Below are our most recommended TV shows for Netflix Australia. Highly-rated by viewers, critics, and handpicked by our staff, just like every recommendation on agoodmovietowatch.com.
20 Best TV Shows on Netflix Australia
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20.
Trial by Fire
Tragedy can strike at any time, but some instances are preventable, and rare is the instance where people do seek justice for it. After all, after losing so much, it would be awful to fight and lose again. But these instances do still exist, and one such incident is the Uphaar cinema fire. Trial by Fire depicts this tragedy, but rather than focusing on the fire itself, it focuses on the fight the victims’ families took in order to seek justice. The show doesn’t play out as a courtroom drama, it takes an intimate look into their day-to-day actions, faithfully portrayed by the excellent Rajshri Deshpande and Abhay Deol. And while the industrial giants depicted tried to file an injunction against this show’s screening, thankfully, Trial by Fire is still able to make its stand. It’s solemn and grim, but it’s a potent reminder of the power we hold as a collective.
Our staff rating: 8.5/10
Genre: Crime, Drama
Actor: Abhay Deol, Ashish Vidhyarthi, Rajesh Tailang, Rajshri Deshpande, Shilpa Shukla
Director: Avani Deshpande, Prashant Nair, Randeep Jha
Go to Netflix Australia
19.
The Last Kingdom
This historical fantasy show is based on the best-selling novel The Saxon Stories, a story set during the Viking / Dane invasion of Britain.
Uhtred was a small boy when he was kidnapped and then raised by the Danes. When he unexpectedly gets caught up in the conflict, his half-Saxon half-Dane mix makes at the same time valuable and untrustworthy for both sides.
There has never been a better alternative to Game of Thrones. The great writing and great performances from a cast of newcomers inevitably induce the same sense of addiction.
Our staff rating: 8.6/10
Genre: Action, Action & Adventure, Drama, History, War & Politics
Actor: Adrian Bower, Adrian Schiller, Alexander Dreymon, Alexandre Willaume, Amy Wren, Arnas Fedaravicius, Brian Vernel, Cavan Clerkin, David Dawson, David Schofield, Eliza Butterworth, Emily Cox, Eva Birthistle, Ewan Mitchell, Gerard Kearns, Harry Gilby, Harry McEntire, Henning Valin Jakobsen, Ian Hart, James Northcote, Jamie Blackley, Joseph Millson, Julia Bache-Wiig, Mark Rowley, Matthew Macfadyen, Millie Brady, Ola Rapace, Peri Baumeister, Peter Gantzler, Phia Saban, Ruby Hartley, Rune Temte, Rutger Hauer, Simon Kunz, Stefanie Martini, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Thomas Gabrielsson, Thomas W. Gabrielsson, Thure Lindhardt, Timothy Innes, Tobias Santelmann, Toby Regbo
Go to Netflix Australia
18.
People Just Do Nothing
A hilarious BBC/Viceland comedy about an underground hip-hop station and the unique characters that run it. Kurupt FM is lead by MC Grindah, a disillusioned but dedicated DJ. He is introduced in the first episode by his wife as someone who has been arrested before, but only for “silly little things” like “drug dealing and hate crimes”. His friend and manager is Chabuddy G, a “business” man who lives in the cybercafé he runs with his Eastern European wife he can’t communicate with, all while trying to start a company to import “peanut dust” (the last bits of peanut that remain at the end of a peanut pack). People Just Do Nothing is legitimately funny with quick episodes and even quicker seasons. The first one only has four episodes, so it’s a guilt-free yet amazing binge.
Our staff rating: 8.6/10
Genre: Comedy
Actor: Allan Mustafa, Asim Chaudhry, Dan Sylvester, George Keywood, Hugo Chegwin, Lily Brazier, Maria Louis, Olivia Jasmine Edwards, Ruth Bratt, Steve Stamp
Go to Netflix Australia
17.
The Playlist
In the early 2000s, amid the rapid rise of online piracy and the consequent fall of paid music, tech genius Daniel Ek would find Spotify, a revolutionary streaming platform that served as a middle ground between user accessibility and artist rights. But even now, at its peak, Spotify’s success seems mystifying. How did they get away with providing free music to all?
Enter The Playlist—an impressive attempt at answering that very question. In this fictionalized account, key players in Spotify’s success are given their own episode-long arc, starting with the visionary himself, Ek (played by Edvin Endre), followed by the artist, the coder, and the industry insider, to name a few. By employing multiple perspectives, each with its own cinematic style (a particular favorite is that of the lawyer's, the most experimental out of all the episodes), The Playlist manages to spin the technical and complicated story of Spotify’s origins into something fresh, dynamic, and addictive. Despite utilizing the Rashomon effect—risky but rewarding in this case—The Playlist rarely strays from its main point and, the result is a lean, well-rounded story that’s just as credible as it is heightened.
Our staff rating: 8.6/10
Genre: Drama
Actor: Agnes Kittelsen, Christian Hillborg, Edvin Endre, Ella Rappich, Gizem Erdogan, Hanna Ardéhn, Joel Lützow, Severija Janušauskaitė, Sofia Karemyr, Ulf Stenberg, Valter Skarsgård
Go to Netflix Australia
16.
Blue Eye Samurai
Starting off the series with slicing off fingers, Blue Eye Samurai is a thrilling action series that brings back samurai sword wielding in such a gorgeous fashion. Reminiscent of the classics, the animated series is centered on its titular warrior, whose blue eyes set them apart from society. She dedicates herself to a lifelong revenge journey, with gruesome sword fights, all to kill the four white men who could have been her father. And while she takes some side quests to her journey, missions that make her question the path she took, these seemingly straightforward fights slowly uncover the woman she became, and the pain inflicted upon those who can’t help but be different. It’s an action-packed spectacle, but it’s also an unflinching examination of trauma, and possibly one of the best animated releases from Netflix this year.
Our staff rating: 8.6/10
Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Drama
Actor: Brenda Song, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Darren Barnet, George Takei, Kenneth Branagh, Masi Oka, Maya Erskine, Randall Park
Go to Netflix Australia
15.
Occupied
Like Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror, the premise of the extremely bingeable and thrilling Norwegian TV show is a bit too close for comfort. Amidst a global fuel crisis, Europe has become dependent on energy from oil-rich Norway. Despite this fact, the Norwegian electorate votes the charismatic Green Party prime minister Jesper Berg (Henrik Mestad) into office, who halts the country's oil production in an effort to combat climate change. With the European energy emergency escalating, Russia proceeds to occupy Norway with the EU's support. When best-selling crime author Jo Nesbø pitched this show in the early 2010s, this seemed like an unlikely, dystopian premise. However, since the annexation of Crimea and similar incidents in the mid-2010s, this is not quite as counterfactual as one would hope. Russian diplomats were not amused. But don't be mistaken, this is not an academic experiment or a political provocation but a veritable, big-budget thrill ride, featuring amazing shots of the Norwegian wilderness, great writing, and stirring suspense.
Our staff rating: 8.7/10
Genre: Drama, Mystery
Actor: Ane Dahl Torp, Eldar Skar, Henrik Mestad, Ingeborga Dapkunaite, Kristin Braut-Solheim, Ragnhild Gudbrandsen, Selome Emnetu
Go to Netflix Australia
14.
Casual
Michaela Watkins is truly the star of the show, delivering a major performance almost every time she appears on screen. The former SNL cast member plays a recently divorced psychologist, who moves in with her brother Alex (Tommy Dewey) and her sexually confident teenage daughter Laura (Tara Lynne Barr). Casual is not only the name of her sibling's successful online dating site, but also the name of the game of every character's sexual relationships. Directed by Jason Reitman, the amazing director who gave us Thank You for Smoking, Juno, and Up in the Air, Casual features sharp dialogue and great performances, the writing being as profane as it is profound. Above all, you will have no choice than to take a good look at yourself, while rolling over the floor laughing at the show's sexual shenanigans. That's how smart it is!
Our staff rating: 8.8/10
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Britt Robertson, Michaela Watkins, Tara Lynne Barr, Tommy Dewey
Go to Netflix Australia
13.
Unbelievable
Based on the 2015 Pulitzer-Prize-winning article "An Unbelievable Story of Rape", here is one of the best Netflix productions in a while and definitely the best detective-centric show since the first season of True Detective. The eight-part drama examines the case of a 16-year-old from Washington, who claims she has been raped in her bedroom before rescinding her statement after fierce questioning of the police. Later, her initial story is substantiated by a similar incident surfacing elsewhere. Two detectives, played masterfully by Toni Collette and Merritt Wever, refuse to assume the young girl's guilt and embark on a relentless journey to catch the perpetrator. In addition to being a thrilling watch and insanely bingeable, Unbelievable was highly praised for shifting the attention from the abusers to the victims and making their stories heard in a true crime format. Everybody should listen closely!
Our staff rating: 8.8/10
Genre: Crime, Drama
Actor: Austin Hebert, Dale Dickey, Danielle Macdonald, Elizabeth Marvel, Eric Lange, Kaitlyn Dever, Merritt Wever, Scott Lawrence, Toni Collette
Go to Netflix Australia
12.
The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House
On the surface, The Makanai is a simple, slice-of-life show about food and friendship. While it is that, to be sure, it's also a substantial drama that tackles questions about art vs. love, and love vs. companionship, and career vs. purpose. Under the gentle guidance of showrunner Hirokazu Kore-eda (Still Walking, Shoplifters, Broker), who generously allows up-and-coming directors to take the helm on certain episodes, The Makanai feels at once light and hefty, comforting and challenging. We're seeing mundane events unfold before us as if we were bystanders, but we also understand that there is so much more happening than what meets the eye. A prolonged gaze, a lovingly prepped meal, an especially sharp wing-eye, all of these have much to say about the state of mind of these girls.
It’s a supremely gentle and culturally rich show with a tender heart; a truly great watch on all accounts.
Our staff rating: 8.8/10
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Ai Hashimoto, Aju Makita, Arata Iura, Jyo Kairi, Kairi Jo, Kanji Furutachi, Keiko Matsuzaka, Keiko Toda, Lily Franky, Mayu Matsuoka, Momoko Fukuchi, Nana Mori, Natsuki Deguchi, Ryota Suzuki, Takako Tokiwa, Toshinori Omi, Win Morisaki, Yukiya Kitamura
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda, Hiroshi Okuyama, Megumi Tsuno, Takuma Sato
Go to Netflix Australia
11.
Light the Night
Set in the 1980s, this captivating series uncovers the dark side of a Japanese-style nightclub called "Light" in Taipei's red-light district, challenging the façade of its joy and glamour. Beginning with the shocking discovery of a dead body uncovered by a typhoon, the show delves into the lives of its complex characters, revealing the personal dramas of the mamasans, Rose and Sue, and every "Light" hostess. While some may find its pace across 3 seasons tedious, Light the Night is a must-watch for fans of slow-burning suspense with strong performances, impactful dialogue, and a story with the intricate layers of a well-crafted mystery.
Our staff rating: 8.8/10
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Actor: Cammy Chiang, Cheryl Yang, Chiung-Hsuan Hsieh, Derek Chang, Esther Liu, Jim Liu, Jimmy Liu, Nikki Hsieh, Puff Kuo, Rhydian Vaughan, Ruby Lin, Tony Yang
Director: Lien Yi-Chi
Go to Netflix Australia
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