Netflix has created hundreds of original dramas over the years. Some, likeSquid GameorAdolescence,were massive hits among viewers and audiences, but not allNetflix Original dramasfare equally well. There are plenty of shows that were either largely ignored or were critically panned. But, unsurprisingly, critics can sometimes get it wrong and criticize shows, making these drama shows out to be a lot worse than they actually are.
TheseNetflix Original dramasare criticized for poor writing or bad character development, and can be overly critical because they are comparing them to the most incredible shows out there. Many of these dramas are better than they get credit for.
10’Trinkets' (2019-2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 60% | Metacritic: N/A
Three teenage kleptomaniacs walk into abar,Shopaholics Anonymous, and the rest is history. It’s actually calledTrinkets. The trio of new friends is precisely what you’d expect from our favorite“unlikely friends” trope. But the show is refreshingly fun to watch. It covers important topics but maintains an energy that makes you keep watching the trio and how they learn to rely on one another while struggling with the same addiction.
The three girls are completely different and seem to have nothing in common, but they somehow share many universal struggles that invest the viewers in their story.Trinketshas moments of levity, filled with chaotic moments, and isa great watch.While it received mixed reviews from critics, the show was undeniably fun and a fresh twist on many tropes.
9'13 Reasons Why' (2017-2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 35% | Metacritic: 60
13 Reasons Whyis likelyNetflix’smost controversial Original Drama. From the debut of its first season to the series finale in its third season, theSelena Gomez-produced series was plagued with controversies. This isn’t too surprising when you understand the topics the drama covers. From self-harm to sexual assault, the Netflix series is far from being an easy watch. It could be cruel, awful, and gut-wrenching, but the series started plenty of conversation surroundingmental health. The suicide scene in the first season received so much backlash that the scene was removed from Netflix.
Regardless of whether or not they depicted every single thing well, the series was definitely the first time many difficult topics surrounding mental health were discussed all around the United States and beyond. The following seasons struggled to find that same relevance and were uneven at times, but overall,13 Reasons Whyis well worth watching.
13 Reasons Why
8’Fate: The Winx Saga' (2021-2022)
Rotten Tomatoes: 45% | Metacritic: 43
Fans of the originalWinx Clublikely didn’t appreciate the changes made to their favorite fairies, much like people were disappointed withRiverdale’streatment of Archie Comics. However, in my humble opinion, whileRiverdalemade something truly unrecognizable by the end of its run,Fate: The Winx Sagawas a fun and unique take on theoriginal iconic animated series. Of course, there were plenty of changes from the original and things they probably could’ve done better, but overall it was agreat YA dramawatch.
The show’s depiction of friendship andsisterhoodis translated into the live-action adaptation. This is one of the most important aspects of the original series: the relationship between the core group is what keeps fans watching. While different from the original,Fate: The Winx Sagacertainlydeserves more credit than it received.
Fate: The Winx Saga
7’Missing You' (2025)
Rotten Tomatoes: 47% | Metacritic: 57
If you’re a fan ofHarlan Coben’smystery and thriller novels,Missing Youis Netflix’s 10th adaptation of one of his books. It follows a DI Kat Donovan who has been single for eleven years since her fiancé mysteriously disappeared. This all changes when she spots him on a dating site. She is also looking for the truth behind her father’s murder, which also happened many years ago. Themystery seriesis filled with twists and turns, and slowly but surely, you learn more and more of the truth.
Missing Youdefinitely starts out a bit slow, but it starts to pick up as you move further into the series. It’s not the best mystery series Netflix has made, but it’s a quality watch and isnot nearly as bad as critics characterized it.
Missing You
6’Pulse' (2025)
Rotten Tomatoes: 48% | Metacritic: 48
Medical dramasare all over cable television. Everything from comedies like the returningScrubsor the classicER, medical dramas have long been the favorite of television audiences. To no one’s surprise, Netflix wanted to jump on board. Interestingly, it took them this long, and unfortunately, it seems not to have been a success for the streaming platform. Despite charting for multiple days on the top 10 Netflix charts, the streamer decided to cancelPulseafter one season.
Their first foray into English-language medical drama has not gone over well. The series was a classic medical drama with patients and romances. However, this one had flashbacks, an allegation against a coworker, and a very messy relationship. While this may not have been executed perfectly,the show overall wasn’t bad.Although the show was released soon afterHBO Max’smassively popularThe Pitt,it didn’t bring good luck forPulse.
5’Clickbait' (2021)
Rotten Tomatoes: 59% | Metacritic: 47
IsClickbaitthe best mystery thriller on Netflix? Absolutely not. Is it a good watch? Yes. The premise of the show is intriguing enough that you’re able to’t help but keep watching just to figure out what’s going on. The idea is that a sister and brother get into a huge fight. The next day, a video is released with the brother being beaten up, holding a card confessing to crimes, and stating that he will be killed if the footage gets to five million views.
The show is a goose chase that keeps you wondering where the mystery is going and what the brother actually did. His sister, Pia (ZoeKazan),and his wife, Sophie (Betty Gabriel), give strong performances that also keep you watching. At times, the writing and the plot can be frustrating, but the core mystery keeps you hooked. It’sa modern take on a very classic trope, and it’s better than the critical reception it received.
4’Partner Track' (2022)
Rotten Tomatoes: 57% | Metacritic: 49
BeforeArden Chocaptured hearts as the voice behind Rumi in Netflix’s global hitKPop Demon Hunters, she starred in Netflix’slegal dramaPartner Track. To this day, it is surprising that the series was canceled. It was a very classic legal show that would have attracted audiences that liked a lighter version ofSuitsorThe Lincoln Lawyer. The legal drama balances an enemies-to-lovers romance for the protagonist, along with Cho’s character dealing with racism and misogyny at the workplace.
There are plenty of characters, including lovely chemistry between Cho and her two friends, in addition to the complicated relationships she has with the rest of her coworkers and family. Cho leads the cast well with a refreshing take on an overplayed genre. It would have been lovely to see where the show would have gone and how it would have developed in a second season.It deserved a longer life on the streamerand a better reception from critics.
Partner Track
3’The English Game' (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 53% | Metacritic: 62
Fans ofDownton Abbeymay not know that the show’s creator,Julian Fellowes,created a Netflix show about football (or soccer for us Americans) calledThe English Game. Before the late 19th century, soccer was a game for the wealthy. However,The English Gamefollows the story of a wealthy player and a working-class player, and how they transform soccer forever.
Thesports dramaexplores the social class divide and how sports can bridge it through collaboration and teamwork. WhileDownton Abbeyand HBO’sGilded Agehave had multiple seasons (and even movies for the former),The English Gamewas short-lived and only had one season with six episodes. However, it wasn’t intended to have a second season. Regardless, it’sa good watch and distinct from the other two series.
The English Game
2’Firefly Lane' (2021-2023)
Rotten Tomatoes: 57% | Metacritic: 57
If you want to watch a Netflix Original Drama that will make you feel something,Firefly Laneis the right choice. Based on Kristin Hannah’s 2008 book, this drama will capture your heart in the same way a series likeGilmore Girlswould, not in the sense that the series is about a mother and daughter, but because it shows a beautiful relationship between two friends. If you are tired of seeing the same love stories and rom-coms, you probably haven’t seen one about two best friends. You watch the duo as children and further into their lives over many decades.
The stories are told simultaneously, and you get to watch how they grow and change, and perhaps haven’t changed since they were kids. The series also doesn’t show a rose-colored glasses view of friendship, but what a real relationship that lasts that long would look like. All the baggage, fights, cries, and memories that you share with this person. You get to watch these two friends share their most precious moments and stick by each other while everything around them keeps changing. If you finish the show without belly laughing and crying at least a dozen times,you might have a frozen heart.
Firefly Lane
1’Away' (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 61% | Metacritic: 59
Space series can frequently feel so alien (pun intended), and grounded space dramas are rarer.Awayis Netflix’s attempt at making aspace dramaabout the first mission to Mars, and Oscar-winningHilary Swankleads the team. Produced byJason Katims, who you likely know from his workonFriday Night LightsandParenthood. With a genius like this behind the series, it is expected thatAwayis very much a character-driven story within the setting of a spaceship.
The space crew is international, and you get to witness the obvious cultural clashes that would take place in such a scenario. But you also get to see the things that are similar for all of us, and the series is filled with plenty of beautiful moments. Of course, they also have wacky moments, including a limb falling off (yes, that’s right), but it all creates a complex and powerful series. Unfortunately, the series was canceled after only a season, but it doesn’t detract from the show’s quality.
