Even the very best shows on Netflix struggle to attain a perfect score, given that it only takes one accredited journalist to publish a negative review included by Rotten Tomatoes in its aggregation process to push the percentage below 100. From The Queen’s Gambit to Adolescence, there are many flawless Netflix originals out there that don’t qualify for this list.
To achieve a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, being a masterpiece isn’t enough. TV shows need to be broad enough in their appeal to account for the full spectrum of critical standpoints, ensuring that even outlying journalists will still take a positive view of them overall. It’s a very small few that attract this level of absolute consensus.
On the other hand, the quality of the series that do make it is entirely beyond question. The 10 Netflix releases listed here have the ultimate seal of approval from the field of TV journalism as a whole, rubber-stamping their status as shows everyone should watch.
10
Toxic Town
2025
Just keeping its fellow 2025 release Asura off this list, Toxic Town is a masterful miniseries about the real-life disaster that led to babies being born with limb defects and other serious health conditions. This tragic story about the true dangers of toxic waste mismanagement is brought to life by powerful performances from Jodie Whittaker and Aimee Lou Wood.
Rather than making the disaster and its effects the sole focus of the series, writers Jack Thorne and Amy Trigg turn their attention to the heroic struggle for justice led by mothers Susan and Tracey, who are played by Whittaker and Wood, respectively. As a result, this harrowing tale at least has an uplifting ending.
9
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
2022
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a contender for the greatest sci-fi anime ever made, capturing the essence of the cyberpunk subgenre quite unlike anything else before it. The show’s vivid animation style rightly won Studio Trigger a slew of awards the year after its release, and contributes to the fully immersive experience it delivers to viewers.
At the same time, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is an intensely human story about the alienating role tech can play under the wrong circumstances, and its inability to overcome social inequality when placed in the wrong hands. Quite how this fast-paced cartoon set in an urban dystopia populated by cyborgs packs so much emotional punch has to be seen to be believed.
8
The Law According To Lidia Poët
2023–Present
One of the best lawyer shows on Netflix, The Law According To Lidia Poët is worlds apart from any of the others in contention for that title. A historical drama set in the 19th century, it follows the real life of Lidia Poët, who surmounts major obstacles to become the first female lawyer of any note in Italy.
A true heroine story that still has plenty more legs in it ahead of a second season, this series is funny, moving, and wonderfully inspiring. The period details that make 1880s Turin come alive are exquisitely applied, too.
7
Marianne
2019
Even though Marianne is probably Netflix’s best horror miniseries outside Mike Flanagan’s oeuvre, it’s criminally underwatched. This French-language production is utterly terrifying at all the right moments, most notably whenever Mireille Herbstmeyer’s Madame Daugeron is onscreen. The show tells the story of Emma Larsimon, a horror novelist whose ghoulish literary creations come to life.
Crucially, Emma writes the show’s titular medieval demonic witch into being, bringing Marianne’s evil presence into the modern world. This is a rare example of a modern series that truly understands gothic horror, from its stark color palette and bone-chilling jump scares, to its clever reworking of Middle-Age mythology. Marianne deserved so much more than cancellation after just eight episodes.
6
Carol & The End Of The World
2023
Among the most philosophically profound works of animations ever produced, Carol & The End of the World is an ingeniously original take on the ultimate apocalyptic scenario. Rather than couch the end of the world in big-picture terms, offering us the personal perspectives of multiple characters, it delves deeper into the solitary existence of its understated titular hero.
Rivaling fellow Netflix animated series Bojack Horseman for empathy and understanding on a level rarely realized in the world of television, this unsung and underseen miniseries is as moving as it is inquisitive and thought-provoking. Carol’s surface-level banality makes her existential anxiety relatable for every kind of viewer, leaving all of us emotionally raw by the end of her journey.
5
Last Samurai Standing
2025–Present
The news that The Last Samurai Standing is returning for a second season is music to the ears of every martial arts fan, given just how special season 1 is. This series about a warrior seeking to become his country’s greatest swordsman, motivated by personal hardship, is a classic hero’s journey rendered in stunning detail.
Featuring the legendary Tenryū-ji Temple in Kyoto, Last Samurai Standing is the perfect martial arts show, which genuinely stands up to comparisons with Shōgun as a Japanese period masterpiece. With both historical accuracy and beautifully choreographed action sequences, the show has set a new benchmark for contemporary releases in its genre.
4
My Name
2021
Put simply, My Name is probably the most thrilling K-drama of all time. An action-packed revenge story punctuated by high-stakes martial arts combat sequences and gun battles, this eight-part noir series also sees Han So-hee give her best dramatic performance, opposite crime genre veteran Park Hee-soon.
My Name has it all, from double-crossing espionage to a war on drugs, and gangster family drama to young romance destined for tragedy. Yet, the show never feels like it’s spinning plates. It seamlessly interweaves several simultaneous plot threads, with Han So-hee tying them all together with effortless charisma. For anyone with a Netflix subscription, My Name is a must-watch.
3
The Chestnut Man
2021–Present
Nordic noir doesn’t get any better than The Chestnut Man, which combines gritty police-procedural work with elements of horror and mystery for a truly mesmerizing watch. The show’s title refers to the chestnut figurine left behind by a serial killer as a signature to identify their crimes.
This motif encapsulates the mood of the series, which is as unsettling as it is thrilling. Since The Chestnut Man’s status as Netflix’s perfect Nordic crime series is currently unrivalled, its second season is highly anticipated. Let’s hope it can maintain the show’s perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, despite having to leave the plot of Søren Sveistrup’s original novel behind.
2
When Life Gives You Tangerines
2025
The best-reviewed Netflix show of 2025, When Life You Tangerines is the streaming platform’s best romance series of all time. It tells the epic tale of a couple’s journey through life against the backdrop of social change in their country. The show transcends its K-drama tag to as a love story for the ages with global reach.
While the complexity and nuance of When Life Gives You Tangerines is essential to its authentic feel, in the end what sets the series apart is its unerring ability to tug on the heartstrings with two characters who are essentially good people trying their best. Viewers who keep their eyes dry throughout are few and far between.
1
Arcane
2021–2024
Let alone one of the best Netflix originals of all time, Arcane is among the best fantasy series of this century so far. A dazzlingly animated, flawlessly scripted, and beautifully soundtracked steampunk series about the political and economic power that comes with technological privilege, the show has been a life-changing viewing experience for countless fans.
Of course, even the most visually compelling TV series need relatable central characters to root for, and Arcane has two protagonists who more than live up to this billing, in courage orphan sisters Vi and Jinx. If there’s any Netflix show worthy of absolute critical consensus around its masterpiece status, then it’s surely this two-season science fantasy thriller.
- founded
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January 16, 2007
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Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph