The best Netflix shows of 2024 took us from the Adam Brody love interest renaissance through K-dramas galore and even into video game adaptations. The streaming platform had an exciting year — with even more on the horizon as Squid Game season 2 gets a late December release and we head into the final season of Stranger Things in 2025.
The holiday season is a great time to relax and catch up on all the big Netflix shows you missed — the ones your friends and coworkers couldn't stop talking about, the ones you wished you'd watch when they were still in the discourse. Below, dive into our favorite picks for the best Netflix shows of 2024.
Nobody Wants This
Never had a show had a more misleading name. Starring Adam Brody as “Hot Rabbi” Noah Roklov and Kristen Bell as agnostic sex podcaster Joanne, Nobody Wants This was an immediate hit on Netflix, so much so that the show was renewed for a second season just two weeks after its initial premiere.
After meeting at a dinner serendipitously, Noah and Joanne immediately hit it off, but religion stands in their way unless Joanne converts to Judaism. Will she? Well, that's the question for season 2 after the finale's cliffhanger.
It's clear to see why Nobody Wants This resonated with so many people as it had all the ingredients for a perfect recipe: great chemistry and stellar acting from the leading duo, outstanding supporting characters (shout out to the siblings of the world), interlinked storylines, and great punchlines; all with the forbidden love trope as guiding thread. —Sara Delgado, Editor-at-Large
Arcane Season 2
Centering mainly on the story of estranged sisters Vi and Jinx (formerly Powder) and the overarching conflict and imminent civil war between twin cities Piltover and Zaun, Arcane is Netflix's first venture into the ever-expanding lore of the uber-popular MOBA game League of Legends. Following the premiere of Season 1 in 2021, season 2 of Arcane wrapped up what is expected to be the first of many series adaptions within the LoL universe — of course, with some loose threads.
There are many things that make Arcane stand out not only in Netflix's 2024 slate but overall. First and foremost, its unique animation style, at the hands of French studio Fortiche, which blends 3D and 2D techniques to create a world that's entirely its own. Second of all would be its cast, which includes Yellojackets' Ella Purnell, Pitch Perfect 2's Hailee Steinfeld, Harry Potter's Katie Leung, and Game of Thrones' Harry Lloyd, among many others. Third, would be its soundtrack, featuring original songs from the likes of Imagine Dragons, Stray Kids and Young Miko, Stromae and Pomme, and many more. —SD
Love Next Door
There's no shortage of romance in the K-drama scene, but Love Next Door certainly stands out as a comfort watch among its competition. Starring Jung Somin (Alchemy of Souls, Love Reset) as Bae Seokryu and Jung Haein (Something in the Rain, D.P., One Spring Night) as Choi Seunghyo, the show is at heart a friends-to-lovers journey but it takes many heartwrenching detours to get to its destination.
It all starts with Bae Seokryu arriving back in South Korea after calling off her engagement and quitting her high-profile job unannounced, to her family's dismay. Of course, there's a major reason to take the leap of faith, and through it all, she will find the courage to start a new path, one that truly speaks to her soul, in her 30s. Seunghyo also has to come a long way to reveal his true feelings. —SD
Baby Reindeer
Few shows have caused a stir quite like Baby Reindeer. Based on the one-man play of the same name by Richard Gadd, which also marked his solo theatre debut, Baby Reindeer follows the story of a struggling comedian named Donny Dunn (played by Gadd) and his relationship with a stalker fan named Martha (played by Jessica Gunning) which ultimately forces him to face his past trauma head-on.
Inspired by Gadd’s own experiences, Baby Reindeer carefully (and consistently) toes the line of comedy, drama, and thriller — even overstepping it when needed. The show is rounded off with an impeccable script and ensemble and is perhaps the most intense emotional rollercoaster in the streamer's roster this year. (Be warned, though, the show does deal with SA, among other issues.) —SD
One Day
This show singlehandedly brought back yearning. I didn’t watch the 2011 movie version with Anne Hathaway, so I went into this show thinking it was a romcom. Spoiler: it’s not. It wrecked me and had me thinking about it for days after I finished. I love the way it showcases the complexities of friendships, relationships, and love. It’s the definition of right person, wrong time while simultaneously reminding you that you also shouldn’t wait for the “perfect timing” to tell someone how you feel about them. Ambika Mod’s portrayal of Emma was honest and so real in how she approached her relationship with Leo Woodall’s Dexter as she tries to follow her heart while also trying to protect it. Watch this if you’re in the mood to yearn. —Honestine Fraser, Senior Social Media Manager
Heartstopper Season 3
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Heartstopper has been stealing hearts worldwide since the show's first season premiered in 2022. Three seasons in, Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick (Kit Connor) are secure in their relationship, but the world does not spin just for the two of them. Taking a more serious approach, season 3 of Heartstopper sees the couple navigating intimacy while also tackling Charlie's ED and Nick's conflicting feelings as high school comes to an end and university applications are due. Will he stay close to home to support Charlie? Or will he follow his heart and go to Leeds?
It might be a while until we get the answer to those questions. Not only has season 4 not yet been greenlit, but the show adapts Alice Oseman's graphic novels of the same name, which they are yet to finish. Oseman has said they want the original source to come first, so the countdown is on, and while we wait, we thankfully have an amazing three seasons to rewatch. —SD
Simone Biles Rising
This docuseries gave us a detailed look into the one-of-a-kind life of Simone Biles – Olympian, legendary gymnast, and person, at the end of the day. Biles is candid and vulnerable in the series, which takes us through her mental health struggles and the “twisties” she experienced at the Tokyo Olympics, and how she overcame those challenges to compete again. It's a journey of prioritizing your health, dealing with immense pressure, and ultimately deciding for yourself the kind of life you want to have. It truly left us inspired to make those decisions, and set healthy boundaries, in our own lives. —P. Claire Dodson, Assoc. Culture Director
Love Is Blind Season 7
What a season! Love Is Blind season 7 took us to Washington, D.C. for a riveting exploration of modern dating. This season of the reality dating show really went there, showing us interesting political discussions, exploring how people determine and share their values, and yes, highlighting how people can be really, really toxic. From the Tyler and Ashley kids drama to Marissa's all too relatable heartbreak, this season had us glued to the screen and feeling closer than ever to this cast of people just trying to fall in love. —PCD
The Boyfriend
“Over the course of a month, a group of men live under one roof and run a coffee truck together to connect and hopefully meet their one true boyfriend,” that's the official logline for the Japanese production The Boyfriend, which could potentially be the coziest dating reality show in all of Netflix.
Spanning 10 episodes, The Boyfriend is touted as Japan's first same-sex reality show. You might come to see who potentially feels a spark while living together, but you will stay for the friendships forged through the experience and the unfiltered intimacy. Fair warning: good luck trying not to cry. After you finish all the episodes, make sure to also watch the participant's joint watch party and the reunion with the show's commentators. —SD
Dead Boy Detectives
Though it has now sadly been cancelled, Dead Boy Detectives was a perfect show for fans of Wednesday or the Mike Flanagan universe. The chemistry between the two leads — George Rexstrew & Jayden Revri — was undeniable, and the story was both adventurous and heartfelt, exploring life after death in fresh way. Perhaps Max Gao put it best when he described it like this for Teen Vogue: "The ease and immediacy of their connection has both grounded and elevated one of the most original sleuth stories in recent years." —PCD
The Diplomat Season 2
We're suckers for geopolitical dramas starring Keri Russell, okay? The Diplomat season 2 introduced even higher stakes than its killer first season, as U.S. ambassador to Britain Kate Wyler develops her confidence and engages in diplomatic manipulation with a variety of power-hungry men. But season 2 shines in part because of the introduction of Allison Janney as Vice President Grace Penn — who completely steals the scene as a world leader with hidden agendas and perhaps more wisdom than Kate and her husband seemed to initially acknowledge. I'm still thinking about the plot twist at the end of the season. —PCD
Ready, Set, Love
Squid Game meets The Bachelor in the Thai rom-com series Ready, Set, Love. In a post-epidemic world where few boys are born, women enter a televised competition for a chance to marry one of the government’s five eligible bachelors. Or, in convenience store clerk Day’s case, the battle is more so for the opportunity to get top-tier health care for her sick little sister, May. While there, she meets bachelor Sun, and when the two realize they are actually long-lost friends, they quickly find their relationship progressing — even as the games get more intense and they, alongside their friends, uncover dark truths about the system.
Between the butterflies, laughter, tears and frustration, the drama paints an image of young people fighting for love, friendship, equality and freedom. Just as there’s an abundance of fun romance tropes like enemies to lovers and star-crossed lovers, there’s also serious critiques of social issues too like capitalism, LGBTQ+ rights and more, giving us the best of both worlds. —Donya Momenian, Fashion & Beauty Associate Editor
