Best Netflix Miniseries You’ll Binge in One Sitting
There is something special about a story that knows exactly when to end. Netflix has built a strong library of miniseries that wrap up in a handful of episodes and leave you with a complete arc. These picks cover crime dramas, historical retellings, thrillers, romance, and a few shows that mix genres in surprising ways.
Each title below is a finished limited series on Netflix, so you can start and finish without wondering when the next season arrives. You will find loglines, key cast and creators, episode counts, settings, and notable accolades or production details to help you choose your next watch.
‘The Queen’s Gambit’ (2020)
This drama follows chess prodigy Beth Harmon from an orphanage to elite tournaments around the world. It stars Anya Taylor-Joy with support from Marielle Heller, Moses Ingram, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster, and was created by Scott Frank and Allan Scott from the Walter Tevis novel. The production uses real openings and endgames choreographed with grandmaster input, and it shot in locations that doubled for midcentury America and Europe.
Across its short run you get a complete rise-and-fall sports narrative framed by addiction and mentorship. The series won multiple awards for limited series, music, and production design, and the costume work tracks Beth’s growth through period silhouettes. It closes the character’s arc and chess storyline within a single season.
‘When They See Us’ (2019)
Ava DuVernay’s limited series recounts the Central Park Five case through the perspectives of the five teenagers and their families. It stars Jharrel Jerome, Asante Blackk, and Jovan Adepo, and features Niecy Nash and Michael K. Williams in key roles. The production consulted court records and interviews, and it presents the investigation, trials, and aftermath across distinct time jumps.
The episodes are structured to follow each boy’s experience from arrest through exoneration. The show earned critical accolades for limited series and acting, and it includes an epilogue with the men as adults to complete the timeline. It stands alone with no continuation planned.
‘Unbelievable’ (2019)
Based on a reported true story, this series follows two detectives investigating a pattern of sexual assaults that links back to a young woman whose case was dismissed. It stars Toni Collette, Merritt Wever, and Kaitlyn Dever, and adapts details from investigative journalism with input from the real subjects. The scripts map out procedures, interviews, and evidence handling across multiple jurisdictions.
The episodes pair the survivor’s experience with the detectives’ methodical work until the cases converge. It concludes with charges, accountability, and updates on policy changes depicted on screen. The season tells a complete case file from start to finish.
‘Maid’ (2021)
Inspired by a memoir, this limited series follows a young mother who leaves an abusive relationship and enters domestic work while navigating housing programs and the court system. Margaret Qualley leads the cast with Andie MacDowell, Nick Robinson, and Anika Noni Rose. The production consulted social service advocates to depict intake processes, vouchers, and resource gaps.
The story tracks employment, childcare, and legal steps with clear time stamps and budget notes that show the stakes of each decision. The arc resolves with custody and career outcomes for the protagonist, and the final episode closes the book on her journey without setting up a sequel.
‘Godless’ (2017)
This western is set in a New Mexico town largely populated by women after a mining disaster. It stars Jack O’Connell, Michelle Dockery, and Jeff Daniels, and was created by Scott Frank. The production used expansive outdoor locations and period firearms and rail equipment to stage set pieces and town life.
The plot follows a hunted outlaw, a relentless gang leader, and the town that becomes their battleground. Character backstories unfold in flashbacks that lead to a decisive confrontation and epilogue. The single season covers the conflict and aftermath in full.
‘Maniac’ (2018)
Set in a near-future world, this show follows two strangers who join a pharmaceutical trial promising to fix the mind. Emma Stone and Jonah Hill lead the cast with Justin Theroux and Sonoya Mizuno, and Cary Joji Fukunaga directs the entire run. The story moves through simulated scenarios created by an experimental computer and maps each participant’s trauma and coping patterns.
Every episode aligns to a stage of the trial and to the lab team’s technical problems. The miniseries wraps with outcomes for both subjects and the fate of the program, and it includes a clear endpoint that closes the experiment’s narrative loop.
‘Unorthodox’ (2020)
This series follows a young woman who leaves a strict Hasidic community in Brooklyn and builds a new life in Berlin. Shira Haas leads the cast, and the show incorporates Yiddish dialogue developed with language consultants. Filming took place in both cities, using community input to depict customs, clothing, and rituals with accuracy.
The narrative alternates between past and present to show the marriage, expectations, and reasons for leaving. The limited series format allows the character’s transition to reach resolution, including musical auditions and family confrontations that lead to a natural endpoint.
‘The Spy’ (2019)
Based on the real Mossad agent Eli Cohen, this thriller stars Sacha Baron Cohen with Noah Emmerich and Hadar Ratzon Rotem. It recreates tradecraft from historical accounts, including dead drops, cover identities, and communications techniques of the era. Production design reconstructs period Damascus and Buenos Aires settings.
The episodes trace recruitment, infiltration, and the escalating risks of deep cover. It concludes with the end of the mission and documented historical outcomes, and it completes Cohen’s story in one season.
‘The Serpent’ (2021)
This crime drama follows serial fraudster and killer Charles Sobhraj across Southeast Asia as a diplomat pursues him. Tahar Rahim and Jenna Coleman star, and the series uses timelines that jump between victims, scams, and the investigation. Locations include Thailand and Nepal with recreated backpacker routes and passport forgery details.
Episode structures pair victim perspectives with the procedural work that closes in on the culprits. The final chapter covers arrests, trials, and consequences, and the narrative closes with updates on the real figures involved.
‘Brand New Cherry Flavor’ (2021)
Set in early 90s Los Angeles, this horror thriller follows a filmmaker who enters a pact with a mysterious figure after a betrayal in the industry. Rosa Salazar, Catherine Keener, and Eric Lange lead the cast. The production blends practical effects with surreal imagery, and it uses a limited run to tell a contained revenge fable.
The plot moves through curses, body horror, and Hollywood power plays, with each episode unlocking a layer of the deal. The final episode resolves debts and choices made by the central character, and the story concludes without extending beyond the original arc.
‘Midnight Mass’ (2021)
This limited series centers on an isolated island community that undergoes unusual events after the arrival of a charismatic priest. Zach Gilford, Hamish Linklater, and Kate Siegel star. The production filmed in a purpose-built coastal town set, and the script weaves liturgy, recovery meetings, and small town routines into the mystery.
Each episode unveils a different facet of the phenomenon through police reports, medical observations, and church gatherings. The season culminates in a definitive outcome for the island and its residents, and the narrative statements are complete within the final credits.
‘Beef’ (2023)
Two strangers with personal and financial pressures collide in a road rage incident that spirals into escalating retaliation. Steven Yeun and Ali Wong lead the cast, and the series tracks how a single encounter can intersect with family, business, and identity. Episodes are titled after literary quotes that mirror themes in each chapter.
The show uses parallel timelines and side characters to map consequences across communities. The limited series format lets the conflict crest and resolve with clarity, and the final scenes address accountability and recovery for both leads.
‘All the Light We Cannot See’ (2023)
Adapted from a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, this wartime drama follows a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths cross in a besieged city. Aria Mia Loberti, Louis Hofmann, and Mark Ruffalo star. The production recorded period radio transmissions and designed intricate soundscapes to reflect the protagonist’s perspective.
The episodes alternate between broadcasts, resistance missions, and bunker life as the battle closes in. The finale ties character threads to the outcome of the siege and to a postwar coda, delivering the book’s key plot beats within a compact run.
‘Bodies’ (2023)
A single corpse appears in the same London alley across four different eras, linking four detectives through one conspiracy. Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Shira Haas, Kyle Soller, and Amaka Okafor lead the ensemble. The production shifts visual palettes and props to mark each time period, including Victorian forensics and future policing tools.
The narrative structure reveals clues that echo across decades until the case locks into place. The last episode resolves the paradox at the center of the mystery and provides closure for each detective’s personal stakes.
‘Ripley’ (2024)
This adaptation of the Tom Ripley novels stars Andrew Scott with Dakota Fanning and Johnny Flynn. The series is presented in meticulous black and white, with Italian locations standing in for the story’s coastal towns and cities. It recreates period travel, documents, and art details central to the plot.
The episodes follow a con artist who inserts himself into a wealthy circle, with each step tracked through letters, passports, and police work. The final chapter brings the cat and mouse to a close for this stage of Ripley’s life, and the season ends without setup for continuation.
‘One Day’ (2024)
Based on the novel by David Nicholls, this romantic drama revisits two people on the same calendar day over many years. Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall star, and the production maps out changing styles, jobs, and cities to mark the passage of time. Music and wardrobe shift to reflect each era shown.
Each episode covers a single date, revealing how small choices alter the course of both lives. The finale delivers the complete arc presented in the book, including the time jump that reframes earlier moments, and the story concludes within the limited format.
‘Griselda’ (2024)
This biographical crime series follows Griselda Blanco’s rise in the Miami drug trade. Sofía Vergara leads the cast, and the show uses archival-style title cards and recreated news footage to anchor the timeline. Production design spans boutique fronts, safe houses, and smuggling routes used by the operation.
The plot tracks alliances, rivals, and law enforcement pressure through wiretaps and informant files. The conclusion covers arrests and fallout among family and associates, and the season closes the character’s main chapter.
‘Eric’ (2024)
Set in 80s New York, this series follows a puppeteer whose son disappears, leading to a search that exposes family secrets and city corruption. Benedict Cumberbatch stars with Gaby Hoffmann and McKinley Belcher III. The production builds a children’s show within the show, complete with character designs and studio sets.
The investigation unfolds through missing persons procedures, media appearances, and clues tied to the puppet world. The final episode resolves the disappearance and the father’s personal reckoning, and the narrative ends on a completed case.
‘Baby Reindeer’ (2024)
This limited series is based on a performer’s real experiences with stalking and power imbalances in the entertainment industry. Richard Gadd stars and writes, and the production stages comedy gigs, police interactions, and court scenes that mirror events from his life. It uses a direct address style at key moments to bridge stage and screen.
The episodes build a record of messages, encounters, and institutional responses that show how the situation intensifies. The story reaches legal and personal outcomes by the finale, and it includes end cards that clarify the framing of the real events.
‘Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’ (2022)
This true crime drama follows the crimes of Jeffrey Dahmer from early incidents to arrest and trial. Evan Peters leads with Niecy Nash-Betts and Richard Jenkins in major roles. The production reconstructs apartments, police reports, and courtroom proceedings, and it places events in chronological order with occasional shifts for victim backgrounds.
Each episode centers a different phase of the case, including investigation errors and policy critiques shown on screen. The season wraps with sentencing and the documented later events, and it stands alone as a complete narrative within the anthology approach.
‘Anatomy of a Scandal’ (2022)
Set within British politics and the legal system, this series begins with a high profile affair that becomes a court case. Sienna Miller, Michelle Dockery, and Rupert Friend star. The show stages parliamentary offices, party operations, and courtroom strategy sessions to show how the scandal spreads.
The limited run moves from press revelations to testimony and cross-examination, with flashbacks that fill in key relationships. The final episode delivers verdicts and consequences for the figures involved, and it concludes every main thread.
‘Behind Her Eyes’ (2021)
Adapted from a thriller novel, this series follows a single mother who becomes involved with a psychiatrist and his wife while experiencing unusual sleep phenomena. Simona Brown, Eve Hewson, and Tom Bateman star. The production incorporates dream journals, therapy notes, and visual motifs that connect to the book’s twist.
The plot alternates between present-day entanglements and past events that explain the characters’ behavior. The conclusion reveals the mechanism behind the story’s mysteries and closes the triangle with a definitive ending.
‘The English Game’ (2020)
This period drama explores how football transformed from an elite pastime to a working class sport in late 19th century England. Edward Holcroft and Kevin Guthrie star, and historical clubs, kits, and match rules are recreated from research. Production shot on heritage grounds that match the era’s stadiums.
Episodes follow club finances, player movement, and early tournament play, with attention to factory teams and amateur boards. The season concludes with a landmark cup campaign and a shift in the sport’s culture, and the narrative ends at that historical milestone.
‘Alias Grace’ (2017)
Based on Margaret Atwood’s novel, this miniseries examines the life of Grace Marks, a domestic servant convicted of murder in Canada. Sarah Gadon leads with Edward Holcroft and Anna Paquin. The format uses interviews between Grace and a physician to frame reenactments of the crime and trial.
The story presents court records, newspaper clippings, and testimonies that conflict, leaving viewers to weigh credibility within the text. The final episode ties together the findings from the sessions and states the outcomes documented in the historical record.
‘Seven Seconds’ (2018)
Set in New Jersey, this crime drama opens with a hit and run involving a Black teenager and a white police officer, and it follows the case through the legal system and community response. Clare-Hope Ashitey, Regina King, and Beau Knapp star. The production shows evidence handling, departmental politics, and neighborhood activism with on-the-ground detail.
The season structures its investigation across prosecutors, detectives, and the victim’s family, tracking plea deals and internal affairs. It ends with courtroom results and personal resolutions for the key players, and the story completes without continuing threads.
Share the one you’re starting tonight in the comments so everyone can swap recommendations.
