Top 10 Best Netflix Series to Watch Right Now 2025
Netflix has kicked off 2025 with a roaring lineup of must-watch shows some breaking viewership records, others stirring global buzz. Whether you're into K-dramas, political thrillers, or dystopian anime, this list covers the best of what's binge-worthy right now.
Let’s dive deep into the 10 record-shattering Netflix series of 2025, how they’re breaking the mold, and what’s making fans hit “Next Episode” all over again.
| Rank | Series Title | Genre | Rating (IMDb) | Premiere Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | The Four Seasons | Comedy / Drama | 7.6 | March 2025 |
| 9 | Beauty in Black (Part 2) | Family Drama | 7.8 | January 2025 |
| 8 | Zero Day | Political Thriller | 8.1 | February 2025 |
| 7 | Running Point | Sports Comedy | 7.9 | April 2025 |
| 6 | Devil May Cry | Action / Fantasy Anime | 7.4 | March 2025 |
| 5 | When Life Gives You Tangerines | Romantic Drama (K-Drama) | 8.5 | January 2025 |
| 4 | Black Mirror: Season 7 | Tech Thriller / Sci-Fi | 8.6 | April 2025 |
| 3 | Squid Game: Season 2 | Survival Thriller | 8.7 | March 2025 |
| 2 | El Eternauta | Sci-Fi / Dystopian | 8.8 | January 2025 |
| 1 | Adolescence | Crime / Psychological Drama | 9.0 | February 2025 |
10. The Four Seasons
What began as a sleeper hit has blossomed into one of Netflix's most beloved new comedies, as Tina Fey and Steve Carell lead an ensemble cast of couples navigating love, jealousy, and personal growth through each season of the year.
The show's nuanced exploration of long-term relationships—their challenges, joys, and inevitable evolution—has struck a chord with viewers, earning it an unprecedented 91% completion rate that indicates strong emotional investment in these characters.
- Genre: Comedy / Drama
- IMDb Rating: 7.6
- Starring: Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Erika Henningsen
- Review: Witty, moving, and filled with real-life relationship highs and lows, this ensemble series grows with every episode.
- Why It's A Hit: Sharp writing, emotional range, and a brilliant cast make it a binge-worthy adult dramedy.
Why It's Breaking Records:
What started as a sleeper hit has become a genuine phenomenon through powerful word-of-mouth.
Its 91% completion rate is among the highest Netflix has ever recorded for a series, indicating viewers who start the show become deeply invested in its characters and storylines.
9. Beauty in Black (Part 2)
Tyler Perry's explosive family drama returns with more betrayals, empire battles, and powerhouse performances as Kimmie (played by Kerry Washington) takes control of the cosmetics empire her mother built, only to have old secrets emerge that threaten everything the family has worked for across generations.
With millions tuning in for every episode drop, the series has cemented its position as one of Netflix's top U.S. dramas by combining Perry's signature flair with binge-worthy pacing and stunning production design that showcases Black excellence in business and style.
This season delves deeper into the unique challenges and triumphs of Black entrepreneurship in America while delivering the glamorous settings and emotional confrontations that fans expect.
A standout episode featuring Viola Davis as the family matriarch delivers revelations that change everything viewers thought they knew about the family's history, proving family dramas remain one of television's most enduring genres when executed with this level of precision.
- Genre: Family Drama
- IMDb Rating: 7.8
- Starring: Tyler Perry, Ebony Obsidian, Crystal Fox
- Review: Full of drama, secrets, and ambition—Perry's series delivers powerful performances and addictive plotlines.
Why It’s Breaking Records:
With 81.7 million viewers tuning in during its first week, it's one of Netflix's top U.S. series in 2025—combining Perry's signature drama with binge-worthy pacing.
The series has particularly resonated with audiences looking for stories centered on Black entrepreneurship and family legacy.
8. Zero Day
This gripping political thriller stars Robert De Niro as a former U.S. president forced back into leadership when a devastating cyberattack cripples critical infrastructure worldwide, creating a crisis where the most dangerous weapons are keyboards and the battlefield exists in both physical and digital realms.
The series combines edge-of-your-seat suspense with frighteningly plausible scenarios developed in consultation with actual cybersecurity experts and intelligence officials, making it the most talked-about political drama of the year.
- Genre: Political Thriller
- IMDb Rating: 8.1
- Starring: Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Lizzy Caplan
- Review: A chilling political thriller about cyberwarfare and truth manipulation in a deeply divided world.
Why It’s Breaking Records:
Featuring Robert De Niro in his first major TV role, the series has been praised for its timely narrative and gripping suspense.
7. Running Point
Kate Hudson delivers a career-best performance as Isla Gordon, a woman who inherits her late father's professional basketball team and must prove she can lead in a league dominated by men who question her every decision.
Produced by Mindy Kaling, this sharp comedy combines Ted Lasso-esque heart with the high-stakes world of professional basketball, creating an engaging workplace comedy with genuine insights about leadership and gender politics in sports.
- Genre: Sports Comedy
- IMDb Rating: 7.9
- Starring: Kate Hudson, Brenda Song, Uche Agada
- Review: A slam dunk of laughs and life lessons in a show that mixes boardroom drama with courtside charm.
Why It’s Breaking Records:
It's the most talked-about political drama of the year, delivering gravitas, suspense, and terrifying relevance to our real world.
The series has sparked numerous think pieces about cybersecurity vulnerabilities and has been cited in actual policy discussions.
6. Devil May Cry
Dante, the legendary demon hunter with his signature red coat and rebellious attitude, leaps from video game to screen in this visually spectacular anime adaptation that's drawing both gaming and anime fans alike.
Animation powerhouse MAPPA brings unparalleled action sequences to life, with the already-legendary 12-minute battle between Dante and Vergil in Episode 5 being hailed as one of the greatest action scenes in anime history.
- Genre: Action / Fantasy Anime
- IMDb Rating: 7.4
- Starring (Voice Cast): Aleks Le, Stephanie Sheh, David Lodge
- Review: Fast, bloody, and beautifully animated—this video game adaptation nails its dark aesthetic.
Why It's Breaking Records:
With over 72.1 million streams in its first week, it's drawing fans of both anime and video games alike—and breathing new life into action animation. The series has become Netflix's most successful video game adaptation to date, proving that gaming IPs can translate effectively to television with the right creative approach.
5. When Life Gives You Tangerines
This breathtaking Korean drama has taken the world by storm, exploring young love blossoming on Jeju Island and tracing a heartfelt journey from innocent teenage connection to complex adult relationships shaped by time, choice, and regret.
Set against stunning landscapes of tangerine orchards and volcanic coastlines, the series follows childhood friends Sun-woo and Ji-eun through two decades of separations and reunions in what critics are calling "this generation's Reply 1988.
- Genre: Romantic Drama (K-Drama)
- IMDb Rating: 8.5
- Starring: Kim Tae-ri, Hong Kyung
- Review: A nostalgic, slow-burning Korean drama about childhood love and life’s bittersweet turns on Jeju Island.
Why It’s Breaking Records:
Topping Netflix's Non-English TV chart for weeks with an astounding 94% completion rate, it's being called "this generation's Reply 1988" and praised for its nostalgic storytelling and emotional depth.
The series has driven a significant increase in tourism to Jeju Island, with fans visiting filming locations.
4. Black Mirror: Season 7
With over 10 million viewers in its first week and episodes trending across social platforms, Black Mirror proves it still defines the techno-dystopian genre it helped create.
This season features the show's most diverse creative team yet, with guest directors including Jordan Peele and Chloé Zhao bringing fresh perspectives to the Black Mirror universe.
- Genre: Tech Thriller / Sci-Fi
- IMDb Rating: 8.6
- Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Zazie Beetz, Paapa Essiedu
- Review: A bold return to form for the series, offering haunting tales of tech-gone-wrong that hit disturbingly close to home.
Why It's Breaking Records:
With over 83.6 million viewers in its first week, and episodes trending consistently across social platforms, Black Mirror proves it still owns the dystopian genre it helped define.
This season's return to the darker tone of early seasons has been particularly celebrated by longtime fans.
3. Squid Game: Season 2
The world's most infamous survival game returns with even higher stakes as Squid Game delivers a second season that somehow manages to be more twisted, intense, and philosophically complex than its revolutionary predecessor.
Seong Gi-hun's mission to infiltrate and dismantle the sinister organization behind the games leads viewers deeper into a world of corruption, class warfare, and moral compromise.
- Genre: Survival Thriller
- IMDb Rating: 8.7
- Starring: Lee Jung-jae, Gong Yoo, Wi Ha-joon
- Review: Brutal, brilliant, and emotionally charged—the sequel is more philosophical and deadlier than the original.
Why It's Breaking Records:
Season 2's launch shattered viewing records in Asia and beyond, with fans devouring every brutal twist and allegorical punch. With 105.7 million views in its first week, it's become Netflix's most successful returning series of all time.
The season has expanded both the mythology and the sociopolitical commentary of its predecessor.
2. El Eternauta
Based on the beloved Argentine graphic novel, El Eternauta has captivated global audiences with its chilling premise: an eerie snowfall begins—and death follows.
This masterfully crafted sci-fi dystopian thriller follows a determined group of survivors battling not just the elements but also mysterious alien invaders in a tale that seamlessly blends speculative fiction with powerful political allegory.
- Genre: Sci-Fi / Dystopian
- IMDb Rating: 8.8
- Starring: Ricardo Darín, Carla Peterson, Alan Daicz
- Review: An Argentine sci-fi landmark brought to life with cinematic power and powerful political undertones.
Why It's Breaking Records:
With 78.5 million views in its first week, El Eternauta has made history as Netflix's most-viewed Spanish-language show of 2025.
The series has received particular acclaim for its stunning visual effects and for successfully translating the political undertones of Hector German Oesterheld's original work to a modern context.
1. Adolescence
Adolescence delivers one of the most haunting narratives of the year, following 13-year-old Jamie as he becomes entangled in a murder investigation that will change his life forever.
The psychological crime drama unfolds through breathtaking one-take sequences that pull viewers into its emotional intensity with nowhere to hide.
Creator Ava DuVernay's unflinching examination of youth in crisis has propelled the series into Netflix's Top 3 Most Popular English TV shows of all time in record time.
- Genre: Crime / Psychological Drama
- IMDb Rating: 9.0
- Starring: Max Fincham, Laya Lewis, David Harewood
- Review: Emotionally devastating and visually stunning—a real-time drama that redefines storytelling with its single-shot format and gripping pace.
Why It's Breaking Records:
Already solidly in Netflix's Top 3 Most Popular English TV shows of all time, Adolescence has captivated viewers with its unflinching portrayal of youth in crisis.
The series employs an innovative filming technique where each episode is captured in a single, unbroken shot—creating an immersive experience that's as technically impressive as it is emotionally devastating.
