he Americans star Keri Russell headlines the new drama The Diplomat, while the final season of Better Call Saul joins the best shows on Netflix right now.
In case you haven’t heard, there’s probably going to be a writers’ strike in Hollywood in the near future. But Netflix is one streaming service that is likely to weather the storm. In addition to an incredible lineup of popular shows, Netflix is adding even more original series in April. So if Beef and Florida Man aren’t for you, then perhaps you’ll like this week’s political thriller, The Diplomat.
There are so many series premiering all of the time that it is truly difficult to keep up with all of the new Netflix shows to watch throughout the month. But it’s our calling to sort through them all every week, and keep this list up to the minute so you’ll always be able to find the best shows on Netflix.New this weekThe Diplomat
Keri Russell has played everything from the all-American girl in Felicity to a deadly Russian spy in The Americans. So it seems fitting that Netflix has put Russell in the lead of its new political drama, The Diplomat, which plays like Homeland by way of The West Wing. That’s appropriate because series creator Debora Cahn worked on both of those shows.
Russell plays Kate Wyler, a seasoned crisis management expert who finds herself named as the new American ambassador to the U.K. as her marriage to Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell) is falling apart. Before Kate can even catch her breath, she is thrust into a high-stakes position when Britain is attacked, and Hal’s decisions appear to undermine her duties.
Genre: Drama
Stars: Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell, Rory Kinnear
Seasons: 1Better Call Saul
The sixth and final season of Better Call Saul has arrived on Netflix, and this is appointment TV. If you haven’t watched this series, you’re in for a treat. It is a prequel to Breaking Bad, but you don’t even have to know about the original show because Better Call Saul largely works on its own terms. It stars Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill, the man he was before he became the “criminal” lawyer Saul Goodman.
Jimmy’s moral downfall reaches its peak in season 6 as his schemes with Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn) threaten their lives and even their souls. And then, the narrative changes again as the series becomes a Breaking Bad sequel and reveals what happened to Jimmy in the end.
Genre: Drama
Stars: Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Giancarlo Esposito
Seasons: 6DramaBeef
If you’ve ever had a moment of road rage, you know that what follows is not usually your best self. In Netflix’s black comedy, Beef, Danny Cho (Steven Yeun) and Amy Lau Nakai (Ali Wong) have a road rage encounter that transforms their lives, and not for the better.
Despite being strangers to each other before the incident, Danny and Amy’s lives become intricately tangled as their mutual rage for each other intensifies. This is not going to end well for either of them, but it’s almost impossible to look away from the carnage they leave in their wake.
Genre: Drama/Comedy
Stars: Steven Yeun, Ali Wong
Seasons: 1You
On almost any other series, Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) would be the villain. But on You, this obsessive stalker and murderer is a fan-favorite antihero. In some ways, Joe just can’t help himself. Whenever a beautiful young woman catches his eye, he insinuates himself into their lives and often murders anyone in the way of his happiness.
Parts 1 and 2 of the fourth season of You recently premiered, and it finds Joe in the odd position of trying to leave his life of mayhem behind and reinvent himself in London. But he’s just so good at killing people and hiding the bodies that trouble has a way of finding Joe even when he’s incognito.
Genre: Thriller
Stars: Penn Badgley, Ed Speleers,
Seasons: 4Firefly Lane
Firefly Lane pairs lead actresses Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke as lifelong friends Tully Hart and Kate Mularkey, respectively, who have accompanied each other through one milestone in life after another. The series chronicles their friendship from childhood through the present day, where Tully is a wildly successful TV talk show host and Kate is a divorced housewife who wants to rebuild her life. Love, life, and friendship lessons ensue, of course. A new batch of episodes premiered December 2 and the final episodes are set to premiere April 27.
Genre: Drama
Stars: Katherine Heigl, Sarah Chalke
Seasons: 2The Crown
Elizabeth II ascended to the U.K.’s throne in the aftermath of World War II, at a time when the monarchy had ceded much of its power to Parliament and the Prime Minister. Despite a lack of governmental power, the Queen was one of the most important heads of state in the world, with no shortage of civic duties. Netflix’s critically acclaimed, generations-spanning drama The Crown traces Elizabeth’s life from her marriage to Prince Philip in 1947 through the modern era, digging into the web of agendas and alliances the Queen had to navigate over the longest reign of any British monarch in history.
Heavy on political intrigue, The Crown is sure to satisfy viewers who appreciate Machiavellian television, as well as those who love TV shows like Downton Abbey. However, the show also has a deeply intimate side, in that it examines Elizabeth’s personal relationships and the toll exacted by her duties as Queen. The show’s most recent fifth season explores the period in the ’90s when Prince Charles and Princess Diana waged a media war that became one of Queen Elizabeth II’s most high-profile challenges.
Genre: Drama
Stars: Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Elizabeth Debicki
Seasons: 5Ozark
In Ozark, the Byrde family has a knack for getting into overwhelming trouble. Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) has a scheme to launder money for a Mexican drug cartel, but when that goes wrong, Marty packs up his wife, Wendy (Laura Linney), and their kids for an abrupt move to the Ozarks — where he proceeds to set up an even more dangerous money laundering operation.
In addition to starring in the series, Bateman has also made a name for himself directing episodes, earning a Primetime Emmy Award along the way. The entire fourth and final season is now available, so fans can finally learn how the saga concludes.
Genre: Drama
Stars: Laura Linney, Jason Bateman, Julia Garner
Seasons: 4ComedyThe Florida Man
Netflix is diving back into the realm of dark comedy crime shows with Florida Man. The series follows Mike Valentine (Ramírez), a former cop who finds himself working for a mob boss, Moss Yankov (Emory Cohen). After Mike has spent years away from Florida, Moss forces him to return to find Moss’ missing girlfriend, Delly (Abbey Lee).
