When we think of timeless movies and shows, it makes sense that we jump to classic movies that have had time to become recognizable, even for people who have never seen the works themselves. Some may not know that Netflix has existed in some form since the late-1990s. Of course, what’s now known as a streaming platform giant wasn’t a streaming service at all then. The company went through many different business models before it became what we all know it as today, including the influx of original programming.
House of Cards was the first Netflix Original, followed up by the wildly successful Orange Is the New Black. Netflix has premiered a lot of innovative and rewatchable content over the years, and of course, has produced its share of duds as well. To be considered “timeless” is up for debate, but one criterion is that even if some of the slang, references, fashion, etc. may show their age, there is something about them that is still enjoyable no matter the year. Here are 20 of the most timeless Netflix Originals.
20 Squid Game
Squid Game came and conquered the attention spans of millions around the world who couldn’t get enough of this survival drama. It helped that it came at the perfect time, premiering in 2021 when much of the world was still confined to lockdowns. At that time, many felt like they were in their own game of survival stuck in a house with family, partners, or roommates.
Squid Game is a South Korean series about a group of people who are competing in a game to win a large sum of money. But this isn’t your ordinary game show. The challenges all have a deadly angle to them, and you are sure to be on the edge of your seat as the contestant pool dwindles one by one.
19 The Kissing Booth
The Kissing Booth might fall under the “so bad it’s good” category for some viewers. Others might just consider it bad, as evidenced by its 15% Rotten Tomatoes score. The Kissing Booth indeed employs many common tropes such as the “bad boy” who needs a “good girl” to come fix him, and boys acting inappropriately, but it’s okay because ABS! JAWLINE!
Despite all of this, this teen romc-om does break a few expectations. Spoiler alert: We have a somewhat nerdy guy who is pining for the attention of his best friend (who is also the main character) and it doesn’t end in a romance or love triangle. This simple deviation alone makes for a fresh take on this story.
18 Stranger Things
Stranger Things is a sci-fi horror about a group of friends in a small town where the supernatural mixes with reality. The show is set in the 1980s, which lends well to its many inspirations such as Stephen King, Wes Craven, and other influencers of the horror genre.
Despite taking place during a time young people today never experienced, it managed to connect with this generation due to the well-rounded characters and high emotional and physical stakes. Older generations will also gravitate toward the show, with Winona Ryder as a main character and all the eighties music and fashion. Stranger Things is timeless because it can capture a wide breadth of viewership.
17 The Perfection
One of the most underrated films on this list, The Perfection is a psychological horror film that revolves around the world of classical music. Charlotte is a talented cellist who got into a distinguished music school, but unfortunately had to leave to care for her dying mother. Years later, Charlotte is not done with her love for music and gets the chance to go to Shanghai with people from the academy to search for other prodigies.
During this trip to China, Charlotte meets Lizzie, another cellist, and the two form a relationship. But strange things start happening and viewers realize this world of classical music isn’t as pristine and buttoned-up as it first seemed.
16 The Queen’s Gambit
The Queen’s Gambit is another show that benefited from people being stuck at home and in desperate need of a distraction. The show was released in 2020 and starred Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon, an esteemed chess player in the 50s and 60s. People who thought a historical miniseries about chess would be slow and boring were quickly proven wrong. Beth is not only trying to climb the ranks in the chess world, but she’s also battling alcoholism and drug addiction.
Taylor-Joy’s portrayal of Beth is excellent, providing insight into the character even when she’s not speaking and pondering her next chess move. It’s a story about ambition, connection, and family, themes that always captivate audiences.
15 Mudbound
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Historical drama lovers who want a different story during the World War II era will enjoy Mudbound. It is based on a novel by the same name and follows the story of two families dealing with the war. Though each family has a member who enlists in the war, their experiences diverge in that one family, the Jacksons, is Black and the other, the McAllans, is white.
Despite the racism rampant in the McAllan family, the two men who enlisted form a bond over their shared trauma. The film shows the men in service, their families back in Mississippi, and the PTSD they face when the war is over. Despite WWII at its center, this movie touches on issues still present today.
14 To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Netflix wants to tap into the surging popularity of teen rom-coms and found a winner with To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. This YA book-to-screen adaptation is about a high school girl named Lara Jean who has a pretty normal life. But thanks to her little sister sending out a series of love letters to past crushes, things get a bit more chaotic.
One of the letter’s recipients, Peter, devises a plan for the two of them to fake date to make his ex-girlfriend jealous. Of course, because this is a romance, it quickly shifts from faking feelings to catching feelings. The film may not take a lot of risks, but sometimes the most timeless pieces of work are ones that follow genre conventions and do it well. This is a sweet film with lovable characters, perfect for a cozy afternoon.
13 The Haunting of Hill House
In 1959, author Shirley Jackson released a gothic horror novel. In 2018, Mike Flanagan directed it and brought it to Netflix. The Haunting of Hill House is a dual-timeline show that follows the Crain family and the infamous Hill House that shaped each member of the family’s life. They originally moved into the house in the late-90s with plans to renovate, but the house and its invisible occupants weren’t keen about things being messed with.
They are forced from the house after a series of paranormal encounters and are lured back over 20 years later. They remember. The house remembers. And you’ll remember every second of this thrilling series.
12 Maid
If you prefer more realism to your series, Maid could be a great pick for you. The show follows a woman named Alex who escapes an abusive relationship and is trying to get back on her feet, provide for her daughter, and heal from her past.
This series shines a light on how the U.S. doesn’t do enough to help struggling, displaced individuals to right their lives, especially single mothers. It’s frustrating, heartbreaking, and still inspiring to see the resilience of Alex. All the characters feel so whole, and it’s no wonder considering it was adapted from a memoir titled Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land.
11 Outer Banks
Mystery. Friendship. Romance. Hijinks. Summer vibes. Outer Banks has all that and so much more. The series begins with John B and his group of friends (The Pogues) being mischievous teens. John B’s father went missing, so he lives alone though his friends are never far away. They discover a boat wreck underwater that’s connected to John B’s father and a large sum of money that people are willing to kill to keep them away from.
This is a classic treasure hunt story, but with more violence. The plausibility of some of the plot lines becomes harder to ignore as the seasons go on, but you’ll be having too much fun watching to truly care.
10 Bird Box
The still of Sandra Bullock blindfolded on a boat became an instant meme after the release of Bird Box in 2018. From the intriguing title to interesting casting choices — Bullock, Sarah Paulson, and Machine Gun Kelly in the same movie??? — Bird Box was inescapable. In this world, an unseen force causes people to lose their minds and kill themselves when they look at it.
Mallory Hayes and a group of others, including two children, have to keep themselves boarded up in a house. But things continue to go wrong, the supernatural force finds its way inside at times, or the survivors have to venture out for supplies. The film is actually quite funny, which may not be what those involved intended, but it still engaged audiences all the same and earned itself a sequel that was released in July 2023.
9 Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
After the craze that Knives Out caused with its twisty whodunnit mystery, Chris Evans and the sweater, and Ana de Armas’ knockout performance, a follow-up had big shoes to fill. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery managed to hold its own in this burgeoning franchise.
Glass Onion reunites audiences with private investigator Benoit Blanc (played by Daniel Craig) as he gets pulled into another murder mystery, this time set on a private island. Like its predecessor, this film relies on the eclectic group of characters whose motives Benoit and viewers are trying to untangle to discover who had the biggest incentive to murder.
8 Ozark
Ozark is about a married couple, the Byrdes, who end up on the wrong side of a money-laundering scheme for a Mexican drug cartel. To save themselves, they agree to move near the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri in the hopes of pulling off a successful money-laundering scheme. The criminals in this small Missouri city take notice of the new people in town and a lot of drama ensues.
Now, the Byrdes face pressure (and danger) from the cartel that forced them to Missouri in the first place and the local criminals and law enforcement who are suspicious of them. Though this show isn’t for squeamish people who dislike violence, the web of political intrigue is definitely worth a watch.
7 The White Tiger
The White Tiger is a dramedy that follows a guy named Balram who lives in a poor village in India. Poverty has impacted every facet of his life from education opportunities, early job choices, and his family. Differences in those from higher and lower castes become more apparent to Balram when he becomes a driver for a rich family.
Seeing how morally bankrupt the family he works for is, Balram decides to beat them at their own game and employ similar morally questionable (and some not-so-questionable, pretty horrible) acts to become a successful entrepreneur. This is a satirical critique of inequality and what it takes to get ahead in a system designed to keep certain people down.
6 Don’t Look Up
Don’t Look Up has a clear message about climate change and delivers it in a satirical, post-apocalyptic film. Two astronomers try to warn everyone about a comet heading right toward them, but they are brushed aside. They are persistent, however, embarking on a campaign hoping their adamance will force politicians and government officials to pay attention.
And they do, just not in the way the astronomers intend. With obvious parallels to the climate crisis, this film is ridiculous in all the right ways. This movie also has an ensemble cast to rival all ensemble casts, with talent from Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence, and Leonardo Dicaprio to Ariana Grande, Tyler Perry, and Timothée Chalamet.
5 Black Mirror
Black Mirror got its start on Channel 4, but has since found its home at Netflix with its ever-growing fanbase. Creator Charlie Brooker gave us a sci-fi anthology series that looks at the negative impacts of current and hypothetical technological advancements. Exploration of grief and immortality? There’s a Black Mirror episode (or several) about that. Critique of fame and fandom culture? Check. Consequences of helicopter parenting? You can find it all.
Although there are Easter eggs sprinkled into some episodes, you can jump into whichever episode description calls to you most. A common thread you’ll find throughout the series is a captivating twist and a number of conversation starters based on the themes of that particular episode.
4 Narcos
Narcos is a crime drama based on the infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar. In the show, Drug Enforcement Administration agent Steve Murphy is working in Colombia to get a handle on the drug cartels wreaking havoc, specifically in Medellín and Cali. Steve and his partner Javier Peña uncover all the seediness in the drug world, ranging from trafficking, political corruption, and murder.
This is a layered show that invites audiences into this volatile world. Narcos also manages to give us more insight into Escobar without glamorizing him or ignoring the crimes he and his cartel committed. It provides all the messy politics and pulsating action sequences lovers of crime dramas expect, with its unfiltered depiction of drug violence.
3 13th
13th is a documentary by filmmaker Ava DuVernay. The title is a nod to the Thirteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution that abolished slavery. This informative film explores how despite the formal abolishment of slavery, the U.S. prison system has now taken the place of slavery in that it is another form of unpaid labor targeting Black people.
From Jim Crow laws to the war on drugs, DuVernay forces viewers to question the prison system and how it ties back to our not-so-distant past. Although this film was released in 2016, it had a resurgence in popularity in 2020 with the racial protests happening in the U.S.
2 Inventing Anna
Inventing Anna is a miniseries created by Shonda Rhimes. It is based on the story of a woman “named” Anna Delvey who conned people into thinking she was an heiress and infiltrated the social circles of the elite in true Gossip Girl style.
In the show, actress Julia Garner plays the con artist with such believability and gives viewers a deep conflict because we know what she’s doing is wrong, but there’s also a small part of us that root for her or like what she’s doing. Along the way, Anna makes choices that we can’t get behind but your interest will never wane as you too step into this new world.
1 Marriage Story
A show about a couple going through a divorce may not seem all that gripping, but Marriage Story proves that assumption wrong. Charlie and Nicole are both in the arts, yet still have lots of creative and personal differences. Nicole takes a job in L.A. and after trying counseling, the couple decides to “amicably part ways” like every good P.R. statement reads. But the friendliness dissipates quickly, and both sides are willing (and able) to strike the other where they know it’ll hurt the most.
Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver play the lead couple and their performances are raw and heartfelt. You feel for each of them, and for their young son caught in the middle. Since people will always struggle to navigate the ending of relationships, Marriage Story will always have an audience.