The Netflix Top 10 list won’t tell you how many people are watching a show, but it will tell you which shows people are watching the most. The Top 10 list for Friday, Jan. 15 finds Shonda Rhimes’ period piece Bridgerton moved out of the top spot for the first time in a week, dethroned by true crime series Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer. The French crime series Lupin is in No. 3. Rounding out the top 5 are the Karate Kid continuation series Cobra Kai and the Bad Boys spin-off L.A.’s Finest.
But of the Netflix Top 10, which of these shows and movies are actually worth watching? We break down the entire Netflix Top 10 list and guide you through what to binge and what to skip.
The Best TV Shows and Movies on Netflix in November 2020
Based on Netflix’s Top 10 from Friday, Jan. 15
1. Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer
For fans of: True crime, feeling unsettled | Is it good?: If you’re into crime docuseries, this is a must
It’s Los Angeles in 1985, and a relentless serial killer who only strikes at night is terrorizing the city. That’s the premise for Night Stalker, and this docuseries traces his crimes and focuses on the two detectives who set out to catch him. It’s riveting, it’s scary, and it’s only four episodes long. (Yesterday’s rank: 3)
2. Bridgerton
For fans of: Period pieces, a lot of sex scenes | Is it good?: It’s a very fun watch that will keep you hooked
Produced by Shonda Rhimes, this period piece follows Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) through her first season out in London society and her rollercoaster journey of falling in love with a reluctant duke (Rege-Jean Page). It’s like if Pride and Prejudice met Gossip Girl met Scandal, all in one show. (Yesterday’s rank: 1)
3. Lupin
For fans of: French crime, watching people pull off heists | Is it good?: It’s a very entertaining distraction that’s easy to get through
Omar Sy stars as Assans Diop, a man who is essentially a French Bruce Wayne if Batman was more of a cat burglar than dark knight. Diop starts the series off trying to steal a valuable necklace from the Louvre with a grand heist as part of a revenge plot against the wealthy family responsible for the death of father several years prior. From there, the heists and trickery get even more fun, and are always performed under the guise of being the good guy. (Yesterday’s rank: 2)
4. Cobra Kai
For fans of: ’80s nostalgia, well-choreographed karate scenes | Is it good?: It’s pretty delightful
Originally a YouTube series, Cobra Kai — now in its third season, the first as a Netflix original — is the continuation of the Karate Kid film series that you didn’t know you needed. The twist here is that it’s mostly told from the perspective of Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), whose life never really recovered after Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) crane-kicked his nose to the other side of his face. (Yesterday’s rank: 4)
5. L.A.’s Finest
For fans of: Gabrielle Union, Jessica Alba, spin-offs | Is it good?: You’re probably better off just watching the Bad Boys movies
This series, which is a spin-off of the Bad Boys franchise, stars Gabrielle Union and Jessica Alba as two Los Angeles cops who recently became partners. It’s a pretty standard police procedural that never really matches the energy of the movies it’s inspired by. (Yesterday’s rank: 5)
6. We Can Be Heroes
For fans of: Mid-2000s nostalgia, superheroes | Is it good?: It’s a standard sequel, but fans of the original will probably appreciate it
This sequel to The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D finds Sharkboy and Lavagirl all grown up now, and because this is a movie for kids (well, technically — if you ask us, it’s mostly for Gen Z-ers), it’s up to their kids to save the world from an alien invasion. Priyanka Chopra, Pedro Pascal, and Christian Slater star. (Yesterday’s rank: 6)
7. Cocomelon
For fans of: Mashed vegetables, pacifiers | Is it good?: For babies, sure
Colorful objects, preschool songs, and big-headed babies make this catnip for toddlers and younger kids who get screentime. (Yesterday’s rank: 7)
8. Jenni Rivera: Mariposa de Barrio
For fans of: Being inspired, good singers | Is it good?: If you like your TV feel-good and emotional, this is the show for you
Singer Jenni Rivera (played here by Angélica Celaya) gets her origin story told in this series that follows her unlikely rise to fame as a banda superstar. (Yesterday’s rank: 8)
9. Gabby’s Dollhouse
For fans of: Cats (both real and animated), colors, crafts | Is it good?: Kids are loving it
A girl and her cat sidekick go on a series of adventures inside a dollhouse, and kids are almost guaranteed to enjoy watching them do so. (Yesterday’s rank: 9)
10. Surviving Death
For fans of: Thinking about death, the opening credits of The X-Files | Is it good?: It’s kooky but not that convincing
Want to see something freaky? Directed by Ricki Stern (Surviving Jeffrey Epstein), this docuseries tries to ask whether there’s an afterlife (no biggie!) by going deep on near-death experiences, psychic mediums, and other spooky stories. It’s not enough to win over any sensible skeptics. (Yesterday’s rank: 10)
The Best Netflix Originals of 2020 So Far
Lucifer, The Baby-Sitters Club, Love Is Blind