These 7 perfect Netflix shows don't have a single bad season
Is a lackluster season the greatest sin a TV show can make during its run? Is the test of a truly great show how it locks in season after season of supremely satisfying episodes? Netflix has produced hundreds of originals since House of Cards debuted in 2013, and while it has had countless behemoths, its track record is certainly uneven. For every hit, there's been a show that's lost the plot along the way—even one of its more recent poster children, Ozark , had a less-than-stellar first season, and fans were not thrilled at all with the final season of the most-watched show in Netflix's history, Squid Game .
But a select few Netflix series have managed to pull off something pretty rare—every single season is a winner. All killer, no filler, no disappointing finales, and all certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes (we checked). While we, of course, acknowledge the greatness of shows like Ozark , The Crown , and the groundbreaking Orange Is the New Black , among others, they all had their stumbles. The following eight did not.
Stranger Things (2016 - 2026) 5 Seasons
Never mind the fact that the fourth season of Stranger Things still reigns as the third most-watched Netflix show of all time, but all five of its seasons are certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with (currently) 97%, 94%, 89%, 90%, and 83% in order. What started as a coming-of-age mystery about a gang of D&D-loving kids on BMX bikes in 1980's Indiana whose friend goes missing, exploded into one of the biggest and most ambitious sci-fi dramas in recent history.
Creator brothers Matt and Ross Duffer crafted a gorgeous world of upside-down evil-monster chaos and an unlikely ensemble of young heroes (and bona fide stars) that expanded to new heights. While the horror and pop-culture references ramped up, the show never lost its emotional core and cliffhanger endings throughout its epic run. Its fifth and final season was one of the most anticipated and satisfying endings ( to most, at least ) of any show in recent memory, locking Stranger Things down as one of the best shows Netflix has ever created.
Dark (2017 - 2020) 3 Seasons
It's no secret that I'm a big fan of the German sci-fi thriller Dark , and that I personally would take it over Stranger Things any day of the week . It's three epic seasons of twisting, turning, time-traveling mind-bending, scored a whopping (currently) 90%, 100%, and 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and is one of the most intricately-constructed shows ever made. Its similarities to Stranger Things are not unnoticed, but it's decidedly darker—it starts as a missing-child mystery that unfolds into a saga that spans centuries. The emotional thread keeps ramping up, as do the stakes of annihilation and, ultimately, repetition in an endless loop. Crucially, Dark also sticks the landing in an epic finale.
Arcane (2021 - 2024) 2 Seasons
It's often referred to as the best adaptation of a video game ever made, and I tend to agree. Well, so do the critics, as the incredible animated series based on League of Legends still has a perfect 100% ratings for both of its epic seasons. Arcane transcends its source material with its emotional and fierce story of two sisters (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld and Ella Purnell) torn between two sides of a bloody revolution, one side driven by magical technology and the other by military might and politics. It's the most acclaimed animated series Netflix has ever created, and the winner of eight Emmy Awards and 16 Annies.
Mindhunter (2017 - 2018) 2 Seasons
If you're a fan of slow-burn crime procedurals, but not the watered-down ones on network TV, then do yourself a favor and binge both unflinchingly-excellent seasons of Mindhunter. The only complaint is there are only two seasons of this groundbreaking show about FBI agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), the pioneers of late-'70s and '80s criminal profiling who go around to prisons and interview the worst of the worst—from The Co-Ed Butcher to Son of Sam to Charles Manson—to see what makes the tick. Season two has a slight edge on the first, with its brooding BTK subplot, Sadly, even though it was speculated that there may be a third season, showrunner David Fincher's masterpiece series is no more. Rotten Tomatoes critics score currently sits at a huge 96% and 99%, respectively, for both seasons.
Derry Girls (2018 - 2022) 3 Seasons
By the end of season three of Derry Girls , you might find yourself developing a Northern Irish accent and using words like craic, boke, and ride. Set in the time of "The Troubles" in the 1990s, Lisa McGee's (check out her latest Netflix show, How to Get to Heaven from Belfast ) BAFTA-winning ensemble comedy follows five teenagers at a Catholic girls' school as they deal with the often absurd situations of youth against a backdrop of military occupation, political unrest, and, most joyously for the viewer (not the girls), the wonderfully dry antics of Sister Michael (Siobhan McSweeney). Two of its three seasons have a perfect 100% critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the tiniest dip to 97% for season two. Derry Girls is a gem all the way through that's honest, emotional, and wildly hilarious.
Castlevania (2017 - 2021) 4 Seasons
Proof positive that video game adaptations can be just as incredible and compelling as any live-action series, hands-down, Castlevania 's short first season was only four episodes, but boy did it make a bloody splash before growing into one of the most creative and action-packed animations Netflix ever released. Based primarily on the 1989 Nintendo game of the same name, the stunning series follows vampire hunter, Trevor Belmont, and sorceress Sypha Belnades as they team up to take on Dracula with the help of his powerful half-vampire, half-human son, Alucard. It's the mindbogglingly intricate fight sequences that will get you, and there are plenty of them. Castlevania 's four seasons garnered an impressive 83%, 100%, 95%, and 100% ratings, respectively.
The Diplomat (2023 - Present) 3 Seasons
I wanted to make sure to include a series that is actually still ongoing, and I immediately thought of Keri Russell's finely-crafted political drama, The Diplomat . My wife and I have thoroughly enjoyed this series for its sharp-as-hell writing, great performances, and the dynamics between many of its major character groups. Chief among them is the magnetism between U.S. Ambassador to the U.K., Kate Wyler (Russell) and her infuriating husband Hal (Rufus Sewell), whose political ambitions always take front seat to their marriage. The Diplomat was raring to go out of the gate in 2023, and has only gotten better, with season 3 peaking at a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. With season 4 already in development, it's the most exciting currently-airing Netflix drama.
There are, of course, several other Netflix shows that could be added to the list, but we could be here all day running through them all. All of these picks were chosen with popularity and impact in mind, for sure, but each season also had to have at the very least a Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes to be included. Let me know what else could have made the cut!
