Best Series on Netflix Right Now

The best series on Netflix for you depends on the evening you have in mind. Adolescence offers an intense four-episode story; Derry Girls is a better fit for short comedy sessions; Dark rewards anyone ready to untangle a long, intricate mystery. This guide sorts 25 shows by mood and genre, so you can start watching in minutes rather than scrolling for an hour. It is a Netflix-only companion to DubaiPress’s Best TV Series of All Time ranking.

Updated: 11 October 2026. New seasons due later this month appear in a separate release table below. Availability varies by country: search your UAE Netflix account for the title and season before planning a watch.

Key takeaways

• For a complete story without several seasons of catch-up, start with Adolescence, Baby Reindeer or The Queen’s Gambit.
• Choose Derry Girls or I Think You Should Leave for shorter episodes; try Dark or Ripley when you want a mystery that rewards close attention.
• The Diplomat, Nobody Wants This and Lupin have new instalments scheduled later in October. Their entries below introduce the existing series, not reviews of those unreleased instalments.
• The quick-choice table helps you narrow the list; the FAQ covers UAE availability, language options and age suitability.

Choose a series for tonight

How We Picked the Best Series on Netflix

This selection covers scripted dramas, thrillers and comedies. We consulted the Rotten Tomatoes Netflix guide for critical context and Netflix’s own programme information for plots, formats and announced releases. Titles are grouped by genre, with a short note on why each one earns its place.

The best series on Netflix is not necessarily the one with the highest review score: tone, episode length and how much story you want to commit to matter too. This is an editorial selection rather than a score-based league table. Recommendations for returning shows refer to their released stories; upcoming seasons are listed separately.

Best Series on Netflix This Month: Top Picks

This section combines recent arrivals with established shows returning later in October. For a returning series, begin with its first season or part; the new-season dates are in the table below.

• East of Eden — A fresh adaptation of John Steinbeck’s family saga. A good pick if you want something literary and slow-burning rather than plot-driven.
• The Diplomat — A political drama about a US diplomat navigating a high-stakes ambassador role in the UK and a difficult marriage. Start with Season 1 if you enjoy negotiations, divided loyalties and sharp dialogue.
• Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story — This chapter of Netflix’s crime anthology dramatises the Lizzie Borden case. Choose it for a dark period crime story, and watch it as a stylised drama rather than a documentary or a factual account of every scene.
• A Different World (2026) — This continuation follows Deborah Wayne as she starts at Hillman College. It offers campus life and a new generation of characters; the year matters when searching, so you do not confuse it with the original series.
• Lupin — The French gentleman-thief drama follows Assane Diop and his efforts to right the injustice done to his father. It is a good fit for heists, disguises and cliffhangers. Begin with Part 1 before moving on to the later chapters.
• Nobody Wants This — A romantic comedy about an agnostic podcaster and a rabbi whose relationship crosses very different family worlds. Choose it when you want relationship complications rather than a crime investigation; start with Season 1.

Best Netflix Original Dramas

Some of the best series on Netflix tell a complete story in a handful of episodes. DubaiPress’s best mini-series to watch guide goes deeper on that format. Here, Adolescence, Baby Reindeer, The Queen’s Gambit and Unorthodox are limited series; BEEF is an anthology whose first season tells the road-rage story described below.

• Adolescence — A four-episode British drama about a 13-year-old accused of murder, with each episode filmed in a single continuous take. It won eight Emmys in 2025, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. Expect a demanding watch about family, adolescence and accountability.
• Baby Reindeer — Richard Gadd’s dramatisation of his own experience of being stalked. Uncomfortable, darkly funny and unforgettable. Its seven episodes also deal with sexual trauma, so it is a heavier choice than the comedy label might suggest.
• BEEF, Season 1 — A road-rage incident spirals into a feud between two strangers. Tonal whiplash done brilliantly across ten episodes. This recommendation is for the first season’s story; Season 2 follows a different set of characters.
• The Queen’s Gambit — A chess prodigy’s rise in the Cold War era, and still one of the most rewatchable seven-episode runs on Netflix. The personal ambition and rivalries make it accessible even if you do not play chess.
• Unorthodox — A young woman flees an arranged marriage in Brooklyn in this tense four-part drama. A compact choice if you want a personal story about independence and belonging.

Best Netflix Thrillers and Crime Shows

The best series on Netflix for suspense range from intimate real-case dramas to elaborate spy stories. For more picks across platforms, see DubaiPress’s best thriller series to watch guide, or its best true crime series list for documentaries and dramatisations based on real cases.

• The Witness — A three-episode drama about a father and his young son after the murder of Rachel Nickell. The focus is the family’s ordeal and a flawed investigation, making this an emotionally heavy choice rather than a conventional puzzle to solve.
• The Chestnut Man — A figurine made of chestnuts is found at the scene of a Copenhagen murder in the opening season of this chilling Danish crime series. Choose it for a dark police investigation.
• Top Boy — A gritty drama set in London’s housing estates, built around loyalty and survival. Its appeal is the pressure on people and communities as much as the crime plot.
• Black Doves — A spy thriller starring Keira Knightley, mixing espionage with genuine emotional stakes. A useful next choice if you want personal relationships tangled up in a dangerous conspiracy.
• Ripley — A black-and-white, slow-burn adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s con-man novel — stylish and tense. Pick it for atmosphere and patient observation rather than rapid action.

Best Netflix Comedies

If thrillers are too heavy, try these shorter comedy episodes. Derry Girls and Kimmy Schmidt build ongoing character stories, while I Think You Should Leave is a sketch show suited to watching in small doses.

• Derry Girls — Teenage friends navigate the Troubles in 1990s Northern Ireland. Sharp, silly and surprisingly moving.
• Mo — Mo Amer’s semi-autobiographical comedy about a Palestinian refugee in Houston, juggling family life and an uncertain immigration status.
• I Think You Should Leave — Tim Robinson’s sketch show, built around moments of social meltdown. Short, absurd and endlessly quotable.
• Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt — A woman rebuilds her life in New York after years in a doomsday cult — relentlessly upbeat and very quick-witted.

Best International (Non-English) Netflix Series

Some of the most gripping shows on the platform are not in English, and a guide to the best series on Netflix would be incomplete without them. For the Arabic selection, see DubaiPress’s dedicated best Arabic series on Netflix guide. Check audio and subtitles on each title rather than assuming every language is available.

• Squid Game — The Korean survival thriller that became a global phenomenon, still the entry point for many viewers into Korean drama.
• Dark — A German time-travel mystery about missing children and four connected families. Demanding but rewarding.
• Kingdom — Joseon-era Korea meets a zombie outbreak in this beautifully shot period horror.
• Katla — Unexplained visitors unsettle an Icelandic community after a volcanic eruption. Pick this eerie mystery for its atmosphere and questions about identity.
• The Evil Lawyer — A Thai legal drama about a young attorney who is framed. A good starting point if courtroom stakes appeal more than the horror and science fiction elsewhere in this section.

Prefer animation? Our best Netflix Original anime guide offers a separate route into animated storytelling.

Upcoming Seasons to Keep on Your Radar: October 2026

These are the next instalments of three shows already included in the 25 picks. The dates below are listed in Netflix’s October release calendar and were checked on 11 October 2026. They are still upcoming on that date, and the calendar is not a guarantee of availability in every country; confirm the listing in your UAE account.

Watching Netflix in the UAE

Before subscribing to watch the best series on Netflix, check the titles in the UAE catalogue and choose a plan that suits your household. Our Netflix subscription cost in the UAE guide explains the plans and what changes between tiers.

If you are considering other platforms too, compare the viewing styles in our best shows on HBO Max and best Apple TV+ series guides. Check the local service and catalogue for any alternative before paying for it.

FAQs About the Best Series on Netflix

Are all 25 series available on Netflix in the UAE?

Availability is not guaranteed for every title, season or date. Netflix catalogues vary by country and change over time. Search the exact title in your UAE account and check the season selector; a title’s presence in a global guide does not confirm its local availability.

Can I watch with Arabic or English subtitles and audio?

Open the title and check Audio & Subtitles for the options available to you. Netflix explains that subtitle and audio availability can depend on location, profile language settings, the title and the device. Do not assume that every show offers both Arabic and English dubbing or subtitles.

Are these series suitable for children?

This is a general recommendation list, not a children’s watchlist. Several picks include violence, sexual content or distressing themes, and a comedy label does not automatically mean family viewing. Check the maturity rating and content notes on the title in your account before choosing something to watch together.

Which Series Should You Watch First?

For a short, intense drama, start with Adolescence. For a lighter evening, try Derry Girls. For an intricate mystery, choose Dark. The best series on Netflix is the one that fits the time and attention you want to give it; use the table to make that decision, then keep the upcoming seasons for their release dates. For more recommendations across platforms, browse DubaiPress’s Movies category.