Even some of Netflix‘s best series or miniseries work best as onetime viewings. For instance, Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass. Then there are those that tell their full, self-contained, and satisfying (often true) story and you don’t feel the need to hear it told again, e.g. The Queen’s Gambit. Frankly, even House of Cards isn’t particularly rewatchable, and that’s not just because Kevin Spacey’s career is in a very different place now than it was when that show started. The series that followed, however, can absolutely be watched more than once with ease.
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Interestingly enough, we weren’t actively trying to leave off miniseries, but it just shook out that none of them made the cut. That said, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp is very much rewatchable for those who love the original film.
7) I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson
Cringe comedy isn’t for everyone. And, as was seen by his underutilization on Saturday Night Live, Tim Robinson’s patented brand of absurdist humor isn’t for everyone, either. Granted, it makes sense why SNL didn’t know what to do with him. He was much better in a world he himself could create. Netflix saw that, and the result was I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson.
I Think You Should Leave is arguably niche, and even its fans know that there are some sketches that are fully skippable or misfires. But the ones that are all-timers, like “Save Corncob TV,” “Summer Loving,” and “Prank Show,” those can be watched 100 times and still be funny.
6) The Crown
All six seasons of The Crown were such lavish, extravagant productions that it’s impossible to take your eyes off of them. That helps to make them rewatchable, assuredly, but just as important are the note-perfect performances of the rotating cast.
Speaking of rotating cast, the main reason The Crown is so easy to watch multiple times is because it effectively serves as three two-season shows. You follow three different eras of Queen Elizabeth II’s life, first played by Claire Foy, then Olivia Colman, and finally Imelda Staunton. It’s like watching a massive, decades-scoped novel play out in front of your eyes.
5) Black Mirror
Like with I Think You Should Leave, Black Mirror is one where you’re likely to watch its best episodes, but not necessarily the entire series run. For instance, “USS Callister.” Even if you know the ending, you’re going to rewatch based on the strength of Cristin Milioti and Jesse Plemons’ performances.
Watching an entire series feels like a commitment because it is one. But if you’re picking and choosing hour-long segments you already know are good, you’re not going to feel as though it’s a big requirement of your time.
4) Murderville
There’s a moment in Murderville‘s premiere episode that is the funniest thing that’s ever been in a piece of Netflix Original material, movie or series. In this series everyone is working off a script except the week’s guest. They come in and help Detective Terry Seattle (Will Arnett) solve a case. And, when it comes to the first episode, the guest is former talk show host and real-life Arnett friend Conan O’Brien.
While talking to one of the murder suspects, O’Brien goes into a whole story about how he was bullied as a child, and how all of those bullies grew up to become U.S. senators. When he’s asked to name one, he blurts out Dianne Feinstein (it was okay to make the joke then, Feinstein didn’t pass away until the next year). The actress he’s conversing with bursts out laughing, which is rare for those working with the script. That kind of loose improv in a silly constructed setting is exactly why Murderville never gets old. Now Netflix just needs to make a Season 2.
3) Arcane
At just two seasons and 18 total episodes, Arcane is not a massive undertaking to binge. It’s essentially just one big, long 12-hour movie. To that point, people rewatch the extended The Lord of the Rings trilogy all the time, and that’s just under 11 hours and 30 minutes.
And like The Lord of the Rings, Arcane is visually stunning and rife with compelling characters. Furthermore, its loaded with foreshadowing, and those moments are better appreciated during watch two than watch one.
2) Wednesday
Wednesday‘s target audience is arguably Gen Z, but Millennials love it too. On top of nostalgia for the two ’90s movies with Christina Ricci, Anjelica Huston, and Raul Julia, both seasons have also just shown themselves to be clever mystery narratives with successful worldbuilding.
Then there’s the casting. Jenna Ortega was, of course, perfect for the title role, but equal credit should go to Emma Myers as Enid Sinclair and Evie Templeton as Agnes DeMille. They all crafted individuals who share a fun and often funny three-character dynamic. And even before Evie’s debut in Season 2, it was a ton of fun watching Wednesday and Enid’s polar opposite personalities bounce off one another while still establishing a strong, loyal friendship.
1) Stranger Things
Now that Stranger Things has wrapped its five-season run, people are already looking for a replacement. But, in this case, maybe one isn’t really needed, because while the seasons do vary in quality it is still one satisfying overarching experience. You can just watch the whole thing again.
People who fell in love with its recreation of the 1980s and its media will have no trouble diving into the world once more. Those who frequently get a hankering for horror or sci-fi will similarly always jump back into Stranger Things every now and then. But most of all, people fell in love with these characters, so they’ll inevitably want to spend more time with them.
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