11 of the best and 11 of the worst Netflix shows that have come out this year, so far
Meghan Cook
- Netflix released a fresh slate of original series this year, but they haven't received equal praise.
- Critics loved shows like "Heartstopper," "Human Resources," and "Sins of Our Mother."
Critics found "Dead End: Paranormal Park" lovable and fun.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Summary: On the animated comedy "Dead End: Paranormal Park," teens Barney (voiced by Zach Barack) and Norma Khan (voiced by Kody Kavitha) navigate new jobs at a haunted theme park where demons and ghouls run amok.
Reviewers praised the representation at the forefront of "Dead End" in addition to its charming, oddball sense of humor.
"'Dead End: Paranormal Park' is easily one of the best animated shows of the year so far. It is a fun supernatural adventure with a huge heart," Sarah Fields wrote for Tell-Tale TV.
The Australian drama "Heartbreak High" took critics by surprise.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Summary: Amerie (Ayesha Madon) becomes a social pariah when the mural she made of everyone's past hookups goes public.
The Australian show, which is a reboot of a 1994 series, pulled in high compliments from reviewers.
"Sparkling with personality and verve, 'Heartbreak High' is a fresh, distinctly Australian and distinctly 2022 series that doesn't pay lip service to nostalgia for nostalgia's sake," Wenlei Ma wrote for News.com.au.
Critics couldn't get enough of "Heartstopper."
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Summary: Based on Alice Oseman's graphic novel of the same name, "Heartstopper" explores the burgeoning romance between teens Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick (Kit Connor) as they come to terms with their sexuality.
"Heartstopper" was sincere and earnest enough to melt the hearts of even the most cynical critics.
"It might sound saccharine, but the skill with which 'Heartstopper' captures these very earnest emotions seems to be able to melt even the coldest and most cynical of hearts," Patrick Lenton wrote for The Sydney Morning Herald.
"How to Change Your Mind" fascinated reviewers.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Summary: On the documentary series, filmmaker Alex Gibney leads viewers on a journey through four substances — MDMA, LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline — and the effects they have on the human mind.
Critics were blown away by Gibney's presentation, as well as his explanation of revealing new discoveries.
"'How to Change Your Mind' provides multiple worthy views that can be mind-blowing," Bob Strauss wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Critics immediately warmed to the comedic drama "Mo."
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Summary: Mo Najjar (Mo Amer), a refugee from Pakistan, tries to build a life for himself and his family in a small Texas town.
Critics praised "Mo" for Amer's lead performance and sharp writing.
"He has crafted a tender and often funny portrait of the immigrant experience and the injustices of the system," Donal Lynch wrote for the Independent.
The unflinching docu-drama "Sins of Our Mother" drew nothing but praise.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Summary: The dark true-crime series delves into the disappearance of a suburban mother's children — and the bloody trail of murder and cultist beliefs that surface during the investigation.
Critics gave overwhelmingly positive praise to the documentary series and the noteworthy direction of showrunner Skye Borgman.
"With a compact and straightforward storytelling style, Borgman manages to make 'Sins Of Our Mother' about as harrowing a journey into the dissolution of one person's psyche as you can get," Joel Keller wrote for Decider.
"Savage Beauty" earned nothing but praise from critics.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Summary: Zinhle (Rosemary Zimu) rises through the ranks of the wealthy Bhengu family and exploits their beauty empire on her personal path to redemption.
"Savage Beauty" earned a welcome reception from critics who said the thrilling drama kept them on their toes.
"'Savage Beauty' is a quick but thrilling watch from start to finish," Ineye Komonibo wrote for Refinery29. "It's got everything that a good drama needs — sex, secrets, and scandal — and does it all through an authentic South African lens."
Critics called "Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey" a must-see series.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%
Summary: The docuseries "Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey" explores the foundations of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the lasting impact of leader Warren Jeffs' predatory behavior.
Critics said that "Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey" kept them glued to their television screens.
"At a time when American women's rights are threatened by a wider array of religion-based forces, though, this straightforward document of how extreme it can get looks pretty necessary," Strauss wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Critics loved how "Human Resources" opened up the world of "Big Mouth."
Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%
Summary: The spin-off of the animated series "Big Mouth" explores the workplace humor behind the show's hormone monsters, like Maury (voiced by Nick Kroll) and Connie (voiced by Maya Rudolph).
Critics said that "Human Resources" was a worthy follow-up to the popular Netflix animated comedy.
"Familiarity with 'Big Mouth' may bring in viewers, but 'Human Resources'' distinctive humor and commentary on humanity will keep them watching," Elly Belle wrote for AV Club.
"Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives." was praised as a highly bingeable docuseries.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%
Summary: On the investigative docuseries, prolific vegan chef Sarma Melngailis falls for a dangerous man who claims that he can help her wildest dreams come true once she wires him millions of dollars.
Critics said that the series, which was based on true events, was well-framed and easy to stream in a single weekend.
"Tired of true-crime stories getting a dramatic overhaul, ridiculously padded out, or overly-reliant on re-creations?" James Croot asked in his review for Stuff. "Then Netflix's latest four-part docu-series is just the quick binge-watch for you."
"The Sandman" kept critics enthralled.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 87%
Summary: Based on the comics by Neil Gaiman, "The Sandman" follows Morpheus (Tom Sturridge), the ruler of dreams, who escapes from captivity after 106 years and seeks to restore balance to the cosmic universe.
The enchanting fantasy drama had most critics hoping for a second season.
"On one hand it's a fantasy adventure story, on the other it's a philosophical pondering on the concept of dreams, lies, hope and destiny," Valerie Anne wrote for Autostraddle.
On the other hand, some critics were less than impressed with "Is It Cake?"
Rotten Tomatoes score: 60%
Summary: On the game show "Is It Cake?" host Mikey Day challenges contestants to make cakes that look identical to inanimate objects.
Some critics took the show for light, airy fun, but others were irked by the padded premise.
"It might have been watchable, but barely, if they'd limited each episode to 20 minutes or so, reconfigured the format completely, and spared Mikey Day from this humiliation, but at nearly 40 minutes an episode, 'Is It Cake?' is both awful and interminable," Dustin Rowles wrote for Pajiba.
"First Kill" had promise but wasn't a hit with every critic.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 58%
Summary: After her 16th birthday, Juliette Fairmont (Sarah Catherine Hook) sets out to make her first vampire kill. But instead, she develops feelings for Calliope Burns (Imani Lewis), a teen from a long line of monster hunters.
Critics applauded the representation and heart behind the series but felt like the overall plot was fumbled upon execution.
"For all the work 'First Kill' puts into making sure it hits all the right notes, the series feels more like an uncanny valley version of what it's attempting to be rather than a worthwhile story all its own," Caroline Framke wrote for Variety.
Critics largely felt the "Resident Evil" series didn't add much to the franchise.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 55%
Summary: Based on the video games and films of the same name, "Resident Evil" picks up 14 years after the world descends into nightmarish disarray as a string of scavengers make sense of a world destroyed by the Umbrella company.
Critics were split on "Resident Evil," but many felt like the show was a poor attempt to revive a franchise that had lost its steam.
"For the majority of the eight-episode first season, 'Resident Evil' is a mishmash of ambitions, likely to satisfy very few fans of the franchise (whether they're fond of the video games, movies, or both)," Ben Travers wrote for IndieWire.
"The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window" earned mixed reception.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 54%
Summary: Taking inspiration from melodramas like "The Girl on the Train" (2016) and "Woman in the Window" (2021), the comedic miniseries pokes fun at female-led murder mysteries with wine-gulping Anna (Kristen Bell) spiraling at its center.
The satirical show had its share of admirers, especially for Bell's comedic acting chops, but it ultimately pulled in lukewarm reviews.
"Despite strong leads and a number of potentially promising ideas, it's not a very good rip-off of a rip-off," Noah Berlatsky wrote for Wealth of Geeks.
Critics said "Keep Breathing" was hard to keep watching.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 53%
Summary: On "Keep Breathing," lawyer Liv Rivera (Melissa Barrera) hitches a last-minute ride to Inuvik, Canada, only to find herself as the survivor of a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness.
Most critics pointed out that Barrera deserved praise as a lead but conceded that the plot fell flat too many times to ignore.
"'Keep Breathing' is well-shot, well-acted, and well-intentioned," Brittany Vincent wrote for IGN Movies. "But as far as the story itself goes, there's just no reason to watch this middling take on the survival genre when there are so many other series that have done it better."
"Devil in Ohio" wasn't the adaptation critics were looking for.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 50%
Summary: Based on the book by Daria Polatin, "Devil in Ohio" follows psychiatrist Dr. Suzanne Mathis (Emily Deschanel) as she takes on the case of Mae (Madeleine Arthur), the young survivor of a satanic cult.
Critics were left wanting more from the small-town drama.
"I can easily see this same story being adapted into a quality HBO series like 'Sharp Objects,' 'The Outsider' or 'Mare of Easttown,' but it's miles below any of those," Paul Tassi wrote for Forbes.
Critics said they struggled to even hate-watch "The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On."
Rotten Tomatoes score: 36%
Summary: The reality show promises to help people with their love lives, as hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey put various couples to the test by challenging them to commit or break up.
Most critics felt "The Ultimatum" was devoid of empathy and credible advice.
"The show is a trainwreck, which I already knew it would be, but I thought it would be a more enjoyable trainwreck," Briana Lawrence wrote for The Mary Sue.
Critics didn't have many kind words for "God's Favorite Idiot."
Rotten Tomatoes score: 33%
Summary: On the apocalyptic comedy "God's Favorite Idiot," Clark Thompson (Ben Falcone) gains the ability to talk to God after he's struck by lightning — all while he's falling in love with his coworker Amily (Melissa McCarthy).
Critics felt the comedy didn't utilize the talent of the cast.
"Everything about this series is jaw-droppingly slack and unambitious, given the talent involved," John Doyle wrote for Globe and Mail.
According to critics, "The Pentaverate" lacked a comedic punch.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 28%
Summary: Mike Myers stars as a Canadian journalist (and an ensemble of seven other men) as the truth of a centuries-old society comes to light.
Critics couldn't deny that it was nice to see Myers on screen again, but the six-episode comedy series failed to entertain reviewers.
"Although it's fantastic to have Mike Myers back in action, the series is underwhelming in elaborating its premise and comedy," Fico Cangiano reported for CineXpress.
Critics grew weary of the winding plot of "Echoes."
Rotten Tomatoes score: 24%
Summary: After secretly trading places with her identical twin, Gina McCleary (Michelle Monaghan) must face the music when her sister Leni goes missing.
Monaghan's performance earned praise from some critics, but most reviewers said the plot itself left much to be desired.
"'Echoes' features an intriguing mystery at its center, but this series is bogged down by a predictable plot and confusing scenes with this set of twins," film critic Austin Burke reported.
The comedy "Hard Cell" felt dated and tired to most critics.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 20%
Summary: On the mockumentary "Hard Cell," Catherine Tate plays a variety of characters living in (and unsuccessfully running) a women's prison.
Even Tate's oldest admirers found the uncomfortable comedy tough to watch at times.
"There are the bones of a good show in here," Vicky Jessop wrote for the London Evening Standard. "They've just been locked away behind several sets of bars, rather like its protagonists; as a result, the whole thing stumbles at the starting line and never quite hits its stride."
Popular Right Now
Popular Keywords
Advertisement