15 Best Netflix Limited Series, Ranked

In addition to their acclaimed original movies and television shows, Netflix has also produced a growing number of popular limited series spanning virtually every genre. From period piece dramas to tautly paced scary stories, these limited series are perfect for viewers not looking for a multi-season commitment. There is something reassuring about going into a series knowing that a clear beginning, middle, and end have already been laid out. These limited series offer that complete sense of closure, with each episode perfectly paced to move towards that finish.

For the sake of clarification, a limited series here is a show limited to a single season, omitting shows running for a set of two or three planned seasons. Similarly, anthology shows, even if they tell a complete standalone story within a single season like Netflix's hilarious "Beef," are also omitted. The shows included here can be spinoffs or have spiritual successors, but the series themselves are confined to that one season of storytelling. 

With all that in mind, here are the 15 best Netflix limited series ranked, leading up to the greatest of them all.

Sofía Vergara's most transformative role to date is starring as Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco in the 2024 series "Griselda." The show chronicles Blanco's rise to power in Miami in the '80s as one of Florida's most powerful criminal kingpins through her distribution of cocaine. Blanco's ensuing paranoia and betrayal leads to her clashing with the Colombian drug cartels, with her family targeted in retribution. This inevitably leads to Blanco's downfall, with the violent fallout encompassing her inner circle, including her sons.

What elevates "Griselda" from a formulaic rise-and-fall arc reminiscent of "Scarface" is Vergara's immersive depiction of Blanco. Though the series plays fast and loose with the details of its true story inspiration, the story it does tell is a compelling crime saga nonetheless. Given its protagonist, the show also provides a fresh perspective to the usual male-dominated movies and shows in the genre. Gritty and uncompromising, "Griselda" is an excellent showcase for Vergara's acting talents throughout its self-made crime lord tale.

A media pundit becomes the subject of a grisly murder that leads to a full-blown conspiracy in the 2024 series "The Madness." Colman Domingo stars as Muncie Daniels, a cynical pundit who accidentally comes across a murder in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Now a wanted man, Muncie has to reconcile with his estranged family as he scrambles to clear his name. As Muncie starts to unravel the murder mystery, he discovers a larger mastermind at work orchestrating his misery, putting him and his family at risk.

As ludicrous as "The Madness" can get with its conspiracy thriller yarn, what holds the entire series together is the always fantastic Colman Domingo. Confidently front and center, Domingo is absolutely in his element as Muncie Daniels, both as de facto investigator and estranged family man. Thematically similar to "The Fugitive," this series affords Domingo more dramatic potential than most falsely accused narratives, along with a healthy dose of political commentary. A fantastic showcase of Domingo's acting talents, "The Madness" works best when its star is center stage.

Westerns, such as "Yellowstone" and all its spin-offs, have been making something of a comeback on television, thanks in no small part to Netflix's own wave of original Western programming. The 2017 series "Godless" is one of the more vicious recent takes on the genre, with a unique approach to its familiar tropes. As merciless outlaw Frank Griffin (Jeff Daniels) cuts a bloody path across New Mexico, a community of women band together to defend themselves. Things escalate when widowed rancher Alice Fletcher (Michelle Dockery) takes in a deserter from Frank's gang.

With its female-led ensemble cast, "Godless" embraces its Western archetypes and sweeping vistas to great effect. Creator Scott Frank's Western story is an ambitious one with a large cast that builds to a violent showdown by its finale. The show gives Daniels his most villainous role to date while Dockery proves a natural fit in the Western genre, far different from her breakout role starring in "Downton Abbey." A character-driven series that doesn't skimp on the brutal action, "Godless" remains one of Netflix's best Western projects.

The 2014 comic book series "Bodies" by Si Spurrier was adapted into a British limited series of the same name in 2023. The show's premise involves a corpse appearing in the same London alley in four different periods: 1890, 1941, 2023, and 2053. As police detectives from these different eras investigate the strange occurrence, the cases become increasingly intertwined in a mystery spanning well over a century. While the detectives become aware of the full nature of the case, their actions impact the timeline that they're all connected to.

"Bodies" is a show that demands full attention from its viewers, with its time-bending premise and interlinked narratives. Each time period is atmospherically realized, particularly the Whitechapel of 1890, with the ensemble cast guiding viewers along through the show's complex tale. A bit of slow burn, as soon as the full stakes of the story become apparent, audiences will be binging the series for the next piece of the puzzle. A murder mystery that takes advantage of its intriguingly unique premise, "Bodies" blends crime thriller elements with unabashed science fiction.

American writer Harlan Coben has had a prolific partnership with Netflix for several years, with a number of his works adapted into movies and television. A major highlight of this partnership is "Fool Me Once," adapting Coben's 2016 novel of the same name into a British thriller series. As protagonist Maya Burkett (Michelle Keegan) recovers from the apparent murder of her husband Joe (Richard Armitage), she learns that he is evidently still alive. As this mystery is explored, the dark history behind Joe and Maya's family comes to light by the shocking series finale.

"Fool Me Once" is one of those shows that works best when you don't spend too much thinking about the implications of its baffling plot twists. And those twists come fast and furious by the last handful of episodes, including Joe's alleged return and Maya's role in all of this. As outlandish as the story gets, viewers will stay hooked just to see how the show sticks its landing. In essence a prestige soap opera in the best kinds of ways, "Fool Me Once" is Netflix's best adaptation of Coben's literary work to date.

Period piece romances got an enormous boost in popularity with "Bridgerton," the first Netflix original series produced by reigning queen of television Shonda Rimes. Following the series' success, Rimes created the prequel spinoff limited series "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Series" in 2023. The ascent of Queen Charlotte (India Amarteifio) in the 1860s, including her marriage to King George III (Corey Mylchreest), is explored in the bulk of the story. This is interspersed with flash-forwards to an older Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) urging her children to produce a royal heir in 1817.

While "Queen Charlotte" works best for viewers that have seen at least the first two seasons of "Bridgerton" first, the series is a beautifully self-contained story set in that world. The show's limited series format lets it tell a more focused story than its main series counterpart, really expanding upon Charlotte's own amorous history. India Amarteifio does a particularly good job in portraying the younger Charlotte, keeping the characterization recognizable while making the role her own. For even the most casual fans of "Bridgerton," "Queen Charlotte" is definitely required viewing.

While filmmaker Mike Flanagan often uses the horror genre to tell compelling personal stories between the scares, none are as intensely confessional as "Midnight Mass." The limited series is set in a small town on a coastal island that welcomes the arrival of a mysterious young priest, Father Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater). Father Hill's appearance coincides with the return of recovering alcoholic Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford), who is hoping to rebuild his life in his hometown. This presages strange occurrences around the island, growing increasingly disturbing and paranormal as the truth behind Father Hill is unveiled.

A true labor of love for Flanagan, "Midnight Mass" elevates its scares with biting commentary on organization religion, addiction issues, and small town drama. There is a mystery at the heart of "Midnight Mass," and when what has come to Crockett Island openly bares its fangs, it does so with bloodthirsty fury. Flanagan would make numerous acclaimed horror shows after "Midnight Mass" but never again as frankly personal and soul-exposing. Wearing its Stephen King influences on its sleeve, "Midnight Mass" was Flanagan's last bonafide masterpiece at Netflix.

Scottish comedian and writer Richard Gadd drew heavily from his own life experiences to create the British Netflix series "Baby Reindeer." Gadd plays Donny Dunn, an aspiring comedian who works at a London pub to make ends meet, giving a free cup of tea to patron Martha Scott (Jessica Gunning). This leads Martha to obsessively stalk Donny, affecting his personal relationships as Martha's behavior becomes increasingly disturbing. Meanwhile, Donny has to reconcile with his own trauma that becomes clear as the show reaches its ending, which he endured from his mentor, television screenwriter Darrien O'Conner (Tom Goodman-Hill).

To be clear, "Baby Reindeer" is an incredibly visceral and soul-bearing watch that will be tough for some viewers to stomach. Deeply nuanced, Gadd finds the pitch-black humor in his experiences as he revisits and reimagines it for creative license through the series. As good as Gadd is as his facsimile protagonist Donny, Gunning matches him blow-for-blow as Donny's stalker Martha, simultaneously pathetic and calculatingly manipulative. Intensely vulnerable, "Baby Reindeer" is a lurid tale of finding courage to overcome trauma in multiple capacities.

The 2019 series "Unbelievable" provides a frank look at how modern American culture deals with sexual assault, especially its victims. Assault survivor Marie Adler (Kaitlyn Dever) has her assault story dismissively dissected by unsympathetic authorities in 2008. This leads to Marie's personal life suffering unwanted changes culminating in her own conviction of allegedly filing a false police report. Three years later, a similar assault case has detectives Grace Rasmussen (Toni Collette) and Karen Duvall (Merritt Weaver) realize this incident is linked to Marie's.

"Unbelievable" balances its crime procedural narrative with that of the emotional fallout suffered by Marie from her mistreatment by the police. Dever delivers a supremely heartbreaking performance as Marie, a survivor whose claims are not only summarily discarded but castigated by the authorities. Colette and Duvall are both reliably good as police detectives, coming to terms with their own mistakes as they pursue the serial rapist ignored three years prior. A powerful tale on treating victims with dignity rather than scorn, "Unbelievable" is a searing look at inadequacies within law enforcement and how society treats assault survivors.

Netflix has produced countless acclaimed documentaries, including feature films and series like "Tiger King." One noteworthy Netflix documentary in the limited series format is "Wild Wild Country," examining a controversial Indian guru who was based out of Oregon. Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh decides to form a commune in Oregon for his spiritual followers after encountering resistance in establishing one in India in the '80s. As governance of the commune raises tension at the local and federal level, Rajneesh's illicit activities are gradually brought to light.

Decades after Rajneesh's death, the saga of him and his commune is a forgotten part of 20th century American history. With that in mind, "Wild Wild Country" is incredibly informative and masterfully presented, shedding light on the downfall of this popular spiritual leader. The documentary's production is a far-reaching one, featuring interviews with everyone from Rajneesh's former followers and the commune's neighbors to those who investigated the case. Just as tensely staged as any of the more conventional true crime documentaries, "Wild Wild Country" is an utterly engrossing watch.

Given the success of shows like "Squid Game," Netflix has steadily been growing their library of acclaimed K-dramas, both with limited series and multi-season shows. One of the biggest limited series standouts is the crime thriller "My Name," which premiered in 2021. After her father is murdered, Yoon Ji-woo (Han So-hee) trains under her dad's mobster best friend and infiltrates the local police force under an assumed name. Using police assets, Ji-woo investigates her father's murder, only to find her loyalties compromised as she moves closer to the truth.

Like many K-drama thrillers, "My Name" is unrelentingly intense, with virtually every episode containing at least one brutal action set piece. Anchoring it all is Han So-hee's impressive performance as Ji-woo, single-minded in her revenge as she delves deeper into a world of rival crime syndicates and hidden motives. Of course, this vendetta grows messier as Ji-woo progresses, with plenty of plot twists to keep her, and the audience, on their toes. A masterclass in the supreme storytelling quality K-dramas have become known for worldwide, "My Name" is a classic revenge tale that breathes fresh life into the genre.

The tragic circumstances surrounding the Central Park Five, a group of Black juveniles convicted of sexual assault, is recounted in "When They See Us." The series focuses on Harlem adolescents Kevin Richardson (Asante Blackk), Antron McCray (Caleel Harris), Yusef Salaam (Ethan Herisse), Korey Wise (Jharrel Jerome), and Raymond Santana (Marquis Rodriguez). These five friends' lives are upended forever when they are falsely accused of sexually assaulting a female jogger in Central Park in April 1989. This leads to increased pressure from the police to force the group to confess, despite evidence that contradicts their involvement.

"When They See Us" presents this story as the historical tragedy and legal injustice that it is, culminating in the group's eventual vacated convictions. An all-star ensemble cast brings this legal drama to life, all handling the subject matter with the dignity and importance that it deserves. Through the depiction of systemized malfeasance, creator Ava DuVernay always grounds the story in the main characters' humanity, exploring the emotional toll the ordeal cost. Stirringly resonant, "When They See Us" is a tale of humanity and innocence stripped away by the cruelties of the world, moving as briskly as the story is thoroughly told.

Walter Tevis' 1983 coming-of-age novel "The Queen's Gambit" was adapted into a Netflix series of the same name in 2020. Set in the '50s and '60s, the series has orphan Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) learn chess while awaiting adoption. After being adopted by foster parents in Kentucky, Beth begins to participate in local chess tournaments, quickly proving herself to be a prodigy at the game. As Beth's mastery of chess propels her to the world competitive stage, she develops a growing addiction to alcohol and painkillers that threatens to derail her life.

With its lush period piece setting and a charismatic performance from Anya Taylor-Joy, "The Queen's Gambit" is a sumptuously realized adaptation. On top of Beth's emotional journey, the show contains some of the most stylishly and tensely presented chess sequences in television and film. That sense of style is a constant throughout the series, capturing an aesthetically striking look at '60s America. Elevated by arguably Taylor-Joy's best performance to date, "The Queen's Gambit" is gorgeously staged, with some of Netflix's most beautiful production design for an original limited series.

Author Patricia Highsmith's literary antihero Tom Ripley is expertly brought to life by Andrew Scott in the limited series "Ripley." In 1960, con artist Tom Ripley is tasked by Herbert Greenleaf (Kenneth Lonergan) to bring his wayward son back to New York from his life of luxury in Italy. However, in getting caught up into the sun-soaked antics of Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn), Ripley decides to seize the opportunity with some carefully planned murder and manipulation. This is complicated by unwanted attention from the authorities and Dickie's discerning girlfriend Marge (Dakota Fanning).

"Ripley" goes deeper and darker than the source material's previous adaptation, "The Talented Mr. Ripley," had in 1999 (though it's still one of Matt Damon's best movies). Filmmaker Steven Zaillian, the writer and director of the adaptation, stages the story stylishly, including a period-appropriate black-and-white cinematography presentation. And, of course, there's Andrew Scott, who delivers a pitch-perfect portrayal of Ripley and all the obsessively calculated menace that comes with him. A classic noir with all the associated moody genre trappings, "Ripley" is a top-down masterclass television production.

Mike Flanagan had been making well-regarded scary movies for years before coming to Netflix, but "The Haunting of Hill House" elevated him to horror royalty. A reimagining of Shirley Jackson's classic ghost story, the 2018 series follows five siblings haunted by the death of their mother when they were children. When one of them dies under paranormal circumstances, the surviving family members realize they must reconcile with their troubled history in the haunted Hill House. This story is interspersed with flashbacks, revealing what exactly occurred to the Crain family during their ill-fated time living in Hill House.

Regardless of length or platform, "The Haunting of Hill House" is one of the best horror shows of all time. Flanagan and company crafted a smartly told ghost story across two time periods and an ensemble cast of memorable characters. Flanagan would follow up this show with "The Haunting of Bly Manor," a spiritual successor that told its own story, letting "Hill House" stand proudly alone. Following the success of "The Haunting of Hill House," Flanagan and Netflix collaborated on a line of Netflix horror shows, but none quite surpassing the bar "Hill House" had set.