15 of the best shows on Netflix this year, according to critics

Netflix synopsis: "Scott Pilgrim meets the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers, only to find out her seven evil exes stand in the way of their love." 

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 96%

"Most importantly, 'Scott Pilgrim Takes Off' is true to its predecessors with an inexhaustibly fun spirit," Proma Khosla wrote in a review for IndieWire. "The buoyant, punk rock, experimental soul of the story is thriving."

Netflix synopsis: "Nick and Charlie navigate their new relationship; Tara and Darcy face unforeseen challenges and Tao and Elle work out if they can ever be more than just friends. With exams on the horizon, a school trip to Paris and a prom to plan, the gang has a lot to juggle as they journey through the next stages of life, love and friendship."

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 96%

Based on Alice Oseman's comic series of the same name, "Heartstopper" tells the story of a group of young, queer students as they navigate new relationships, school life, and their coming-of-age.

"'Heartstopper' speaks to the little closeted gay kid inside of me, it patches her up and holds her hand and promises her a brighter future. And it speaks to the grown-up me too, the one that will never stop working to push the world closer to this fictional reality, where gay and trans and asexual kids can experience the same kind of safe, happy years of self-discovery as their straight peers," Heather Hogan wrote for Autostraddle.

Netflix synopsis: "'Never Have I Ever' is a coming-of-age comedy about the complicated life of a modern-day first-generation Indian American teenage girl. The series stars Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Devi, an overachieving high school student who has a short fuse that gets her into difficult situations."

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 96%

The highly anticipated conclusion of "Never Have I Ever" finally brought a resolution to Devi Vishwakumar's messy high school years.

"How do you say goodbye to a show so complicated? You don't. You say, see you later. And thanks for everything," CT Jones wrote for Rolling Stone.

Netflix synopsis: "France, 1792 - the height of the French Revolution. In a remote part of western France, the counter-revolutionary aristocracy has forged an alliance with a terrifying Vampire Messiah, who promises to 'eat the sun' and unleash an army of vampires and nightcreatures to crush the revolution and enslave humanity. Annette, a sorceress from the Caribbean, seeks out Richter Belmont, last descendant of the long-fabled family of vampire hunters, to lead the resistance."

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 96%

"Castlevania: Nocturne" is the most recent installment of the"'Castlevania" series, which is based on the Konami video game series of the same name. 

"While 'Nocturne' could have easily settled and coasted on classic 'Castlevania' vibes, the new show steps its game up considerably by using the franchise's iconic lore to challenge your understanding of what it truly means to fight for freedom, equality, and fraternity," Charles Pulliam-Moore wrote for The Verge.

Netflix synopsis: "'Detroiters' star and 'Saturday Night Live' alum Tim Robinson's hilarious new six-part series, 'I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson,' pokes fun at life's most bizarre and mundane situations. Viewers will see Robinson and a few of his famous friends navigate awkward workplace drama, host an intervention in a Garfield themed house, talk their way out of a babysitter's fake hit and run, and much more."

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%

"I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson" is a sketch-comedy series produced by fellow "SNL" alums The Lonely Island. 

"As much as 'I Think You Should Leave' has become known for its comical extremes, the show's most enduring message might be its subtlest: a reminder of both the risk and the joy of breaking free from a script," Amanda Wicks wrote for The Atlantic.

Netflix synopsis: "'Beef' follows the aftermath of a road rage incident between two strangers. Danny Cho (Steven Yeun), a failing contractor with a chip on his shoulder, goes head-to-head with Amy Lau (Ali Wong), a self-made entrepreneur with a picturesque life. The increasing stakes of their feud unravel their lives and relationships in this darkly comedic and deeply moving series."

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 98%

"Beef" is a thrilling dive into the human capacity to inflict violence on one another, and two people's mutual spiral into destruction. 

"What makes 'Beef' so anxiety-inducing and so gripping is that it fully explores what it means to hurt someone," Alex Abad-Santos wrote for Vox.

Netflix synopsis: "Sully's actions at the end of the last series have rewritten his business rules with Dushane. As new shared problems arise, everything they've built comes under threat from forces outside and within their empire. Can they coexist by the rules of the road they've lived by their whole lives in a world that is changing before them? Or can there only be one Top Boy?"

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 100%

Netflix saved this British series from cancellation in 2017 after two seasons, picking it up with Drake as an executive producer. The first two seasons of the show are available under the title "Top Boy: Summerhouse." Its fifth season, the third at Netflix, was its last. 

"British TV won't be the same without a new 'Top Boy' season to look forward to, but the show's impact will remain everlasting: every character, every big narrative twist, every loss," Shannon Connellan wrote for Mashable.

Netflix synopsis: "When an NRI bridegroom is found dead days before his wedding, two cops must unravel the troubling case as turbulence unfolds in their own lives."

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 100%

This Punjabi-language thriller stars Barun Sobti and Suvinder Vicky as police officers attempting to unravel a murder case. 

"The performances – including a crackling one from Suvinder Singh as Balbir, who is menacing and empathetic at the same time — coupled with tight dialogue make this one of the most compelling Indian series on Netflix in quite some time," Radhika Menon wrote for Decider.

Netflix synopsis: "2022 was anything but par for the course on the PGA Tour. From the creators of 'Drive to Survive,' 'Full Swing' gives you an exclusive look at the most unprecedented season of professional golf."

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 100%

"Full Swing" takes people along for the ride of the highs and lows in professional golfing. Critics agree that one doesn't need to be a pro-golf fan to appreciate this new documentary series.

"The more-casual sports fan or even nonsports fan will have no problem with the project as presented because so much of the stories pull on the heartstrings," Tony Paul wrote for The Detroit News.

Netflix synopsis: "'Trial By Fire' traces the events of June 13, 1997 in South Delhi, when the Uphaar Cinema fire tragedy took the lives of 59 people and injured a 100 others. The story of fire and fight is captured in the series through the heartbreaking journey of the parents — Neelam and Shekar Krishnamoorthy, who lost their children to the incident. Inspired by the book 'Trial by Fire: The Tragic Tale of the Uphaar Fire Tragedy,' the Netflix series depicts their endless trials and tribulations, in their pursuit for justice."

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 100% 

Critics praised Rajshri Deshpande's performance as Neelam Krishnamoorthy, and highlighted "Trial by Fire" as a commemorative, and cautionary, tale. 

"Led by a pitch-perfect performance by Rajshri Deshpande, 'Trial by Fire,' which is based on the 1997 Uphaar fire tragedy, is piercingly raw and intimate," Santanu Das wrote for the Hindustan Times. 

Netflix synopsis: "'The Lying Life of Adults' is a powerful and singular portrait of Giovanna's transition from childhood to adolescence in the 1990s. The search for a new face, after the happy one of childhood, oscillates between two consanguineous Naples which, however, fear and hate each other: the Naples above, which has given itself a fine mask, and the one below, which pretends to be excessive, trivial. Giovanna oscillates between high and low, now tumbling, now climbing, bewildered by the fact that, up or down, the city seems without answer and without escape."

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 100% 

This Italian- and Neapolitan-language coming-of-age series is based on Elena Ferrante's 2019 novel of the same name. 

"At times, it's maddening," Sophie Gilbert wrote for The Atlantic. "But it's also stunning in a way that nothing has really been since 'Mad Men,' with each frame its own tightly composed showpiece."

Netflix synopsis: "Now in hiding, Assane must learn to live far from his wife and son. With the suffering they endure because of him, Assane can't stand it any longer and decides to return to Paris to make them a crazy proposal: leave France and start a new life elsewhere. But the ghosts of the past are never far away, and an unexpected return will turn his plans upside down."

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 100%

The third part of the French mystery thriller, which is a modern retelling of the classic master thief character Arsène Lupin first created by Maurice Leblanc in the 1900s, remained a hit with critics.

"While its dramatic elements don't always coalesce, its action and winding plot almost never slow down. Omar Sy's effortless charm and the show's unyielding momentum make each heist scene enormously entertaining," Siddhant Adlakha wrote for IGN Movies.

Netflix synopsis: "With a mysterious planet hurtling towards Earth, extinction is imminent for the people of the world. While most feel liberated to pursue their wildest dreams, one quiet and always uncomfortable woman stands alone — lost among the hedonistic masses."

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 100%

Critics loved this adult animated apocalyptic dramedy created by Dan Guterman, a former writer on "The Colbert Report" and "Rick and Morty."

"'Carol & The End Of The World' is funny, yes, and there's plenty of absurd slapstick; but at its core, this is a patient, meditative series about what it means to be a person living among other people," Jenna Scherer wrote for The AV Club.

Netflix synopsis: "This provocative and visually stunning cinematic series immerses the viewer in a world of vivid adult animation with a live-action edge. Set in Edo-period Japan, 'Blue Eye Samurai' follows Mizu (voiced by Maya Erskine), a mixed-race master of the sword who lives a life in disguise seeking the deliverance of revenge."

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 100%

Dan Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter called the animated series "one of the year's most surprising and viscerally exciting TV experiences" and The Atlantic's Emma Stefansky dubbed it "a bloody masterpiece."

Netflix synopsis: "Featuring the last interview with Bill Russell prior to his passing in 2022, 'Bill Russell: Legend' is the definitive telling of the remarkable life and legacy of an NBA superstar and civil rights icon."

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 100%

"Wedding the civil-rights era and the budding growth of the NBA as it integrated Black players, 'Legend' is a well-rounded addition to programming tied to Black History Month," wrote CNN's Brian Lowry.