The best of the best 2021 Netflix original series you need to add to your binge list.
Netflix series has dominated the ratings and award shows, starting back when ‘Orange Is The New Black’ surprised everyone and walked away with 16 Emmy nominations and 4 wins.
Everyone was asking the same question, “Netflix makes their own shows?”
Yes, they do (The Queen’s Gambit, ring a bell? …), and they are continuing to crush it judging by the 2021 Netflix Original Series lineup below.
These are the best Netflix original series you need to binge right now, as of yesterday!
Cobra Kai
Season 4 is about to hit our screens this year, so it’s time for a rewatch!
If you’re a child of the 80’s you definitely saw the Karate Kid (1984), and cheered on plucky underdog Daniel La Russo (Ralph Macchio) as he beat the bullies in the All Valley Karate Championship.
This series turns that on its head, as we fast forward to modern times and the bully (William Zabka) has become an alcoholic, washed-up loser. In the reboot, we follow his journey from reluctant hero to leading man alongside many of the original cast members. Sadly, Pat Morita passed away several years ago, but he is a constant character in the show through Daniel’s memories. This is one of the best reboots on television.
IMDb Score: 8.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 93% Critic Rating
Pretend It’s a City
This collaboration between writer and creative Fran Lebowitz and director Martin Scorsese is a love letter to New York. It’s a biography of Lobowitz’s career and quirky, sardonic take on her life experiences in the Big Apple.
The series is as much a biography of New York since the ’60s, as much as it is a tribute to one of her most famous locals. A real gem.
IMDb Score: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 90% Critic Rating
The Serpent
This British true-crime drama is a co-production between Netflix and the BBC. It dramatizes the life of serial killer Charles Sobhraj, who robbed and murdered tourists along the “hippie trail” in Thailand in the ’70s.
The years-long manhunt kept him on the top of Interpol’s most wanted list. The show is a little uneven in places, but a stellar performance by Tahar Rahim makes it compelling tv.
IMDb Score: 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 69% Critic Rating
Shadow & Bone
For fans of the worldwide bestselling Grishaverse novels, this series does not disappoint. It received rave reviews and was recently renewed for another season.
For those not familiar, it’s a fantasy series about a group of “Grisha” who practice ancient magic in their own secret village far away from the swirling dark powers that threaten to destroy the world.
IMDb Score: 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 87% Critic Rating
Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer
This true-crime docu-series details the impact and investigation of one of the most famous serial killers in American history.
Although the series does a slight misstep by falling into the nickname/glorifying trap, it makes up for it with candid victim and police interviews, helping to reveal the impact this child molester and murderer had on California at the time of his crimes.
IMDb Score: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 73% Critic Rating
Halston
Ewan McGregor plays fashion icon Halston, who rose to fame in the ’70s and ’80s and began the concept of department store franchises by celebrity brands.
The series follows him through his penniless start-up to his triumph in later years and includes all his wild adventures through the times.
IMDb Score: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 67% Critic Rating
Lupin
French series Lupin offers another European partnership with Netflix. Gentleman thief Assane Diop finds inspiration in a fictional character from a book his father gave him.
Arsène Lupin, the fictional hero, inspires Diop to avenge his father and bring down the rich, powerful family responsible for his death.
IMDb Score: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 97% Critic Rating
The Sons of Sam: Descent into Darkness (2021)
This is a true-crime documentary with a twist. Instead of a serial killer biopic, this series explores the theory that maybe David Berkowitz wasn’t a lone serial killer, but was instead a kind of “patsy” for a vast Satanic cult.
Although it may seem too fantastical to believe, this carefully laid out docu-series may have you asking questions about the crimes you thought you knew. Paul Giamatti provides the voice of Maury Terry, the crusader who ends up descending into the darkness to try and reveal the elusive truth.
IMDb Score: 7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 53% Critic Rating
Murder Among the Mormons
It takes one to know one, they say. Respected Mormon document dealer, Mark Hofmann, is injured and nearly killed when a bomb goes off in his car.
Could he be another victim of the serial bomber targeting the Church of the Latter Day Saints (LDS) members? Or could his discovery of a document that could ruin the Mormon church have anything to do with it?
Sometimes, as true crime fans know, murders aren’t about love or revenge or crimes of passion … they’re just about cold, hard cash.
IMDb Score: 7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 88% Critic Rating
This is a Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heist (2021)
Yet another true crime entry! As the name suggests, this series explores the mind-boggling (and as yet unsolved) robbery of nearly 500 million dollars worth of art from the Boston Museum in 1990.
It’s not a terribly innovative series, but the scale of the crime and the detailed exploration of the facts make it riveting to watch.
IMDb Score: 6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 87% Critic Rating
Stream all the best Netflix original series on netflix.com.
Top 10 Netflix Original Movies
The best Netflix original movies to add to your watch list this year
Netflix is known for producing its very own blockbuster films on the regular, and we’ve got the top ten for you right here. It’s no wonder they are dominating the ratings worldwide, with the parade of “A-list” actors, big budgets, and international streaming rights to millions of homes.
Read more: Top 10 Netflix Original Movies Of All-Time
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