The best TV shows on Netflix (December 2022)

If there’s one thing that is certain about the landscape of entertainment in 2022, it’s this: You either have a Netflix account, are borrowing someone else’s Netflix account, or at the very least know someone who has a Netflix account. The service’s name alone is synonymous with all things when it comes streaming television, boasting a wide and varied catalogue of high-profile original series like Stranger Things, Squid Game, The Witcher, Black MirrorFind out more.

With so much to watch and so few hours in the day, the question of “What are the best shows on Netflix?” — let alone “What should I watch tonight?” — inspires choice paralysis. We have you covered. Polygon’s staff has come together to compile our top picks for TV shows you can watch on Netflix. From hilarious mockumentary satire dramas to magical girl fantasy series, here’s what you should be streaming next. And if you’re looking for something a bit longer, check out our list of the best movies on Netflix.

American Vandal

Image courtesy of Netflix

Genre: Satire/drama
Episodes: 16
Creators: Tony Yacenda, Dan Perryault
Cast: Tyler Alvarez, Griffin Gluck, Jimmy Tatro

If it hasn’t been made clear by our glowing review, our in-depth chat with the creators, or it’s placement as our eighth favorite show of 2022, we love the esports mockuseries Players. And the reason we were so excited to watch it in the first place is the co-creators’ previous outrageously funny mockuseries, American Vandal.

Tony Yacenda, Dan Perrault and co-creators of True Crime are a loving parody of true crime. They take the beats and tones of true murder mystery true crime and put them into childish pranks at school. If that was it — dayenuThat would be sufficient, since there is enough to laugh at, and a playground. This helps. Vandal isn’t just funny, it’s good.

Although it is a silly show with jokes, this one is very conscious of the importance social media plays for modern youth culture. This show was a far cry from its peers in this respect and is still a powerful portrait of youth in certain times and places. It’s also a hilarious comedy that makes you laugh out loud. —Pete Volk

Arcane

Image: Fortiche/Netflix

Genre: Action/adventure
Episodes: 9
Director: Pascal Charrue and Arnaud delord
Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, Kevin Alejandro

You don’t need to know anything about League of Legends to love ArcaneYou don’t need to know much. Take out all the steampunk guns and strange magic and you will find yourself in a world of simple, straightforward politics. ArcaneIt’s about imperfect people who continue to fuck up. It’s about sisters and what you would do for the people you love; it’s about progress and what you would throw away for bettering the world; it’s about making hard choices and facing the ramifications. Apart from the compelling story and some amazing music, ArcaneIt is also stunningly animated, in a way so uncommon to find in shows for older Americans. Each frame is done with such care and detail, rendered with the lighting and depth that’s usually only seen in concept art. —Petrana Radulovic

Baby-Sitters Club

Image: Liane Hentscher/Netflix

Genre: Comedy drama
Episodes: 18
Creator: Rachel Shukert
Cast: Sophie Grace, Momona Tamada, Shay Rudolph

Netflix cancelledBaby-Sitters Club Two seasons later, it was already a joy to watch the second season. The show was based on a series of middle grade novels and updated the characters and plots for modern viewers without losing any of the appeal of the original stories. Five girls team up to create a babysitting company. Baby-Sitters ClubIt is a joy for adults and kids alike. Both the young and adult characters have their own personalities and are dynamic. —PR

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Image: Studio Trigger/Netflix

Genre: Action/adventure
Episodes: 10
Director: Hiroyuki Imaishi
Cast: Kenn, Aoi Yūki, Hiroki Tōchi

It is also one of the top animes of 2022. Cyberpunk: EdgerunnersThis is also one the top shows on Netflix. Hiroyuki Ichishi directed the show.Gurren Lagann, Promare) and produced by CD Projekt Red and Studio Trigger, the story of David Martinez, a teenager from the mean streets of the dystopian metropolis Night City, and his perilous journey to become a technologically enhanced mercenary (or “Edgerunner”) in order to claw his way out from the depths of poverty is as moving emotionally as it is visually electrifying.

The 2020 action-RPG is in the same universe Cyberpunk 2077 and Mike Pondsmith’s original tabletop RPG, Imaishi and co.’s 10-episode stand-alone anime series is a blistering, high-octane, big-hearted action drama that’ll have you rooting for its cast of misfit ne’er-do-wells and underdogs all the while knowing that death and tragedy loom around every neon-lit corner. And if you want more, here are some other anime that we think you’ll like if you dig this one. —Toussaint Egan

Giri/Haji

Image courtesy of Netflix

Genre:Crime thriller
Episodes: 8
Director: Joe Barton
Cast: Takehiro Hira, Kelly Macdonald, Yōsuke Kubozuka

Joe Barton’s criminally overlooked 2019 series Giri/Haji, which in Japanese translates roughly to “Duty/Shame,” follows the story of a Tokyo detective who is forced to journey to London to apprehend his long-thought-deceased brother in order to deescalate a potential gang war. The pair meet up with a fellow detective constable who is criticized by her peers as being a whistleblower and they team up to track down his errant brother. That’s more or less the elevator pitch for the series, but there’s more — SoYou can find more information here.

Giri/HajiIt is an excellent combination of comedy, drama, romance and action. The international cast of talented actors delivers scene-stealing performances. While the series was unfortunately canceled after one season due to low viewership, this tragedy circles back to being an inadvertent strength: You can easily finish the whole show in one weekend, and given how excellent it is, it’s very likely that you will. —TE

Tim Robinson: I think you should leave

Photo: Kevin Estrada/Netflix

Genre:Sketch comedy
Episodes: 12
Creators: Tim Robinson, Zach Kanin
Cast: Tim Robinson, Sam Richardson, Patti Harrison

As the adage goes: If Netflix’s Consider Leaving.If it has one million followers, I’m that fan. If the fan count is one, then I’m that one. If it has no fans, that means I’m dead. Tim Robinson’s mildly insane and sometimes hysterical sketch series is just what you need. Saturday Night LiveIt could also be more effective if they dealt with quick bursts bizarro constructs rather than feints at currentity.

The World of Consider Leaving.It is full of hot dog cars, which crash into businesses, focus groups, and work meetings. They also choke on lunches that they stealthily ate during a rescheduled meeting. Whether you’ve seen this show or not, you’ve almost certainly seen the plethora of memes. Every sketch has an underpinning of social anxieties run wild, and they seem more absurd. Also, I cannot stress enough: They are just fucking hilarious, whether you’re watching for the first or the fifth time. Coffin Flop! If all else fails, then! Consider Leaving.If I’m against it, you can bet me. —Zosha Millman

Never Have You Ever

Photo: Isabella B. Vosmikova/Netflix

Genre: Romance/comedy-drama
Episodes: 30
This page was created by: Mindy Kaling, Lang Fisher
Cast: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan, Richa Moorjani

John McEnroe is a tennis player who narrates Devi’s story. It is truly hilarious. Never Have You EverHigh school sitcom, which also explores grief and complicated emotions that come with growing up in an immigrant family. Maitreyi Rajakrishnan stars as Devi, a stubborn and overachieving teenager. But the show also looks at her mother and cousin who seem to be perfect, along with her classmates. Devi is often impulsive, judgmental and impulsive. However, it has been a delight to watch her grow and mature throughout the season. The show’s fourth and final season will bring the characters into their senior year, and it’s sure to be an emotional ride. —PR

She-Ra, the Princesses Of Power

DreamWorks Animation Image

Genre: Science fiction/action
Episodes: 52
Director: ND Stevenson
Cast: Aimee Carrero, AJ Michalka, Karen Fukuhara

On paper, it’s easy to be cynical about a reboot ofShe-Ra, Princess of Power. But ND Stevenson’s take on the 1980s character turns the story from a simple good-versus-evil tale into one about defying destiny and breaking out of predetermined cycles. The story features friendship and new family, despite the evil. These characters are more interesting and complex than their predecessors. And also, it’s just a wonderful childhood-friends-to-almost-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers story. She-Ra the Princesses to PowerMan is a rule-follower! —PR