Rejoice: We’re all living in the golden age of geeky, nerdy television. From series based on comic books to thought-provoking sci-fi dramas to action-packed anime, there are so many great shows streaming now that it can be hard picking one or two to watch.
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That’s where we come in. We’ve picked 25 of our geeky faves now available on Netflix. These shows offer a little something for everyone.
Things weren’t always this great for geeks. Before online streaming, our options for nerdy shows were pretty limited. Great sci-fi series such as Firefly and Dollhouse got canceled before finding a wide audience. Comic book shows were mostly animated, and for young kids. And if you wanted to watch good anime such as Attack on Titan, you’d need to stay up hella late for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim.
Of course, now, you can get your fix on Netflix.
Netflix currently holds the streaming rights to a large number of Marvel series, including Iron Fist (season 2 is a lot better than season 1, we promise), The Punisher (less gratuitous than expected, in a good way) and the crossover series The Defenders. But in our geeky opinion, there just isn’t enough room for them here.
There’s some cartoon and Lego superhero content for younger viewers, too, but we’re focusing here on stuff that’s mostly for grownups. Or, at least, something that grownups can enjoy as much as a kid.
There’s plenty of great DC Comics content available on Netflix, as well. Sure, there’s Arrow and The Flash—both of which make our list later — but don’t sleep on Gotham, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl.
Netflix also has a lot of great anime, no matter what your definition of “great anime” is. We picked a couple of our faves for the list, but again, there isn’t room to list every title. (Sorry, Naruto.)
And if you really want to go retro, you can get your Saturday morning cartoon fix with both Super Mario Bros. Super Show and Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.
But enough about the shows that didn’t make our list. Here are our selections for the 25 geekiest shows on Netflix, with preference given to the best shows that you can only enjoy on the streaming service.
Disenchantment
Created by Matt Groening (The Simpsons, Futurama), Disenchantment is a medieval fantasy that follows alcoholic Princess Bean, her elven companion Elfo and her personal demon, Luci.
Lost in Space
Described by our sister site GameSpot as “one of the best sci-fi shows in recent memory,” this reboot of the classic 60’s TV series tells the story of a family stranded on a strange, distant planet.
Altered Carbon
In the year 2384, human consciousness can be transferred into new bodies, allowing the wealthy to live forever. The series is based on the cyberpunk novel Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan.
Marvel’s Luke Cage
One of the best of the Netflix’s original Marvel superhero shows, Luke Cage is the story of a wrongfully convicted man who develops superhuman strength and bulletproof skin in a prison experiment.
The Flash
Set in CW’s Arrowverse, this DC Comics superhero series follows Barry Allen (aka Flash), a metahuman who can move at extreme speeds.
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return
Funded via a Kickstarter campaign, this revival of the cult-classic comedy series again features animatronic puppets and really, really bad movies.
Castlevania
Though limited to just four 24-minute episodes, the first season of Castlevania features some fantastic (and violent) fight sequences as vampire hunter Trevor Belmont faces off against a vengeful Dracula.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
This classic Gene Roddenberry sci-fi series, which first aired from 1987 to 1994, famously tasked Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his crew to boldly go where no one has gone before.
Black Mirror
This compelling Twilight Zone-esque anthology explores the dark side of humanity’s relationship with technology.
Marvel’s Daredevil
Starring Charlie Cox in the title role, Daredevil is a superhero drama about a blind vigilante with heightened senses.
Travelers
In the future, an artificial intelligence sends special agents known as “travelers” back in time to the present day, into the consciousnesses of those who are about to die. Eric McCormack stars.
Black Lightning
In the newest DC Comics-property-turned-CW-Arrowverse show, retired superhero Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) is forced back into crime fighting when a gang kidnaps his daughters.
Devilman Crybaby
In this incredibly violent Netflix anime series, Satan wishes to regain control over the world. Standing in his way is Akira Fudo, the titular protagonist with the body of a devil and the heart of a human.
The OA
In this sci-fi Netflix original, a young blind woman named Prairie disappears for 7 years. When she returns, her name has changed and her sight has returned.
Sherlock
This British crime drama, starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role, is a modern-day take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic detective stories.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is always reacting to changes and big events in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Not every crossover moment lands, but fans will definitely recognize reveals tied to movies such as Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Infinity War.
The End of the F***ing World
This award-nominated dark comedy, based on Charles S. Forsman’s graphic novel of the same name, follows a psychopathic teenager named James who resolves to kill a classmate named Alyssa. Instead, he falls in love with her.
The 100
In this post-apocalyptic CW series based on Kass Morgan’s novels, a group of 100 juvenile delinquents are sent from an orbiting space station to a post-apocalyptic, irradiated Earth to see whether it is habitable.
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood
A faithful adaptation of the manga series, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood chronicles two brothers who are scarred forever when they attempt to bring their mother back from the dead using alchemy.
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events
Not to be confused with the 2004 movie of the same name, this Netflix series follows the orphaned Baudelaire children and the evil Count Olaf (Neil Patrick Harris), a distant relative who only wants the Baudelaires’ money.
Arrow
In this CW series, based on DC Comics’ Green Arrow, billionaire Oliver Queen becomes a crime-fighting vigilante after being stranded for five years on a dangerous island in the North China Sea.
Aggretsuko
By day, red panda Retsuko is an accountant. By night, she sings death metal at a karaoke bar.
Stranger Things
In this Netflix original series, a love letter to the 1980s, government experimentation into the paranormal has opened a gate to a horrifying alternate dimension in a small Indiana town.
Marvel’s Jessica Jones
Arguably the best Marvel show available on Netflix, Jessica Jones (played by Krysten Ritter) is a former superhero with an incredibly painful past.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
This lore-filled CGI animated series, originally debuting on Cartoon Network in 2008, is set between the events of Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. If you haven’t seen it yet, you need to.
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