UPDATE: The dystopian black comedy Black Mirror, which offers Twilight Zone-style cautionary tales about the misuse of technology, is back for its fifth season– find out more about it below!
Since its arrival on Australian shores, we’ve enjoyed unfettered access to all of Netflix’s critically-lauded original shows. Not only that, users also have access to a wealth of other licensed material.
If you’re like us, you spend a good deal of your time Netflixing. Sure, Netflix also streams movies, but its television output is perhaps the reason most people have signed up for an account. There’s nothing quite like firing up Netflix and binge-watching a series at your own pace. Getting instant access to entire seasons of Stranger Things from day one is half the appeal.
This is why we’ve created the TechRadar guide to the best shows on Netflix Australia right now (in no particular order). We’ll keep this best TV show list constantly updated with the latest television shows that you should be watching on Netflix in Australia and also tell you why.
The best new TV series on Netflix Australia
Of course, the list includes Netflix Australia classics like Stranger Things, House of Cards, Making a Murderer, Black Mirror, Narcos and BoJack Horseman, but there’s so much more to binge on the service than the well-known titles.
We’ve selected more than 60 great series worth watching over the following pages, but if you’ve watched ’em all already you can also find out what’s new on Netflix this month right here, or cut to the chase with our quick picks for the top trending shows on Netflix right now.
The following list charts the best shows that are currently trending right now on Netflix Australia. For our complete list of shows, which has been separated into genre, continue on to the next page or select your preferred genre from the drop-down list above!
1. Black Mirror
As far as dystopian fiction goes, Black Mirror is up there with the very best. Penned by Charlie Brooker, who before this was disassembling and decimating the news in his show NewsWipe, Black Mirror consists of a handful of caustic tales about the perils of technology, shady governments and human nature as a whole.
Not only has Netflix nabbed the original seven episodes of the show to stream, comprising two series and a Christmas special, but it also funded three additional seasons. Each standalone episode holds a mirror up to our society in extreme satire, with themes that are not too far from issues facing us all today: social media highs and embarrassing lows, technology going awry and new games that start to feel all-too real. Pitch-black comedy at its absolute darkest, Black Mirror is a must for tech-heads with a wicked sense of humour.
Now in its fifth season, Black Mirror has returned to Netflix three brand new episodes. Expect some seriously dark and dystopian tales with an undercurrent of pitch black comedy.
Details: 5 seasons (plus one interactive special), 3-6 episodes per season, 60 minutes per episode
2. Dead to Me
In Netflix’s pitch black comedy Dead to Me, Christina Applegate (Anchorman, Married… with Children) plays Jen, a recently widowed woman who sets out to find the truth about her husband’s death by hit and run. Of course, Jen has her own way of grieving and the outpouring of sympathy from those around her to be utterly insufferable. However, by a twist of fate, Jen starts to loosen up when she meets and befriends Judy (Linda Cardellini), a free-spirited woman who also lost someone. A dark and acerbic comedy from the makers of 2 Broke Girls and Hot in Cleveland, Dead to Me may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it is destined to find a devoted audience who are willing to go to some uncomfortable places.
Details: 1 season, 10 episodes per season, 30 minutes per episode
3. Chambers
In the creepy Netflix Original thriller Chambers, a young woman named Sasha (Sivan Alyra Rose) receives a heart transplant from the recently deceased girl Becky (Lilliya Scarlett Reid) and immediately senses that something is not right. After meeting with Becky’s mother, Nancy (Uma Thurman), Sasha begins seeing things that were witnessed by her heart’s previous owner, leading her to believe that she’s being haunted by Becky. To make matters worse, it quickly becomes apparent that Becky’s mum and dad are up to something seriously sinister. Guaranteed to send shivers up your spine, Chambers is heart-pounding despite its deliberate pace.
Details: 1 season, 10 episodes per season, 38-50 minutes per episode
4. Lucifer
Unceremoniously cancelled on broadcast television, the devilishly-funny series Lucifer has found a new home on Netflix where it’s received a brand new fourth season! From mega-producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Top Gun, Armageddon, Pirates of the Caribbean) and based on the Vertigo comic of the same name (the comic series was a spin-off of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman), the series follows Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis) as he abandons Hell to open a nightclub in Los Angeles and work as a consultant for the LAPD. If you haven’t watched Lucifer before, fear not — the first three seasons are also available to stream on Netflix.
Details: 4 seasons, 13 episodes per season, 43 minutes per episode
5. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Forget the ’90s TV series Sabrina the Teenage Witch, because aside from sharing character names, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is an entirely different beast. Darker and scarier than that family-friendly take, Netflix’s version of the classic Archie Comics character owes a lot more to creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s recent comic series of the same name. Dealing head on with Satanism, demons and other dark subject matter, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina makes for a perfect companion to Riverdale (also from Aguirre-Sacasa), which tends to dabble in death and mystery, too. Of course, the show is quite fun, too, with a terrific performances from Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men) as Sabrina, Lucy Davis (Wonder Woman) as Aunt Hilda and Australia’s own Miranda Otto (Return of the King) as Aunt Zelda. Spooky and clever, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina positively ghoulish fun.
Details: 2 seasons, 10 episodes per season (plus one holiday special), 60 minutes per episode
6. Love, Death & Robots
From the twisted minds of David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club) and Tim Miller (Deadpool) comes Love, Death & Robots – a violence and sex-filled animated anthology series that’s strictly for adults. For years, the two visionaries attempted to bring a new adaptation of the classic Heavy Metal comics to screens, only to eventually leave the project behind due to lack of interest from all the major studios. Now, the project has been resuscitated in a new form thanks to Netflix, allowing the filmmakers to produce 18 self-contained short films, many of which are adapted from classic sci-fi and fantasy stories from authors such as Peter F. Hamilton, Alastair Reynolds, John Scalzi and more. If you’re into genre fiction involving robots, monsters and heady sci-fi themes, you’re going to adore Love, Death & Robots.
Details: 1 collection, 18 episodes, 6-17 minutes per episode
7. Queer Eye
Queer Eye is back! Taking over from where the original Fab Five left off, the new team has been put together with the same ultimate mission: to remodel individuals into the best possible version of themselves, whether it be their wardrobe, living arrangements, grooming, diet or even their confidence. We know, makeover shows are usually pretty lame, but this one is fantastic in the way that the guys really get to the emotional heart of each subject they undertake. Often, there’s a reason these men (and for the first time, a woman) have let themselves go or have put up defensive walls against the outside world. Because the Fab Five really seem to care about them, it becomes incredibly rewarding to watch them go from unhappy to full of life. Chances are you’ll cry at least once per episode. Season 3 sees the crew relocate to Kansas City, and you can expect an even more diverse group of makeover recipients this time around.
Details: 3 seasons, 8 episodes per season, 45 minutes per episode
8. Russian Doll
With its Groundhog Day-esque premise, Russian Doll sees Nadia (Natasha Lyonne) forced to relive her 36th birthday party over and over again. Though she’s killed repeatedly, there’s seemingly no end in sight for Nadia’s inescapable night, leading her to question her own sanity as she tries to find a way out. Funny and fast-paced, Russian Doll is ideal for viewers looking for something short and sweet to watch, with each episode leaving you wanting more.
Details: 1 season, 8 episodes per season, 25 minutes per episode
9. Dirty John
Based on the hit podcast series of the same name, Dirty John tells the unnerving true story of a man who infiltrates the life of lonely single mother Debra (Connie Britton), despite extreme disapproval from her daughters. While John (Eric Bana) initially convinces Debra that he’s a dreamboat doctor who’ll make her life wonderful, things soon turn dark, with his lies and psychological manipulation eventually leading to some truly devastating consequences for the family. While the show may have a slight ‘Hallmark Channel’ vibe, Bana and Connie are exceptional in their roles. Fans of the podcast and disturbing true crime stories are sure to enjoy Dirty John.
Details: 1 season, 8 episodes per season, 45 minutes per episode
10. Riverdale
Set aside any pre-conceived notions that you might have about a ‘sexy Archie’ series and get ready for one of the most addictive new shows of the moment with Riverdale. First things first — this ain’t your grandpappy’s Archie show. A modern day re-imagining of the beloved comics franchise that has spanned almost eight decades, this Twin Peaks-inspired version of Riverdale is fraught with murder, deception and small town scandal. Famous characters like Jughead, Veronica, Betty and even Josie and the Pussycats are all present and accounted for, only with a decidedly millennial twist. The first season followed the murder of star quarterback (and most popular kid in school) Jason Blossom, and the mystery surrounding it. This was followed by the arrival of a Zodiac-style serial killer who terrorised Riverdale from behind a black hood. In the third season, the gang must contend with a forbidden role-playing game called Griffons and Gargoyles that’s causing people in town to die, as well as a cult-like community called The Farm that’s putting everyone under its spell.With new episodes fast-tracked from the US every Thursday, your only problem will the seven day wait in-between.
Details: 3 seasons, 13-22 episodes per season, 42 minutes per episode
Want to know more about Netflix’s take on binging? Watch our very own Jon Porter live on the couch discussing his time at Netflix HQ!