is a limited drama series based on Stephanie Land‘s 2019 memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive. The series stars Margaret Qualley as Alex, a young mother who escapes an abusive relationship and gets a job cleaning houses to provide for her daughter. Besides Qualley, the show also stars Nick Robinson, Anika Noni Rose, Tracy Vilar, Billy Burke, and Andie MacDowell in lead roles.
Maid premiered on Netflix in October 2021, debuting at number two on the streamer’s list of Top 10 English-language TV shows. Highly acclaimed by critics and audiences, the show has been praised for its heartbreaking, inspired-by-reality plot and the stellar performances of its cast, especially Qualley. The series went on to become Netflix’s fourth most-watched show of 2021 and earned multiple accolades, including three Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe nominations. To cap it all off, Maid was named one of the top 10 TV shows of 2021 by the American Film Institute, cementing its position as one of Netflix’s most celebrated dramas to date.
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‘Unbelievable’ (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes: 98% | IMDb: 8.3/10
Unbelievable
- Release Date
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2019 – 2018
- Directors
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Michael Dinner
Created by Susannah Grant, Ayelet Waldman, and Michael Chabon, Unbelievable is a limited crime drama series based on T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2015 news story and their follow-up 2018 book, A False Report. The show follows the heartbreaking case of Marie Adler, a young woman accused of lying about being raped, and the two female detectives who eventually helped her find justice. Kaitlyn Dever stars as Marie, with Toni Collette and Merritt Wever as Detectives Grace Rasmussen and Karen Duvall, respectively.
Released on Netflix in September 2019, Unbelievable received near-universal acclaim from critics and impressive viewership. A powerful, true crime-inspired drama, the show differentiates itself from other entries in the genre by placing the focus squarely on the victims and the justice system that failed them, not the perpetrators. The series received numerous accolades, including three Golden Globe nominations, four Emmy nominations, a Critics’ Choice Television Award, and a Peabody Award.
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‘Ripley’ (2024)
Rotten Tomatoes: 86% | IMDb: 8.1/10
Ripley
- Release Date
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2024 – 2023
- Showrunner
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Steven Zaillian
- Directors
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Steven Zaillian
- Writers
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Steven Zaillian
Created, written, and directed by Steven Zaillian, Ripley is an eight-episode miniseries inspired by Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley novels. The show stars Andrew Scott as the titular Tom Ripley, a New York con man who is hired to go to Italy and convince the prodigal son of a shipping magnate to return to America. However, neither Tom’s employers nor his new acquaintances have any idea just how dangerous he really is. Besides Scott, the show’s ensemble cast also includes Dakota Fanning, Johnny Flynn, Eliot Sumner, and more.
A gorgeous black-and-white production that draws inspiration from classic Italian cinema and Renaissance art, Ripley received both critical and audience acclaim when it premiered on Netflix in April 2024. An undeniable masterpiece of writing, directing, and cinematography, the show’s haunting narrative is further enhanced by its pitch-perfect performances, especially that of Andrew Scott in the lead role. Ripley went on to earn several accolades, including four Emmy Awards out of thirteen nominations, three Golden Globe nominations, and a Peabody Award.
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‘Maniac’ (2018)
Rotten Tomatoes: 85% | IMDb: 7.6/10
Maniac
- Release Date
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2018 – 2018-00-00
- Showrunner
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Patrick Somerville
A psychological comedy-drama miniseries, Maniac was created by Patrick Somerville and directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga. Loosely based on the eponymous 2015 Norwegian show, the series stars Emma Stone and Jonah Hill as two strangers who meet while taking part in a mysterious pharmaceutical trial testing a treatment that can supposedly cure all problems of the mind. As you might expect, things do not go as planned as these two embark on the mind-bending trip of a lifetime. Besides Hill and Stone, the show also stars Justin Theroux, Sonoya Mizuno, Gabriel Byrne, and Sally Field.
Maniac premiered on Netflix in September 2018 to highly positive reviews from both critics and audiences. Widely praised for its performances, direction, and retro-futuristic visuals, the show is a darkly comedic and intriguing psychological experience that draws you in and takes you to places you never imagined. The series earned Emma Stone and Jonah Hill acclaim, with Stone receiving a Satellite Award nomination and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.
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‘One Day’ (2024)
Rotten Tomatoes: 92% | IMDb: 8.1/10
One Day
- Release Date
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2024 – 2023
- Directors
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Molly Manners
- Writers
-
David Nicholls
A romantic drama limited series, One Day is based on David Nicholls’s 2009 novel, which was previously adapted as a 2011 film. Starring Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall, the series follows the decades-spanning story of Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew, two people from vastly different backgrounds who meet shortly after graduating from the University of Edinburgh. They continue to meet up every year on the same day for the next 20 years, with each meeting providing a glimpse into their lives apart. Besides Mod and Woodall, the show also features Eleanor Tomlinson, Essie Davis, Tim McInnerny, Toby Stephens, and more in significant roles.
The ultimate Valentine’s Day show, One Day premiered on Netflix in February 2024 and captured hearts with its sweeping, heartfelt story that explores complex relationships over a lifetime. The series was critically acclaimed and became the streamer’s most-watched series globally during the week of Valentine’s Day. A deeply romantic and heartwarming show bolstered by its great performances, writing, and direction, One Day is the perfect comfort watch and the perfect show to binge with your own loved ones.
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‘The Haunting of Hill House’ (2018)
Rotten Tomatoes: 93% | IMDb: 8.5/10
Created and directed by Mike Flanagan, The Haunting of Hill House is the first installment in Flanagan’s The Haunting series of supernatural horror shows. Loosely inspired by Shirley Jackson’s eponymous 1959 novel, the show follows five siblings who grew up in the titular Hill House, with the plot alternating between their lives as adults and the traumatic childhood events they experienced in the haunted mansion. The miniseries boasts an ensemble cast that includes Michiel Huisman, Elizabeth Reaser, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Kate Siegel, Victoria Pedretti, Carla Gugino, Henry Thomas, and more.
Released on Netflix in October 2018, The Haunting of Hill House proved to be a huge critical and commercial success, receiving unreserved acclaim for its writing, direction, performances, and high production values. A layered, emotionally complex drama that’s also genuinely scary, the series is arguably the most influential horror show on Netflix and one of the most successful horror adaptations in recent times. The miniseries was followed by a second (but unrelated) show, The Haunting of Bly Manor, in October 2020, which was also quite well-received.
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‘The Queen’s Gambit’ (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 96% | IMDb: 8.5/10
The Queen’s Gambit
- Release Date
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2020 – 2019
- Showrunner
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Scott Frank
- Directors
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Scott Frank
- Writers
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Scott Frank
Based on the eponymous 1983 novel by Walter Tevis, The Queen’s Gambit is a coming-of-age period drama miniseries written and directed by Scott Frank, who also developed the show with Allan Scott. Set in the 1950s and ’60s, the series stars Anya Taylor-Joy as orphaned chess prodigy Beth Harmon, charting her rise to the top of the game. But along the way, she struggles with emotional problems and an addiction to drugs and alcohol. The show also features Bill Camp, Moses Ingram, Marielle Heller, Harry Melling, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, and more in key roles.
The Queen’s Gambit was a massive hit when it premiered on Netflix in October 2020, becoming the streamer’s most-watched scripted miniseries at the time and garnering acclaim from critics and viewers. A brilliantly crafted drama, the series presents a compelling story enhanced by striking cinematography and a powerful performance by Anya Taylor-Joy. The show went on to win 11 Primetime Emmy Awards, including one for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, and is widely regarded as one of the best Netflix original shows ever made.
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