Our hand-picked list of the top TV shows on Netflix Australia, including trending titles like Lost in Space, Wild Country, Jessica Jones, Altered Carbon and much more!
UPDATE: The hilarious clip show The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale has been added to our list of the best shows on Netflix Australia — Find out more about it in the comedy section on page 2!
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.
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!
A harrowing true crime series that’s as binge-worthy as Making A Murderer (but was actually released long before it), The Staircase follows the real-life murder trial of noted author Michael Peterson for the mysterious death of his second wife Kathleen, who violently lost her life at the bottom of the family home’s staircase. While the accused vehemently protests his innocence and (most of) his family stands by him, it isn’t the first staircase-based death of a loved one that’s taken place in his orbit. Though it appears to be an open and shut case at first, various factors surrounding this second death seem to defy explanation. Was it an accident or was it murder? We promise that your opinion on the matter will flip frequently throughout the original eight-part series, and will continue to do so in the three brand new episodes accompanying it on Netflix.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
Following his sudden and tragic death, now might be the perfect time to revisit Anthony Bourdain’s charming series The Layover, which is the only Bourdain show available to stream on Australian Netflix. They say that chefs are like the new rock stars of our time, and if that’s the case, the lovably-outspoken celebrity chef and author Anthony Bourdain was the culinary equivalent of Iggy Pop and Henry Rollins rolled into one charming yet thoughtful dish. In his show The Layover, Bourdain roamed the globe in search of mouth-watering meals and cool sights to see, although unlike most other travel/food programs, Bourdain spends an equal amount of time exploring communities and meeting the locals. Lighter and breezier than his other shows, No Reservations and Parts Unknown, The Layover finds Bourdain pointing out cool things to do in a city when you only have a day or so to explore. Funny, eye-opening and extremely entertaining, Anthony Bourdain: The Layover is a must-watch show for foodies and globetrotters alike.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
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.
Seasons on Netflix: 2
Netflix has been killing it with its Marvel shows so far, having already launched a number of top-tier shows including Daredevil and Jessica Jones. With Luke Cage, we got a new kind of hero — one who’s proud to use to his powers in an effort to represent and protect his community. If you’ve watched Jessica Jones, you’ll already be familiar with this literally unbreakable character, as he played a pivotal role in that show’s first season. HIs own series, however, picks up some time after that, with Cage relocating from Hell’s Kitchen to Harlem, and finding himself coming to blows with local gangsters. And, now that Luke Cage’s second season has arrived on Netflix, it’s time for Harlem’s hero to once again re-enter our list of trending shows. Expect plenty of intense action with a real hip-hop flair.
Series on Netflix: 2
Someone escaping from a Domesday cult shouldn’t be a recipe for comedy but Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt manages to squeeze the funny out of this premise. Created by Tina Fey and starring Ellie Kemper as the title character, the show sparkles with wit and lands on the right side of kooky. Best of all, the first half of the show’s 4th (and unfortunately final) season has just landed and is fizzing with the same energy of the three seasons (we especially love the ‘Making a Murderer’ parody episode). If you’re a fan of shows like Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock, you’re pretty much guaranteed to love Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Seasons on Netflix: 4
Set at the turn of the 20th century, The Alienist finds New York City gripped by the heinous serial murders of young male prostitutes. With the city in a panic, police commissioner Theodore Roosevelt (Brian Geraghty) appoints a team to track and apprehend the killer. This includes the unorthodox criminal psychologist, Laszlo Kreizler (Daniel Brühl), New York Times illustrator John Moore (Luke Evans) and aspiring detective Sara Howard (Dakota Fanning). A harrowing mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat, The Alienist is a grisly crime thriller in the vein of Mindhunter and From Hell.
Seasons on Netflix: 1
Based on the classic 1960s television series (and rather forgettable 1990s film) of the same name, Lost in Space is the latest show to get its own Netflix makeover. The space colonist family Robinson has found itself stranded on a mysterious planet once again, and it’s up to them to find a way off that rock and back on course to its actual destination.
