When you’re the largest streaming company in the world and you’re making so many new Netflix movies and shows, there’s bound to be a few failures — and this year has already seen its fair share, including J-Lo’s in-space AI thriller Atlaswhich has proven inexplicably popular despite terrible reviews, and Zach Snyder’s Rebel Moon Part 2which wasn’t the epic sci-fi sequel we were hoping for.
It goes without saying that we don’t have a ton of new titles added to our list of the best Netflix movies , but when it comes to TV shows, Netflix delivered winner after winner in pretty much every genre this year: we had enchanting romantic comedies, terrifying obsession stories, quirky fantasy, and some mind-bending sci-fi, too. All of these films earned a spot on our list of the best Netflix shows.
Now that we’re halfway through 2024, the good news is that there’s a lot more where that came from. Later this year, we’ll see the final seasons of some of our favorite shows, as well as the debuts of some series we think are worth getting excited about. And we’ll also see the return of the biggest show Netflix has ever produced – although we don’t know exactly when yet.
Here are the shows we think are among Netflix’s biggest and best this year, and the shows we think you’ll be talking about for the rest of the year.
Netflix in 2024: what were the biggest series of this year?
If by “biggest” we mean “most talked about,” then this is the biggest Netflix show of the year so far Baby reindeerIt’s a tale of a suffocating, life-destroying obsession that begins with the announcement that it’s a true story – and that turns out to be a problem, because Netflix is currently being sued for $170 million by Fiona Harvey, on whom the show’s lead character Martha is apparently based.
For many viewers, the must-see shows this year were romantic shows: season 3 of Bridgerton was an absolute pleasure while One day David Nicholl’s best-selling novel was successfully adapted into a 14-episode romantic comedy.
If you prefer darker shows, it doesn’t get much darker than that Ripley. The neo-noir crime thriller, which came out in April, is a tale of a 1960s New Yorker who is drawn into a life of deceit and murder. It has received some great reviews – The guard called it “enchanting” – and was watched by millions of people, although its 2.5 million first-week views were low by Netflix standards.
The idiosyncratic psychological thriller starring Benedict Cumberbatch Erik did much better, shooting to the top of the Netflix charts in its first week.
It was also a good year for fantasy fans. Neil Gaiman’s Dead Boys Detectives was very nice with his story about ghostly investigations, and 3 Body Problem is a largely effective adaptation of Liu Cixin’s brain-melting science fiction books.
But for many viewers, the most notable science fiction series of the year so far is the animated film Scavengers rulescrapped by Max and brought to Netflix last month. It’s a rarity these days, a show with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 100% ratings may be rare, but Netflix has one for you Chicken nuggetthe truly bizarre show about a young woman who is turned into – yes! – a chicken nugget.
Of course, it wouldn’t be Netflix without a few beloved shows getting canned. And so far this year, one of the saddest cancellations has been The Sun Brothersstarring Michelle Yeoh in an action comedy. Despite great reviews, Netflix pulled the plug after just one season, meaning that one Sun will not shine again this year.
Netflix in 2024: which new Netflix series will be released soon?
One of the most talked about shows of the coming months will likely be the fourth and final season of The Umbrella Academythose from August 8 – just after Cobra Kai season six, another hit series ending this year. Available to stream from July 18th.
Emily in Paris returns for a fourth season in August, but it will be split into two parts: the first five episodes will be available starting August 15, but the second five won’t be streaming until September 12. Another returning favorite is Heart conquerorthe sensitive coming of age drama in which the teenagers Charlie and Nick take center stage. Heart stopper Season 3 will be released in October.
Dramas won’t be the only source of drama in the coming months. The British version of reality dating show Love is blind will hit streaming in August with its very distinctive take on dating: Contestants are placed in pods to isolate them from the outside world, and they get to know their potential soulmates without knowing what they look like.
If there is a match, the prospective couple must become engaged before meeting in real life and discovering whether love is truly blind. The show is presented by former Big Brother contestant Emma Willis and her husband Matt, a former member of the pop band Busted.
Netflix continues to invest in animation, and one of its most anticipated new shows is Terminator: The Animated Series. Based on the world of the Schwarzenegger films, but with an entirely new story, the anime will be available to stream from August 29. And Zack Snyder’s twilight of the godsan animated series based on Norse mythology, will be released next September.
Some shows haven’t been given a streaming date yet other than 2024, like the spy drama starring Kiera Knightley Black pigeonswhich could be as fun as Apple TV Plus’ Slow horsesKnightley is joined by Happy Valley’s Sarah Lancashire, Bond actor Ben Whishaw and Peaky BlindersAndrew Koji in a story of secrets, deception and a vast global conspiracy. And that’s all we know so far: There’s not even a trailer yet, just a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment in Netflix’s 2024 preview trailer.
And there’s another big show for which no streaming date has been announced yet: Squid game 2We’re going to take a chance and suggest that a few people watch this movie.