Many of them were released last year, while some older ones had new seasons in 2022. If you’re curious to know what these are, just check out our list of Netflix series below and prepare your favorite version of this app to watch movies and series!
1. Black Mirror
Even after a few seasons, Black Mirror remains one of the most popular Netflix series today. The anthology series, which means with each episode telling a different story with a similar theme, still focuses heavily on the evils of our dependence on technology. Even because it is in this style, it is one of the easiest to binge watch, as there is always some mystery or surprise in each episode.
2. Inventing Anna
Super producer Shonda Rhimes’ first series since Scandal tells the saga of Anna Delvey (played by Julia Garner, of Ozark fame) a wealthy German socialite who took over New York society in the mid-2010s.
The plot revolves around the question, “Who is Anna Delvey?” and is narrated by New York Magazine journalist Vivian Kent (Anna Chlumsky) who is trying to find out if the wealthy German is a scammer or businesswoman. The series revolves around this quest for the truth of Anna Delvey, or should we say Russian con artist Anna Sorokin, who has duped people and institutions-with hundreds of thousands of dollars-thanks to her surreal self-confidence.
3. Archive 81
An infectious horror series based on a fictional podcast. In it, a video archivist, Dan (Mamoudou Athie), is hired to restore tapes that were damaged in a fire 25 years earlier. These tapes were recorded by a documentary filmmaker named Melody (Dina Shihabi), who was investigating a demonic cult based in an apartment building in New York. As Dan watches the tapes and retrieves them, he realizes that there is a disturbing mystery surrounding the author of the videos. From there he becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to Melody and becomes convinced that he can save her.
4. La Casa de Papel
We have no doubt that you have already heard about La Casa de Papel. After all, it was a near-viral success as soon as it was released on the streaming platform. The Spanish series even has a very simple concept, as it shows the events during a robbery at the Spanish mint. Each of the thieves has different skills and we see them dealing with the situation and the hostages throughout the episodes. In this fifth season, released at the end of 2021, the series has established itself as one of the most beloved and popular on the streaming platform and in the world. The second robbery by these thieves ends up making it clear that the focus was not only on money, but on targeting Spain’s political and economic system.
5. Bridgerton
The second season of this phenomenon returned in 2022 already considered with the status of “best Netflix series” by many, and to no surprise. Even with the change of protagonists from the first season, and without the participation of the Duke of Hastings (Simon Basset) in any of the scenes, the focus still remains on the workings of society and marriage.
But this is the chance for Anthony (Bailey), the eldest son of the family, to delight the audience. And that’s how the Sharma sisters’ path crosses with the Bridgerton family, creating a love triangle that puts everyone in scandalous consequences. While romance and the hottest scenes take over the production, twists with Lady Whistledown take over the scenes and shake up relationships.
6. Ozark
Death threats, bribes, blackmail make Ozark one of the most popular Netflix series of 2022. Marty is a Chicago financial adviser who needs to launder $500 million to appease a drug lord. He drags the family to a resort in the Ozarks, Missouri, to keep them safe after his dealings with a Mexican drug cartel go awry. The series arrives in its final season, full of twists that are worth checking out.
7. Pieces of Her
Netflix’s new series, Pieces of Her, is a mystery thriller series adapted from the novel by author Karin Slaughter, who is also a producer on the show. The series revolves around 30-year-old Andy Oliver, saved by his mother Laura Oliver (Toni Coletti) during a random violent incident. After the incident, Andy begins to question the behavior of his mother, a southern woman dedicated to her work, who masterfully deals with the violent aftermath of the attack. The past comes to light, along with secrets and deadly threats for both of them, sending Oliver into a deadly journey.
8. 3%
Here we have a Brazilian fiction series, quite popular in its country of origin. The 3% series has a more futuristic and dystopian theme, something not so common to see in Brazilian productions. Like most works of this type, the world is divided between a more advanced and technological society and one that lives in misery. Of those who live in poverty, only 3% manage to migrate to the other territory. It’s exactly this process that we follow in the series, as every 20-year-old has a chance to make that transition. É exatamente esse processo que acompanhamos na série, já que cada jovem de 20 anos de idade tem a chance de fazer essa transição.
8. Viking Valhalla
If you liked Vikings, you’ll love Viking Valhalla. This series is a sequel covering the next era of the Viking reign. Valhalla takes place a century after the original series and follows the journey of Leif Erikson (Sam Corlett) as he becomes the first European to set foot in North America alongside his sister Freydis (Frida Gustavsson) as well as Harald Hardrada (Leo Suter), who tried and failed to claim the English throne. The three begin an epic journey following tensions between the Vikings and English royalty. The differences between pagan and Christian beliefs only become more and more apparent, causing a bloody rift. Now, they will cross oceans and battlefields, from Kattegat to England and beyond, as they fight for survival and glory.
9.The Crown
One of the most popular Netflix series of all time, the 5th season of The Crown is scheduled to premiere in November 2022. One of Netflix’s biggest surprises, especially for its high production quality. It tells the story of the British royal family, focusing especially on Queen Elizabeth II, since her 20s. Each episode shows different historical facts, important characters in English politics and the challenges the Queen had to face as she sacrificed most of her life for the British crown. In addition to many accolades, the series still wins several awards each season. Season 5 will be set during the 1990s, showing all the conflicts of the British royal family in that period. Certainly, the controversies will not be left out, showing how this story is quite interesting and powerful in every way.
10. Sex Education
Even by the name and synopsis, Sex Education may seem like one of the American sexploitation movies we were used to see in the screen back during the 1990s. But way beyond the jokes, the series shows the life of a teenager who doesn’t seem so interested in sex, unlike his peers of the same age. All of this because his mother works as a sex therapist and loves talking about it with her son, who can’t take the situation anymore. On the other hand, he ends up giving advice to friends with everything he knows.
11. The Umbrella Academy
For anyone who is a fan of unconventional comic books, The Umbrella Academy can be a good watch. The series is based on the comic of the same name and follows a few individuals with special abilities. It may seem like more of a story about heroes, but it goes far beyond that. Even more so because all the focus ends up going to the mystery of who killed the man who created the group since childhood.
12. Explained
Another good suggestion for those who are on the pulse of new documentary releases is Explained. But unlike so many Netflix series of this type, it doesn’t have a heavy theme to focus on. In fact, each episode works more like a conversation, where different themes are explored and explained. It is very interesting for those who want to know more about some different and important subjects today.
13. When They See Us
When They See Us could even be considered another documentary series, as it is based on very intense and uncomfortable real events. The series’ episodes follow the story of five black teenagers, wrongfully accused of raping and killing a woman in Central Park. The series shows how racism is ingrained in society and the thirst for justice can end up ruining the lives of innocent people. When They See Us also shows how public opinion and the media play an alternative jury role, convicting even without evidence.
14. Squid Game
Released last year, Round 6 became a instant success. The series has as its protagonist the indebted Gi-hun who accepts to participate in a mysterious game in the hope of making easy money. Like him, 456 other bankrupt players accept this strange invitation to a survival game in search of a millionaire prize. But starting right at the first round, a real scene straight from a horror movie takes place. During the series, they have to go through 6 childhood folk games. The loser pays with their lives, the winners advance and the last survivor will receive a total of 45.6 billion ‘won’. The series portrays the dark side of the class system, the division of the rich and the poor, as well as the selfish nature and individualism in circumstances of life and death.
15. 13 Reasons Why
Another series that has always been very successful and worth watching is 13 Reasons Why. Whether for being captivating or simply because it addresses extremely sensitive topics in its plot. For those who still don’t know much about it, the story shows a group of teenagers dealing with the suicide of classmate Hannah Baker. All because she left 13 tapes for each of the teenagers which she says is one of the reasons she killed herself. Altogether there are 4 seasons of reflection on the typical social pyramid of North American schools.
16. The Witcher
There’s no denying that The Witcher was also quite successful. For those who didn’t already know the books or games of the same name, the series follows the journey of the witcher Geralt of Rivia. Apparently, old and new fans approved of the production. However, The Witcher: Origin of Blood, the long-awaited prequel and spin-off series from Netflix, will likely not arrive until 2023.
17. Stranger Things
Unarguably one of the most popular Netflix series of all time. Stranger Things was another huge success among Netflix series and now returns in 2022 with the finale divided into two seasons. The series closely follows some strange events involving a small American town in the 1980s. There are also numerous references to movies, games and activities from this era, which can be very interesting for those who are fans of works from the distant decade. We are waiting for that next season already!
18. All of Us Are Dead
The new South Korean series on Netflix brings us the story of students trapped against a deadly epidemic at school. And they only have one option: fight with all their might to not turn into zombies. As the virus spreads beyond school walls, the series explores interesting themes, including the corruption of authority and the abuse of power.
19. I Am Georgina
This series, which is a documentary, reveals how the poor girl who was a babysitter won the heart of millionaire star Cristiano Ronaldo. Daughters of a broken family, Georgina and her sister, Ivana, went through many difficulties. Cristiano Ronaldo’s companion worked in a bar, was a baby sitter, a maid and an employee of designer stores. She tried her luck in London and met Cristiano while working for Gucci in Madrid.
20. The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window
This series is a satire of thriller productions, so it can’t be taken too seriously. However, The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window (or just The Woman in the House…) is so well done that it convinces the audience that it takes itself seriously.
Starring Kristen Bell (“Frozen” and “The Good Place”), it is possible to see that there is something strange about the series right in the trailer, after all, there is a that clear thrill, but there is also exaggeration in the actions of the protagonist. The story follows a woman who has personal problems and who witnesses a crime from the window of her house. From there, she needs to convince everyone that she’s not crazy. Although, she needs to convince herself of that first.
21. Our Planet
Our Planet is another good Netflix documentary in series form. It shows, in general, how our presence on earth can affect different regions on the planet, especially in a negative way. It’s definitely a good series to get more information and understand what we do to the planet even without realizing.
22. You
For thriller fans, we recommend the series known as “You”. In it, we follow the manager of a bookstore, who meets an amateur writer and becomes absolutely obsessed with her. He uses all possible resources to approach and grab the woman’s attention. The problem is some of her friends start getting in his way, which forces him to take some pretty violent measures. The most interesting thing is that the whole story is narrated by him, which leaves us in a very strange position of sympathy and repulsion at the same time. However, in the following seasons, things take a twist. You’ll have to watch to see what happens, no spoilers here!
23. Murderville
An improv comedy about detectives and investigations with Will Arnett playing Detective Terry Seattle and partnering with a celebrity guest on each episode. What makes it so funny is that everyone has a script of what’s going to happen except the guest. Based on the British series Murder in Successville, the six-episode series doesn’t always work as much depends on the guest themselves. But when it works, it’s amazing!
24. Lupin
Another of the most popular Netflix series, originally released in 2021, this series quickly became one of the most beloved among its viewers. Engaging and full of mystery, Lupin is based on the crime novels by Maurice Leblanc and takes place in Paris.
Assane Diop (Omar Sy), a man seeking revenge for the death of his father 25 years earlier, is wrongfully accused of a crime. Now he takes inspiration in Arsene Lupin, the famous “coat thief” of French literature, and plans a major heist of the famous Louvre Museum. In the second season, still in the course of the events created by the robbery, Diop sees his family involved in his daring games and sets out again as Lupin to save them.
25. Elite
After an accident, three young people are transferred from a public school to an elite private school. After initial friction with the students of the college, a murder ends up happening and now it is necessary to find the culprits. A series that touches on the theme of inequalities, putting a lot of mystery and drama on the scene.
26. Riverdale
With its fifth season debuting this year on Netflix, Riverdale is a teen series with plenty of drama and mystery. The group of friends from Riverdale high school goes through many dramatic and teenage moments in this series that touches on the theme of inequality and police suspense amid the dramas of almost adult life.
27. Peaky Blinders
The sixth and final season of the BBC series is coming this year, but creator Steven Knight has already confirmed that he is developing a film that should end the story of the Shelby family. In addition, according to him, spin-offs will be produced from the series of this notorious gang from 1919 England, led by the cruel Tommy Shelby, a criminal willing to rise in life at any cost.
28. Lucifer
With the last season released in September 2021, this is definitely one of the most different themed Netflix series. In it, we see Lucifer leave hell to live in Los Angeles, where he opens his own business. The coolest thing is that in the midst of all this, he does his best to help some police officers in solving more difficult cases. Just for a premise like that, it’s even worth checking out a few episodes, don’t you think?
29. Cobra Kai
This series depicts the reunion after 30 years of two rival characters from the legendary sequel to the Karate Kid movie. Daniel LaRusso lives in wealth with a famous car chain. In contrast, his rival Johnny Lawrence is struggling to reopen the famous Cobra Kai karate bar. Accidentally once again they meet again, looking forward for their next inevitable fight.
30. Maid
To close out our list with a bang, we couldn’t leave out this acclaimed series. The plot shows the struggle of young mother Alex to protect her little daughter from an abusive relationship she had with the child’s father. A production based on true history. Alex runs away and starts living in a shelter and working as a cleaning lady. With each episode, the series shows the harsh reality of the protagonist in her work routines, in her experience as a single mother, and in her attempts to survive a harsh reality while dreaming of becoming a writer.
How did you like these most popular Netflix series of 2022?
We all need something to watch every now and then. You know, to keep us entertained! Did you like getting to know the most popular Netflix series of 2022? Then make sure to send this list to a friend that might also want to check it out!
