Here are the 16 best Netflix original series of 2024, according to critics

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

"Ripley" differs from previous adaptations of Patricia Highsmith's "The Talented Mr. Ripley" books by being filmed in black and white, creating an enchanting noir world.

Like in the book, Tom Ripley (Andrew Scott) is a con man who is pulled into a world of extravagant wealth when he is hired to bring a son home to his father.

This adaptation is a slow-moving psychological thriller, but if you can survive its pace, you will be rewarded with a visually beautiful piece of television and another amazing performance from Andrew Scott.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

"Terminator Zero," the first anime set in the "The Terminator" universe, flew under the radar when it premiered in August. However, critics praised the series, saying it had stunning animation.

The series takes the story format of past "Terminator" projects and brings it to 1997 Tokyo.

Malcolm Lee (voiced by Yūya Uchida in Japanese and André Holland in English) is developing a rival AI system to Skynet when he is visited by a Terminator. He and his three children try to escape from the assassin while being helped by a mysterious soldier from the future.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 87%

"Griselda" — a limited series about the life of Griselda Blanco (Sofía Vergara), a real-life drug trafficker who died in 2012 — was Netflix's first big hit of 2024.

"Griselda" does not stick to the facts of Blanco's life but portrays a fascinating, fast-paced story about the self-destructive nature of greed.

Critics praised Vergara as the standout in the series for portraying Griselda's transformation from housewife to brutal killer. Vergara is best known for starring in comedies, but "Griselda" showed she can handle serious roles.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 87%

Though there are plenty of complaints about this season of "Bridgerton," the show's writers still managed to hook audiences in for another eight episodes of romantic chaos.

The series sees lead couple Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) figure out whether they can be more than friends.

Fans and critics praised Coughlan and Newton's cozy chemistry, while supporting characters like Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd) and Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen) stole the show with spell-binding performances.

The franchise also finally committed to including LGBTQ+ characters in the "Bridgerton" world by confirming that two siblings are bisexual, teasing more great romances to come.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

Netflix dropped the perfect romantic drama right in time for Valentine's Day in 2024.

"One Day," an adaptation of David Nicholls' bestselling book of the same name, is about a 20-year relationship between two people, Dexter (Leo Woodall) and Emma (Ambika Mod), who couldn't be more different.

Each episode jumps a year forward to show how their relationship has changed, making the series easy to binge. Woodall and Mod are captivating with their subtle but convincing performances, bringing Dexter and Emma to life.

Though the story is remembered for its devastating ending, every bit of "One Day" is thrilling television.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

Since the end of "Supernatural," there has been a gap for a new supernatural mystery series to take over, and "Dead Boy Detectives" may be the perfect successor.

Though the show is technically a spinoff of Netflix's "The Sandman," they couldn't be more different. Two ghosts (George Rexstrew and Jayden Revri) choose to stay on Earth instead of going to the afterlife and begin a new career solving paranormal mysteries with a psychic medium friend.

The cleverly written series blends the case-of-the-week format with an overarching villain, making it fun for all types of fans.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%

"Nobody Want This" was arguably the biggest surprise hit of the second half of 2024.

Based on the life of the series' showrunner, Erin Foster, "Nobody Wants This " follows a burgeoning relationship between an unlikely couple: a self-destructive, agnostic sex podcast host and a modern "hot rabbi."

Fans and critics alike thought Kristen Bell and Adam Brody had irresistible chemistry and were mostly won over by the pair's performance rather than the series' story.

Brody's performance marked a revival for the actor.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

Netflix had so much confidence in "Black Doves" that it renewed it for a second season in August before the first season dropped.

The gamble paid off. "Black Doves" received critic praise and a Golden Globe nomination. During its premiere week, it was also the second most-watched series in English on the platform.

Keira Knightley stars as Helen Webb, the wife of a UK political figure and an operative of a spies-for-hire organization. When Helen's secret lover is killed, her organization sends Sam Young (Ben Whishaw) to protect her. Together, they investigate her lover's murder.

Knightley and Whishaw give great performances in this thriller full of surprise twists that seamlessly blend violence and comedy.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

The last time showrunner Mike Schur and actor Ted Danson teamed up, they created "The Good Place," which was named one of the top 10 best shows of the 2010s by AV Club, Time, and Vanity Fair.

Now they're back with another show that's making fans laugh and cry, "A Man on the Inside."

The series follows Charles Nieuwendyk (Danson), a widower grieving the loss of his wife, who is hired as a spy in a retirement home to help a private investigator solve a theft. Along the way, Charles makes new friends, reconnects with his daughter, and learns about combating loneliness as he grows older.

The series has great performances across the cast, including Danson, Stephanie Beatriz, Sally Struthers, and Stephen McKinley Henderson.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

"The Diplomat" earned SAG, Emmy, and Golden Globe award nominations after debuting in 2023 with an 84% Rotten Tomatoes critic score.

Season two received an even better score and solidified the show as one of the most exciting thrillers on TV right now. The show could win more awards in 2025.

Keri Russell is the standout actor as Kate Wyler, a US ambassador to the UK who is helping to defuse an international crisis while the White House moulds her to step in as the new vice president.

In season 2, Kate finally meets the VP she is meant to replace, Grace Penn (Allison Janney).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%

Felicity Morris and Bernadette Higgins, the filmmakers behind Netflix's "The Tinder Swindler," released an arguably even more harrowing true crime series in 2024 with "American Nightmare."

The show was based on the case of Denise Huskins, a woman who was kidnapped, drugged, and raped in 2015. When she was let go by her kidnapper, the police accused her and her boyfriend of faking the kidnapping.

The real culprit, Matthew Muller, was arrested later that year for a similar home invasion, and investigators later found evidence that linked him to Huskins' kidnapping.

"American Nightmare" is a sensitive, riveting retelling of this case without the sensationalism seen in some other Netflix true crime shows.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 99%

"Baby Reindeer" may be on your radar because of the multiple controversies concerning the real-life people who inspired the show.

Based on writer Richard Gadd's autobiographical one-person comedy show, "Baby Reindeer" is about an aspiring comedian who is stalked by a woman he serves at a pub.

Gadd takes the audience on a nuanced, darkly comedic, and shocking emotional roller coaster as he unpacks his trauma. No wonder "Baby Reindeer" won six Emmys in 2024.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

We may be in an era of Superhero fatigue, but that has not stopped "Supacell" from becoming a Netflix hit in 2024.

The sci-fi drama follows a group of Black people living in South London who discover they have superpowers. Together, they must fend off a secret organization hunting them and save an important person.

The initial logline sounds like every superhero story, but "Supacell" strengthens its storyline by shining a light on the experiences of Black Londoners.

The series boasts a talented cast of rising stars and great action sequences. It also shines a light on sickle cell anemia, a historically poorly understood condition that mostly affects people of African and Caribbean backgrounds.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

Thank god Netflix picked up "Girls5Eva," the riotously funny comedy created by "Umbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" alum Meredith Scardino, for a third season.

The series follows a has-been '90s girl group who reunites after a young rapper samples their single "Famous 5eva" and makes them relevant again. "Girls5eva" has it all: jokes on jokes on jokes, themed songs about Fort Worth, Texas, and Renée Elise Goldsberry reliably giving the comedy performance of her life every single episode, among plenty of other redeeming attributes.

While it's one of the funniest shows on television, "Girls5eva" also has a lot of heart and commentary on queer fandom, modern fame, and female friendship.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

For the third season in a row, "Heartstopper" is one of the highest-rated Netflix original series of the year.

"Heartstopper" is a cozy, wholesome series about the relationship between two British high school students as well as the highs and lows of teenagers' lives from a queer lens.

Season three is filled with fun cameos from British actors includin Hayley Atwell and Jonathan Bailey, and great performances from the lead actors Kit Connor, Joe Locke, and Yasmin Finney.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

"Arcane" season one, a video game adaptation of "League of Legends," received a 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic rating, a 96% Rotten Tomatoes fan rating, and won four Emmy awards.

Though fans and critics said season two's conclusion was rushed, they praised it for its beautiful animation and electrifying action.

"Arcane" season one is a decadeslong, tragic story about the class conflict between the technological utopian city of Piltover and its neighboring poor city of Zaun.

The two cities head toward war in season two following the previous season's cliffhanger, where Jinx, a mentally ill criminal from Zaun, shoots a rocket at the Piltover's governing council.