50+ of the Best Netflix TV Shows Available in New Zealand
We curate a list of critically acclaimed TV shows, available right now on Netflix
Updated 4 December 2020
Looking for the best TV shows on Netflix? Our trusted list compiles the best. To be included, TV shows must have achieved over 50% on Rotten Tomatoes and have at least six reviews. Most of the inclusions below rate highly and many have cult followings.
We update our list of the best Netflix TV shows regularly.
Are we missing your favourite? Email our research team now and let us know.
Looking for the best TV shows on Netflix? Our trusted list compiles the best. To be included, TV shows must have achieved over 50% on Rotten Tomatoes and have at least six reviews. Most of the inclusions below rate highly and many have cult followings.
We update our list of the best Netflix TV shows regularly.
Are we missing your favourite? Email our research team now and let us know.
Best Netflix TV Shows
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The Queen's Gambit (2020)Plot Summary: In a 1950s orphanage, a young girl reveals an astonishing talent for chess and begins an unlikely journey to stardom while grappling with addiction.
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Bill Camp, Marielle Heller Creators: Scott Frank, Allan Scott Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 100% |
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Unorthodox (2020)Plot Summary: A Hasidic Jewish woman in Brooklyn flees to Berlin from an arranged marriage and is taken in by a group of musicians — until her past comes calling.
Starring: Shira Haas, Amit Rahav, Jeff Wilbusch Creators: Anna Winger, Alexa Karolinski Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 95% |
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The People vs. O.J. Simpson (2016)Plot Summary: This dramatization traces the twists and turns of O.J. Simpson's murder trial, examining behind-the-scenes gambits on both sides of the court.
Starring: Cuba Gooding Jr., Sarah Paulson, John Travolta Creators: Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 97% |
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The Last Dance (2020)Plot Summary: This docuseries chronicles the rise of superstar Michael Jordan and the 1990s Chicago Bulls, with unaired footage from an unforgettable 1997-98 season.
Starring: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 96% |
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Five Came Back (2017)Plot Summary: Five acclaimed contemporary directors tell the story of five legendary Hollywood filmmakers who enlisted in the armed forces to document World War II.
Starring: Steven Spielberg, Guillermo del Toro, Lawrence Kasdan Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 97% |
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Derry Girls (2018)Plot Summary: Amidst the political conflict of Northern Ireland in the 1990s, five high school students square off with the universal challenges of being a teenager.
Starring: Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Nicola Coughlan, Louisa Harland Creators: Lisa McGee Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 98% |
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Master of None (2015)Plot Summary: Dev tries to jump-start his acting career and elevate his dating game with help from his eclectic group of friends in this award-winning series.
Starring: Aziz Ansari, Noël Wells, Eric Wareheim Creators: Aziz Ansari, Alan Yang Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 100% |
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Criminal (2019)Plot Summary: Within the walls of an interrogation room, London investigators question suspects accused of grievous crimes until the truth comes to light.
Starring: Katherine Kelly, Lee Ingleby, Rochenda Sandall Creators: George Kay, Jim Field Smith Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 92% |
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Black Earth Rising (2018)Plot Summary: Adopted by a human rights attorney after the Rwandan genocide, legal investigator Kate Ashby confronts her past when she takes on war crimes cases.
Starring: Michaela Coel, John Goodman, Abena Ayivor Creators: Hugo Blick Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 79% |
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Rick and Morty (2013)Plot Summary: Brilliant but boozy scientist Rick hijacks his fretful teenage grandson, Morty, for wild escapades in other worlds and alternate dimensions.
Starring: Justin Roiland, Chris Parnell, Spencer Grammer Creators: Dan Harmon, Justin Roiland Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 94% |
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Dark (2017)Plot Summary: A missing child sets four families on a frantic hunt for answers as they unearth a mind-bending mystery that spans three generations.
Starring: Louis Hofmann, Oliver Masucci, Jördis Triebel Creators: Baran bo Odar, Jantje Friese Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 94% |
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Money Heist (2017)Plot Summary: Eight thieves take hostages and lock themselves in the Royal Mint of Spain as a criminal mastermind manipulates the police to carry out his plan.
Starring: Úrsula Corberó, Álvaro Morte, Itziar Ituño Creators: Álex Pina Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 93% |
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Atlanta (2016)Plot Summary: Ivy League dropout Earn and his rapper cousin Paper Boi hustle their way up the ladder of the Atlanta, Georgia, music scene one rung at a time.
Starring: Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, LaKeith Stanfield Creators: Donald Glover Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 97% |
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Homeland (2011)Plot Summary: CIA analyst Carrie Mathison struggles with mental health and family issues while leading the war against terrorism in this political thriller series.
Starring: Claire Danes,Mandy Patinkin,Damian Lewis Creators: Howard Gordon,Alex Gansa Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 85% |
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Stranger Things (2016)Plot Summary: When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one strange little girl.
Starring: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard Creators: The Duffer Brothers Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 85% |
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How to Get Away with Murder (2014)Plot Summary: Brilliant criminal defense attorney and law professor Annalise Keating, plus five of her students, become involved in a twisted murder case.
Starring: Viola Davis, Billy Brown, Alfred Enoch Creators: Peter Nowalk Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 88% |
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Making a Murderer (2018)Plot Summary: Filmed over 13 years, this real-life thriller follows the unprecedented story of two men accused of a grisly crime they may not have committed.
Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 84% |
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Peaky Blinders (2013)Plot Summary: A notorious gang in 1919 Birmingham, England, is led by the fierce Tommy Shelby, a crime boss set on moving up in the world no matter the cost.
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Sam Neill, Helen McCrory Creators: Steven Knight Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 93% |
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Fargo (2014)Plot Summary: Inspired by the classic Coen Brothers film of the same title, this anthology series embroils several quirky Minnesotans in different "true" crimes.
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton,Allison Tolman,Colin Hanks Creators: Noah Hawley Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 92% |
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Gossip Girl (2007)Plot Summary: A group of hyperprivileged Manhattan private-school kids seem to get away with everything. Except an anonymous blogger is watching their every move.
Starring: Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley Creators: Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 84% |
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Lovesick (2014)Plot Summary: In his quest for true love, Dylan found chlamydia. Joined by friends Evie and Luke, he relives past encounters as he notifies all his former partners.
Starring: Johnny Flynn, Antonia Thomas, Daniel Ings Creators: Tom Edge Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 98% |
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The Crown (2016)Plot Summary: This drama follows the political rivalries and romance of Queen Elizabeth II's reign and the events that shaped the second half of the 20th century.
Starring: Olivia Colman, Helena Bonham Carter, Tobias Menzies Creators: Peter Morgan Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 89% |
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The Windsors (2016)Plot Summary: The all-too-public trials and tribulations of England's royal family are reimagined as an over-the-top comedic soap opera.
Starring: Harry Enfield,Haydn Gwynne,Hugh Skinner Creators: George Jeffrie,Bert Tyler-Moore Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 92% |
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The Inbetweeners (2008)Plot Summary: This rib-tickling series follows four English lads as they try -- and fail spectacularly -- to navigate the wretched no-man's land of adolescence.
Starring: Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison Creators: Damon Beesley, Iain Morris Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 83% |
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My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman (2018)Plot Summary: TV legend David Letterman teams up with fascinating global figures for in-depth interviews and curiosity-fueled excursions in this talk show.
Starring: David Letterman, Kim Kardashian West, Robert Downey Jr. Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 81% |
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Maniac (2018)Plot Summary: Two struggling strangers connect during a mind-bending pharmaceutical trial involving a doctor with mother issues and an emotionally complex computer.
Starring: Emma Stone, Jonah Hill, Justin Theroux Creators: Patrick Somerville Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 83% |
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Modern family (2009)Plot Summary: This Emmy-winning sitcom follows Jay Pritchett and his eclectic family as they deal with the challenges of contemporary life in Los Angeles.
Starring: Ed O'Neill, Sofía Vergara, Julie Bowen Creators: Christopher Lloyd, Steven Levitan Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 85% |
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Black mirror (2011)Plot Summary: This sci-fi anthology series explores a twisted, high-tech near-future where humanity's greatest innovations and darkest instincts collide.
Starring: Jesse Plemons, Cristin Milioti, Jimmi Simpson Creators: Charlie Brooker Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 83% |
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Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015)Plot Summary: Still pining for Josh, the boy who dumped her ages ago, whip-smart lawyer Rebecca jettisons her New York life and moves to California to win him back.
Starring: Rachel Bloom, Vincent Rodriguez III, Santino Fontana Creators: Rachel Bloom, Aline Brosh McKenna Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 98% |
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Riverdale (2017)Plot Summary: While navigating the troubled waters of sex, romance, school and family, teen Archie and his gang become entangled in a dark Riverdale mystery.
Starring: K.J. Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes Creators: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 86% |
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BoJack Horseman (2014)Plot Summary: Meet the most beloved sitcom horse of the '90s, 20 years later. He’s a curmudgeon with a heart of...not quite gold...but something like gold. Copper?
Starring: Will Arnett, Aaron Paul, Amy Sedaris Creators: Raphael Bob-Waksberg Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 93% |
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Friends (1994)Plot Summary: This hit sitcom follows the merry misadventures of six 20-something pals as they navigate the pitfalls of work, life and love in 1990s Manhattan.
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow Creators: David Crane, Marta Kauffman Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 78% |
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The Letdown (2017)Plot Summary: Audrey, mother of a 2-month-old, joins a new-parents support group, where she makes some quirky friends facing various challenges and life changes.
Starring: Alison Bell, Duncan Fellows, Sacha Horler Creators: Sarah Scheller, Alison Bell Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 91% |
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The Stranger (2020)Plot Summary: When a stranger makes a shocking claim about his wife, family man Adam Price becomes entangled in a mystery as he desperately searches for answers.
Starring: Richard Armitage, Siobhan Finneran, Jennifer Saunders Creators: Harlan Coben Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 83% |
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Marcella (2016)Plot Summary: Despite marriage woes, a tragic loss, memory blackouts and her struggles as a mom, a London detective excels at what she does best: catching killers.
Starring: Anna Friel, Ray Panthaki, Nicholas Pinnock Creators: Hans Rosenfeldt, Nicola Larder Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 73% |
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Tiger King (2020)Plot Summary: A zoo owner spirals out of control amid a cast of eccentric characters in this true murder-for-hire story from the underworld of big cat breeding.
Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 86% |
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Orange Is the New Black (2013)Plot Summary: When a past crime catches up with her, a privileged New Yorker ends up in a women's prison, where she quickly makes friends and foes.
Starring: Taylor Schilling, Kate Mulgrew, Laura Prepon Creators: Jenji Kohan Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 90% |
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Crashing (2016)Plot Summary: In exchange for low rent, a hodgepodge group of 20-something tenants set up residence as property guards in a disused hospital, where hilarity ensues.
Starring: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jonathan Bailey, Adrian Scarborough Creators: Phoebe Waller-Bridge Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 82% |
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MINDHUNTER (2017)Plot Summary: In the late 1970s two FBI agents expand criminal science by delving into the psychology of murder and getting uneasily close to all-too-real monsters.
Starring: Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Anna Torv Creators: Joe Penhall Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 98% |
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The Staircase (2018)Plot Summary: Accident or murder? After the mysterious death of his wife, author Michael Peterson watches his life go under the microscope.
Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 94% |
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Kath & Kim (2002)Plot Summary: As Kath prepares to wed fine-meats purveyor Kel, her daughter Kim moves back home after becoming disillusioned with her two-month marriage to Brett.
Starring: Jane Turner, Gina Riley, Glenn Robbins Creators: Gina Riley, Jane Turner Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: N/A |
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Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013)Plot Summary: Brilliant but immature Brooklyn detective Jake Peralta must learn to follow the rules and be a team player when his squad gets an exacting new captain.
Starring: Andy Samberg,Andre Braugher,Stephanie Beatriz Creators: Daniel J. Goor,Michael Schur Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 95% |
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The Big Bang Theory (2007)Plot Summary: Physicists Leonard and Sheldon find their nerd-centric social circle with pals Howard and Raj expanding when aspiring actress Penny moves in next door.
Starring: Johnny Galecki,Jim Parsons,Kaley Cuoco Creators: Chuck Lorre,Bill Prady Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 82% |
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Black Books (2000)Plot Summary: A misanthropic bookshop owner named Bernard Black wakes up from a bender to discover, to his horror, that he's hired cheery Manny Bianco as a clerk.
Starring: Dylan Moran,Bill Bailey,Tamsin Greig Creators: Dylan Moran,Graham Linehan Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 93% |
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Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969)Plot Summary: The Monty Python players make their mark with a winning mix of wit, ingenuity and brilliant timing -- and a penchant for mockery and cross-dressing.
Starring: John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Terry Jones Creators: Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 100% |
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Wild Wild Country (2018)Plot Summary: When a controversial cult leader builds a utopian city in the Oregon desert, conflict with the locals escalates into a national scandal.
Rotten Tomatoes rating and review: 98% |
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