When a show is great, you’re glued to the screen through every moment, totally invested in everything that’s going on. For me, the mark of a fantastic show is when I refuse to multitask while I watch. That means my phone is down and my laptop is closed. Netflix has some of the best shows of the last decade or so. Some of them are so good, you’ll be tempted to watch them twice.
In fact, I have watched a few of these shows myself a second time, and that’s something I rarely do. It’s a surefire sign that the show is not just worth your time, but one you’ll want to savor all over again once you’re done. In some cases, you might pick up on nuances you missed the first time around, especially when there’s an element of mystery to the plot. In other cases, it may be that so much time has passed since you watched that you’ve forgotten how good the show was.
11
‘You’ (2018–2025)
Penn Badgley convincingly plays a charming serial killer in You who repeatedly spots a woman he’s intrigued by and fixates on her to the point of obsession until the romance, well, ends. Since he’s handsome, intelligent, and doting, the women initially fall for him. How could you not? However, by the time they realize there’s something off, it’s too late. Joe (Badgley) has already hurt them or someone they love.
Presented in the same style as Dexter, the obsession-worthy thriller delivers Joe’s thoughts through narration and includes some massive twists and turns, especially in the two-part fourth season. Once that twist is revealed, you’ll want to go back to the beginning. Through all five seasons, you see Joe’s psyche degrade little by little. Knowing how each relationship ends, it’s worth the time investment to revisit each season and gain a deeper perspective.
10
‘Bodyguard’ (2018)
With only six episodes, Bodyguard is an easy re-watch and a show you’ll want to watch again if you haven’t seen it since it first came out. The British political thriller follows police sergeant David Budd (Richard Madden), a war veteran suffering from PTSD, who stops a terrorist attack on a train. After this valiant act, he’s assigned to protect a politician, but soon gets caught up in a dangerous situation.
The political commentary is overshadowed by the main story. David’s views are very different from those of the home secretary he is charged with protecting. Much of the debate centers around her support of regulatory changes that would give the police and government greater power to monitor the public’s private information. After enjoying the high-stakes action the first time around, it’s interesting to re-watch the show and focus on the issues relating to government, privacy, and PTSD, that fade into the background.
9
‘Ozark’ (2017–2022)
The Byrde family members experience drastic changes between Season 1 and Season 4 of Ozark. So, after watching the entire series, dive in again to see the descent happen slowly. The story begins when financial advisor Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) thinks he can take a few under-the-table jobs for a crime boss to earn extra money. But when the criminal boss realizes just how good Marty is at washing money, there’s no way he’s going to let him go. Next thing Marty knows, he’s moving his entire family to the Ozarks to work for the Mexican drug cartel full-time, or else.
It’s like Breaking Bad, but the story focuses on a family, not one man. Many also compare Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney) to Walter White (Bryan Cranston), not Marty. Marty and Wendy have compelling character arcs through the show’s four seasons, and their kids change, too. Let’s not forget watching the trajectory of beloved character Ruth Langmore (Julia Garner), a petty criminal who proves she could be capable of so much more had she been dealt a better card in life.
8
‘Mindhunter’ (2017–2019)
Watch Mindhunter and marvel at the incredible acting and compelling backstory about the coining of the term serial killer. Once you know it’s based on a true story and real people, and that many of the conversations with serial killers on the show include content from transcripts of real-life interviews with them, you’ll see it in a new light. If you watch real footage of these killers, from Ed Kemper to Dennis Rader, David Berkowitz, and Charles Manson, you’ll be amazed at how well the actors capture not only their look but also their mannerisms, vocal inflections, and general demeanor.
Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany are at the center, of course, and do a fine job playing two characters based on real FBI agents, John E. Douglas and Robert K. Ressler, who worked in the newly formed FBI Behavioral Science Unit (BSU). Together, they figured out that these “repeat killers” were committing crimes for reasons that were far more psychological than your garden-variety killers. It’s one of the most fascinating television shows, so it’s no surprise many have been begging for Mindhunter’s return.
7
‘The Queen’s Gambit’ (2020)
We can credit this coming-of-age period drama, which came out in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, for bringing back mainstream interest in chess. The Queen’s Gambit, based on the 1983 novel by Walter Tevis, centers around Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy), a young orphan who discovers by chance that she happens to be a chess prodigy. As she fights personal demons, she sinks herself into the game, which helps her through tough times. However, it isn’t going to be easy to break into this tight-knit group of predominantly male players.
A story of strength, resilience, and finding solace in the least expected places, The Queen’s Gambit is a modern classic that takes you on a journey with Beth through seven episodes as she works her way through the chess circuit. The chess community praised the show for its accuracy, and it made chess cool again. Since it’s only seven episodes, it’s an easy show to watch again, especially with a fresh set of eyes and without the pressures of a lockdown keeping you in front of the TV.
6
‘Stranger Things’ (2016–2025)
Horror, sci-fi, comedy, intrigue, and a throwback ’80s feel? Stranger Things has it all, and it never gets old. In fact, you can watch it a second time and pick up on new details or discover how things that once seemed meaningless all make sense now. I noticed so much watching the show a second time around, once my son was old enough to watch. For example, I had a new perspective after comparing a Season 1 scene of Will (Noah Schnapp) in the Upside Down to Season 5’s recreation of moments from that time.
You also get to see the kids grow up again right before your very eyes, as they grow up while battling monstrous forces. It’s nice to be able to watch all the seasons back-to-back as well, since there were such long gaps between seasons when they originally streamed. It took almost a decade to get five seasons of the show, and now, you can watch all 42 episodes in a couple of weekends.
5
‘Squid Game’ (2021–2025)
When you watch Squid Game for the first time, there’s an element of surprise in that you don’t know who is going to die, when, or how. Each game in each season is also a surprise. But when you watch the second time around, you can focus more on the story, the social commentary, and see details you’ll only notice on a rewatch, like how the background walls provide hints as to the next game.
The dystopian survival thriller is a violent show about vulnerable people playing deadly games for the chance to win a large sum of money while billionaires look on for sport. But it’s about a class-based society and a commentary on capitalism, and you can really dive into that by watching a second time. What’s more, some fans have reported a very different experience watching with subtitles versus dubbing. If you watched with one or the other the first time, it’s worth watching with the opposite, as the subtle nuances of moments and dialogue may change your perspective.
4
‘Sense8’ (2015–2018)
One of Netflix’s more complex, cerebral shows, Sense8 is a sci-fi drama with an ensemble cast of actors playing eight strangers who realize they are somehow connected, mentally and emotionally. But the show is about much more, exploring concepts of identity, sexuality, gender, and politics, diving into territory that might be considered risqué to some.
The Wachowskis’ show was beloved for its wonderful LGBTQ representation. Many still haven’t gotten over Netflix canceling the series when its second season ended on a cliffhanger. Thankfully, Netflix gave the series a 2.5-hour series finale. So, you can re-watch and get an entire story from start to finish and discuss with other passionate viewers.
3
‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ (2015–2019)
Ellie Kemper is infectious in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt as a woman who was abducted as a teenager and kept in an underground bunker with other women and her captor for 15 years. Now 30 and free, she travels to New York to explore everything the city has to offer. But the Big Apple isn’t necessarily the friendliest of places for the happy-go-lucky, childlike adult.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is a sweet fish-out-of-water story about Kimmy acclimating to this new world filled with technology she doesn’t understand and eclectic New Yorkers who are a contrast to her positive outlook on life. Since the show is so much fun, any feel-good series is worth watching twice when you need a pick-me-up.
2
‘Wednesday’ (2022–)
With two fun, short eight-episode seasons so far, Wednesday is the perfect show to watch again. You get humor and horror in one, a perfect modern-day homage to The Addams Family. Jenna Ortega is brilliant as Wednesday Addams. The other characters are just as wonderful to watch, from her infectious Nevermore Academy roommate Enid (Emma Myers) to her creepily enamored parents, Gomez (Luis Guzmán) and Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones).
There was an almost three-year wait between Seasons 1 and 2, and it’s a good time to get a refresher before diving into the next season, especially since Season 3 isn’t coming until 2027. You have lots of time to catch up and watch Wednesday, and her friends fight demons and evil forces. Wednesday can see them coming thanks to her psychic abilities. It’s also a weird coming-of-age story, and a great show to watch with kids once they’re old enough to enjoy it.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
