Netflix is home to many great shows. It’s also the most prolific and well-known streaming service of them all, with a large catalog of original and acquired content. However, the King of Streamers is also famous for being quite trigger-happy. Indeed, Netflix is no stranger to canceling its shows, even if it spent millions producing them; if they don’t yield immediate results, the streamer will pull the plug without blinking an eye.
Still, many original shows have beaten the cancellation curse and had a successful life, at least by streaming standards. These shows are Netflix’s best efforts that actually got to enjoy a full life cycle, receiving more than five seasons. None might come close to the 100-episode mark, but these beloved series prove to hopeful showrunners everywhere that there is indeed life on Netflix after season 5.
10. Virgin River (2019-present) – 6 seasons
Virgin River is one of those Netflix shows that not many people talk about, but apparently, many people watch. Alexandra Breckenridge stars as Melinda “Mel” Monroe, a nurse practitioner and midwife who moves to the remote town of Virgin River to start fresh. There, she meets Jack Sheridan, a local bar owner and former U.S. Marine played by Martin Henderson.
Another entry in the “quaint American town full of quirky people” tradition of Gilmore Girls and Everwood, Virgin River is among Netflix’s best drama shows. It offers the right amount of romance, drama, and small-town comfort to be the TV show equivalent of a warm blanket. Virgin River is sweet and unambitious, yet satisfying and borderline addictive, a small-scale show about regular people leading regular lives.
Virgin River is available to stream on Netflix.
9. Elite (2018-present) – 8 seasons
Who would’ve thought that this Spanish teen murder mystery soap would become one of Netflix’s longest-running original series? Set in an exclusive school attended by Spain’s wealthiest teenagers, Elite follows a large cast of characters as they become involved in numerous crimes, from murder to kidnapping and beyond.
What began as a neo-noir teen drama with a healthy dose of mature content quickly became a guilty pleasure featuring increasingly ludicrous storylines. The cast changes almost every season, with new additions coming and old cast members going. Elite is far from great. However, it offers enough salacious content to secure a spot among Netflix’s lengthiest offerings.
Élite is available to stream on Netflix.
8. Grace and Frankie (2015-2022) – 7 seasons
Oscar winner Jane Fonda and Oscar nominee Lily Tomlin joined forces for Netflix’s delightful comedy Grace and Frankie. The show centers on the titular characters, two women who become unlikely friends when their husbands, longtime business partners, leave them to start a relationship. Throughout the seasons, Grace and Frankie become closer and start a second chapter in their lives.
One of the best comedies on Netflix, Grace and Frankie is another of the streamer’s original hits. Not only did it receive critical acclaim for most of its run, but it also confirmed that Fonda and Tomlin are still at the top of their game. The show was something of a revival for their careers, and its success led to more opportunities on the small and big screens for them. Grace and Frankie is a throwback to the classic sitcoms of the 1980s and ’90s like The Golden Girls and Kate & Allie, featuring funny and relatable storylines with an often risqué twist that make them refreshing and hilarious.
Grace and Frankie is available to stream on Netflix.
7. Big Mouth (2017-present) – 7 seasons
If there’s one area where Netflix excels, it’s adult animation, and Big Mouth proves it. The series explores the troubles of adolescence, focusing on three teenagers who must deal with confusion, love, the pressures of high school, and their blossoming sexual desires in suburban Westchester County, N.Y.
Acclaimed for its mature, biting humor and willingness to explore a wide range of issues, Big Mouth is among Netflix’s most celebrated shows, which might explain why it’s also one of its longest-running. The series has aired seven seasons so far, with an eighth and final season in the works. It even spawned an equally acclaimed, albeit short-lived spinoff, Human Resources. Overall, Big Mouth is a true Netflix legend, lasting longer than most other shows and leaving a lasting impression on modern audiences.
Big Mouth is available to stream on Netflix.
6. Lucifer (2016-2021) – 6 seasons
A very loose adaptation of the DC Comics character of the same name, Lucifer stars Tom Ellis as the charismatic Lucifer Morningstar. The former ruler of hell, Lucifer abandons his post to run a nightclub in Los Angeles instead. Seeking more thrills, he becomes a consultant working with the Los Angeles Police Department.
Lucifer is among the best adaptations of Neil Gaiman‘s work, a truly refreshing take on one of DC’s most difficult and underappreciated characters. The show originally ran on Fox for three seasons before getting canceled and promptly revived by Netflix, where it ran for three more seasons. Lucifer thrives on the strength of Ellis’ devilishly charming performance, with the actor creating an inspired and irresistible version of the Prince of Hell. Funny and just the right amount of silly, Lucifer is the kind of show that should please loyal and casual DC fans alike.
Lucifer is available to stream on Netflix.
5. Orange Is the New Black (2013-2019) – 7 seasons
Orange Is the New Black is the show that put Netflix on the map. Based on Piper Kerman’s memoir, the show follows Piper Chapman, who is sentenced to 15 months in a minimum-security prison for transporting a suitcase full of drug money 10 years before the show’s start. In prison, Piper reunites with her former lover and reexamines her privileged life while making all sorts of chaotic new acquaintances.
A true pioneer in the world of streaming, Orange Is the New Black remains one of Netflix’s most successful series. It was also one of its first original efforts to cross the five-season mark, introducing new characters and storylines throughout its run. Today, Orange Is the New Black is widely remembered as one of the crucial pillars upon which Netflix now stands, a game-changing entry for LGBTQ+ representation, and a launching pad for stars like Uzo Aduba, Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), and Laverne Cox.
Orange Is the New Black is available to stream on Netflix.
4. Peaky Blinders (2013-2022) – 6 seasons
Recent Oscar winner Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer) stars in the BBC/Netflix period crime drama Peaky Blinders. Set in post-World War I Birmingham, England, and loosely based on the exploits of the eponymous urban youth gang, the show chronicles the Peaky Blinders’ exploits, mainly from the perspective of its leader, the cunning and ambitious Tommy Shelby.
Peaky Blinders is a true modern classic, benefiting from a riveting central performance from Murphy and an equally enthralling portrayal by the late Helen McCrory. The show featured guest turns from guest stars like Anya Taylor-Joy (Furiosa), Tom Hardy, and Sam Claflin, quickly cementing itself as an influential part of modern television. While never an awards darling, Peaky Blinders enjoyed immense critical and fan acclaim, lasting six seasons before wrapping its violent, yet insightful story on a satisfying note.
Peaky Blinders is available to stream on Netflix.
3. BoJack Horseman (2014-2020) – 6 seasons
Juggling different genres and presenting remarkably challenging storylines that pushed the envelope, BoJack Horseman quickly became one of Netflix’s crown jewels. The show centers on the titular character, an anthropomorphic horse and has-been sitcom star who plots a comeback with an autobiography penned by a ghostwriter.
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to call BoJack Horseman Netflix’s best and most thematically rich and complex series. It dealt with complicated issues including mental health, trauma, addiction, suicide, sexism, racism, and many other crucial social issues. Yet, it was never preachy, addressing them with a degree of humor and humanity that few other shows could ever hope for. Occasionally ruthless and harrowing, yet always engaging, BoJack Horseman is a unique and poignant piece of entertainment. In hindsight, it’s impressive that it lasted six seasons, but Netflix is all the better for allowing the show to grow and thrive.
BoJack Horseman is available to stream on Netflix.
2. Black Mirror (2011-Present) – 7 seasons
Starting on the British network Channel 4, Black Mirror moved to Netflix in season 3, and the rest is history. The anthology show explores several themes, mainly revolving around technology, media consumption, and human detachment. Most of its episodes are set in dystopias where technology has increased its dominance, leading to an increasingly fractured human condition.
Black Mirror is widely regarded as one of the finest, most ambitious, and thematically complex shows of the 21st century. While not every episode is a winner, those that are have become true landmarks of modern television, generating intense conversations and acting as genuinely chilling cautionary tales about the dangers of unchecked technology. Thought-provoking, occasionally humorous, and always riveting, Black Mirror is the modern Twilight Zone, a show that is as unnerving and eerie as it’s entertaining.
Black Mirror is available to stream on Netflix.
1. The Crown (2016-2023) – 6 seasons
Created by Peter Morgan, The Crown was Netflix’s pride and joy for years. A heavily fictionalized take on the Royal Family, The Crown centers on Queen Elizabeth II, chronicling her life, from her ascent to the throne to her later years. The show depicts most of the most crucial events in the monarch’s life and features multiple key figures like Prince Philip, Princess Margaret, Prince Charles, and Princess Diana.
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to call The Crown Netflix’s most acclaimed original. The show and its cast earned a plethora of awards, with season 4 claiming the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. It arguably peaked during the early Diana years, with seasons 3 and 4 capturing the zeitgeist and ruling most award shows. While seasons 5 and 6 didn’t reach the heights of the earlier ones, The Crown remains a prestige drama that offers a rare insight into one of modern history’s most elusive and impenetrable figures.
The Crown is available to stream on Netflix.
