Best Netflix Limited Series You’ve Never Seen

Looking for quick binges that still feel complete, with stories that start and finish in one tight run. These limited series on Netflix cover crime, sci fi, historical drama, horror, and music, and they come from several countries and creators. Each one wraps its story without needing another season, which makes them ideal for a focused weekend watch. Here are compact picks that deliver clear beginnings and endings, along with strong casts and distinctive settings.

‘Godless’ (2017)

This Western follows an outlaw who hunts a former partner to a town largely run by widows after a mining disaster. It features Jeff Daniels, Michelle Dockery, and Jack O’Connell across a single contained arc. The production leans on wide open New Mexico locations and practical sets to ground the period detail. With a limited episode count, the show resolves its central chase and town standoff cleanly.

‘Collateral’ (2018)

Set over four days in London, this thriller opens with the shooting of a pizza delivery driver and spirals into immigration and military threads. Carey Mulligan leads as a detective whose case crosses government and church lines. The script uses overlapping interviews and CCTV pulls to move the investigation forward. All plotlines close by the final hour, including the killer’s motive and the political fallout.

‘Maniac’ (2018)

This surreal sci fi story follows two strangers who enroll in a pharmaceutical trial that puts them through shared dreamlike scenarios. Emma Stone and Jonah Hill anchor a cast that plays multiple personas inside the trial’s simulations. Each episode explores a different genre framework while the lab storyline tracks the experiment’s glitches. The series concludes with the trial’s outcomes and the characters’ choices outside the facility.

‘The Spy’ (2019)

Based on the real Mossad operative Eli Cohen, this drama traces deep cover work inside Syria and the strain it places on his family. Sacha Baron Cohen portrays the agent with scenes split between Damascus operations and home life. Period production design and multilingual exchanges recreate regional politics and intelligence tradecraft. The final chapter addresses the mission’s end and its consequences for those involved.

‘Alias Grace’ (2017)

Adapted from the Margaret Atwood novel, this historical drama follows a domestic servant convicted of murder in Canada as a doctor interviews her. Sarah Gadon plays Grace Marks across shifts in memory and testimony. The structure alternates between present day sessions and flashbacks that test reliability. The last episode delivers the official conclusion of the case and the characters’ fates.

‘Caliphate’ (2020)

This Swedish series tracks a counterterrorism unit, a recruited informant, and a group of teens exposed to online radicalization. The narrative switches between Stockholm and Raqqa with parallel timelines. Police procedures, family pressures, and encrypted messaging drive the investigation. The limited format closes the active case and addresses the aftermath for each central character.

‘The Eddy’ (2020)

Set in Paris, this music drama centers on a struggling club owner and bandleader whose business troubles collide with criminal pressure. André Holland leads a cast that performs original songs recorded live on set. Episodes spotlight different band members while following the club’s finances, family issues, and booking challenges. The final entry resolves the club’s immediate crisis and the band’s future.

‘Brand New Cherry Flavor’ (2021)

This horror tale follows an aspiring filmmaker in 90s Los Angeles who enters a pact with a mysterious figure after a betrayal. Rosa Salazar and Catherine Keener drive a story that blends body horror with occult favors. Practical effects and hallucinatory visions mark each step in the revenge arrangement. The series completes the bargain and leaves no additional season required to finish the story.

‘The Innocent’ (2021)

From Spain, this twisty crime drama begins with a manslaughter case and expands into new identities, missing persons, and a shelter with secrets. Mario Casas stars as a man whose past incident keeps resurfacing through anonymous calls and surveillance. Each episode reframes events from another character’s viewpoint, revealing withheld information. The finale connects the timelines and clarifies the original crime’s ripple effects.

‘Criminal: UK’ (2019)

Told almost entirely inside an interrogation suite, this procedural features a rotating suspect each episode and a fixed team of detectives. Guest stars include David Tennant and Hayley Atwell in self contained cases. Observation rooms, interview tactics, and evidence reveals carry the tension without leaving the station. The arc ends each time with a clear decision on charge, release, or new leads.

‘Ghoul’ (2018)

This Indian horror mini series unfolds at a remote military detention center where an interrogation unleashes a supernatural entity. Radhika Apte plays an officer whose loyalty and past are tested as the situation turns. Confined spaces, night sequences, and folklore elements shape the scares. The short run resolves the entity’s purpose and the fate of the facility.

‘The Liberator’ (2020)

Told with a hybrid animation technique, this World War II drama follows a U.S. Army officer and his infantry regiment from Italy through Germany. The series adapts a nonfiction account with battlefield set pieces and small unit decisions. The visual approach allowed large scale combat scenes on a limited schedule. The final chapter covers the unit’s last operations and homecoming.

‘Seven Seconds’ (2018)

Set in New Jersey, this crime drama begins with a hit and run involving a police officer and a Black teenager. The story tracks the prosecutor’s office, the victim’s family, and internal police dynamics. Regina King leads a cast that navigates investigative hurdles, plea negotiations, and media pressure. The case reaches a legal conclusion that addresses accountability and community impact.

‘The Woods’ (2020)

This Polish mystery follows a prosecutor whose sister vanished at a summer camp years earlier as new evidence surfaces. The narrative alternates between camp days and present day developments. Family connections, camp staff secrets, and recovered items guide the search. The last episode ties the new discovery to the original disappearance and closes the investigation.

‘Unorthodox’ (2020)

Inspired by a memoir, this four part drama follows a young woman who leaves an ultra orthodox community in Brooklyn for a new start in Berlin. The series moves between her escape and the marriage pressures she faced. Casting includes community insiders for authenticity in language and ritual detail. The story reaches a decisive point for the protagonist without extending beyond the limited run.

‘When They See Us’ (2019)

This four part drama recounts the Central Park Five case from arrest to exoneration. It follows police interrogations, court proceedings, and the years the teens and their families spend navigating appeals. The structure moves between individual perspectives to document changing legal strategies and public attention. The final episode covers the vacated convictions and updates for each person involved.

‘Unbelievable’ (2019)

Based on true events, this series follows a teenager who reports a rape and later recants under pressure. Two detectives in another state connect similar cases through evidence management and cross agency cooperation. The investigation uses victim interviews, timeline mapping, and forensic traces to assemble a suspect profile. The case reaches a documented resolution with an arrest and formal charges.

‘The Queen’s Gambit’ (2020)

Set during the Cold War, this drama tracks a chess prodigy from an orphanage to international tournaments. Matches are staged with recorded openings, midgame tactics, and endgame studies supervised by chess consultants. Period design covers mid century fashion, hotels, and tournament halls across the United States and Europe. The finale presents a decisive match and a clear endpoint to the character’s competitive climb.

‘Maid’ (2021)

Inspired by a memoir, this series follows a young mother who leaves an abusive relationship and supports herself with housecleaning jobs. It details intake procedures for shelters, assistance applications, and hourly wage work schedules. The narrative maps client homes, commute logistics, and custody hearings that affect her options. The limited run closes with the outcome of her education plans and custody status.

‘Bodyguard’ (2018)

This thriller centers on a war veteran assigned to protect a high profile cabinet minister in London. Episodes depict security protocols, surveillance reviews, and interagency coordination around public appearances. Internal Affairs inquiries and counterterror operations run in parallel with the protection detail. The final chapter resolves the conspiracy thread and the character’s professional future.

‘Dracula’ (2020)

Told in three feature length parts, this adaptation begins with a solicitor’s visit to a Transylvanian castle and moves through time. Each episode uses a contained setting, including a ship at sea and a modern research facility. The series incorporates letters, diaries, and medical notes to reframe familiar lore. The story concludes with a definitive confrontation that closes the arc.

‘The Stranger’ (2020)

Set in the UK, this mystery begins when a woman reveals a secret that disrupts a family. The investigation spreads through missing funds, fake identities, and online blackmail operations. Police searches, server logs, and witness statements piece together a wider scheme. All plot threads connect in the finale with confirmed motives and outcomes for the central families.

‘Midnight Mass’ (2021)

On a remote island, a new priest arrives as unusual events begin to affect the community. The story uses town meetings, medical examinations, and church rituals to track the changes. Episodes focus on specific residents and the history of the settlement to explain shifting behavior. The final hours depict the full scope of the phenomenon and the island’s fate.

‘Eric’ (2024)

Set in 1980s New York, this thriller follows a puppeteer whose son disappears, drawing in missing persons detectives and city agencies. The show covers broadcast production, public service campaigns, and neighborhood search efforts. Case files, witness sightings, and subway surveillance shape the investigation’s timeline. The series ends with the case resolution and the consequences for the adults involved.

‘All the Light We Cannot See’ (2023)

Adapted from a novel, this wartime drama follows a blind French girl and a German radio operator whose paths cross. The episodes track city occupations, radio transmissions, and resistance networks. Production recreates period broadcasting equipment and urban combat conditions. The final installment concludes the crossings of the two leads and the search for a valuable artifact.

‘From Scratch’ (2022)

This limited series follows an American student in Italy whose relationship spans continents and family traditions. It documents visa renewals, legal paperwork, and medical care that shape the couple’s choices. Food culture and small business operations appear through restaurant work and family kitchens. The story reaches a settled point for the families after major life events.

‘The I-Land’ (2019)

A group wakes on a beach with no memory, and the series moves from survival tasks to a larger program reveal. Episodes introduce inventory checks, terrain mapping, and group governance before shifting into oversight scenes. Clues include found objects, environmental anomalies, and behavioral tests. The limited run discloses the experiment’s design and the subjects’ status by the end.

‘Thai Cave Rescue’ (2022)

This dramatization follows the effort to extract a youth football team and their coach from a flooded cave system. It details pump installations, weather monitoring, and staged dive plans through chambers. Multiple agencies and international volunteers coordinate equipment and timelines. The closing episodes present the extraction sequence and the medical follow through.

‘Treason’ (2022)

A rising MI6 officer becomes entangled in a web of kompromat and foreign contacts. The show outlines operational tradecraft, safe house protocols, and chain of command frictions. Digital forensics and human source validation drive key turns in the case. The final episode resolves loyalties and sets out formal outcomes for the service.

‘Troy: Fall of a City’ (2018)

This historical drama covers the conflict around Troy with a focus on palace politics and battlefield maneuvers. It stages alliances, troop movements, and siege tactics across the coastline and city walls. Religious rites and diplomatic negotiations frame shifts in strategy. The series ends with the sack of the city and the dispersal of surviving leaders.

‘Ripley’ (2024)

This black and white adaptation follows Tom Ripley as he travels through Italy after a wealthy acquaintance hires him. Andrew Scott leads the cast with episodes written and directed by Steven Zaillian. The production uses extensive location shooting in Rome, Naples, and Venice. The eight part run adapts Patricia Highsmith’s novel and completes the character’s arc.

‘Anatomy of a Scandal’ (2022)

A high profile politician faces allegations that move from Parliament to a London courtroom. Sienna Miller, Michelle Dockery, and Rupert Friend anchor a legal and political timeline that tracks testimony and evidence. The series adapts Sarah Vaughan’s novel with a six episode structure. Courtroom sequences and press coverage drive the case to a final judgment.

‘Behind Her Eyes’ (2021)

A single mother becomes entangled with a psychiatrist and his wife after a chance meeting. The story adapts Sarah Pinborough’s novel and uses therapy notes and journal entries to reveal past events. Dream studies and sleep paralysis research appear in key scenes. The limited format closes the mystery in six episodes.

‘The Serpent’ (2021)

This crime drama reconstructs the pursuit of serial predator Charles Sobhraj across 1970s Southeast Asia. Tahar Rahim and Jenna Coleman lead a cast that films in Thailand and recreates backpacker routes. Interpol notices, passport fraud, and embassy cooperation chart the investigation. The eight episode series covers the arrests and later legal outcomes.

‘The English Game’ (2020)

Set in the 1870s, this drama follows early football clubs as working class teams challenge elite amateurs. The episodes track FA rules debates, player movements, and cup fixtures. Julian Fellowes created the series with period locations across northern England. The six episode run ends with a landmark match that reflects changes in the sport.

‘Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker’ (2020)

Octavia Spencer portrays the entrepreneur who built a hair care company and nationwide sales network. The story draws from A’Lelia Bundles’s biography and shows factory work, training manuals, and door to door strategies. Tiffany Haddish and Carmen Ejogo co star in family and business roles. The four episodes follow product launches, partnerships, and legal disputes to a conclusion.

‘The Haunting of Hill House’ (2018)

A family confronts events from their childhood in a mansion through alternating past and present timelines. Mike Flanagan adapts elements from Shirley Jackson’s novel and uses long take sequences for key episodes. The production features a recurring ensemble across two time periods. The ten episode run resolves the family history within the house.

‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ (2020)

A young governess arrives at a country estate where previous staff left unexplained traces. The series draws on Henry James stories with a focus on found letters and layered flashbacks. The cast returns in new roles as part of an anthology approach. Nine episodes reveal the estate’s origins and the fate of its residents.

‘Inventing Anna’ (2022)

A journalist investigates a woman who posed as a wealthy socialite in New York. The narrative uses court filings, bank records, and interviews to piece together unpaid bills and false identities. Julia Garner leads a cast that recreates hotels, galleries, and venture spaces tied to the case. The nine episode series concludes with the trial and immigration status outcomes.

‘Painkiller’ (2023)

This dramatization examines the rise of prescription opioids through doctors, sales teams, and families. Matthew Broderick and Uzo Aduba appear as figures on opposite sides of regulatory and legal actions. Depictions include marketing presentations, pill mill audits, and deposition rooms. Six episodes track investigations and settlements across agencies.

‘The Playlist’ (2022)

This Swedish series tells the creation of a music streaming service through multiple viewpoints. Each episode centers a different stakeholder, including founders, labels, engineers, and artists. Contracts, licensing talks, and server scaling challenges shape the business timeline. The six part structure closes with industry and platform milestones.

‘Fool Me Once’ (2024)

A widow sees a man who resembles her late husband on a nanny camera and begins a private search. The investigation pulls in military records, family finances, and historic crimes. Michelle Keegan, Richard Armitage, and Adeel Akhtar lead the cast across Greater Manchester and Cheshire locations. Eight episodes connect all threads to a final reveal.

‘Stay Close’ (2021)

A missing persons case resurfaces on the anniversary of a nightclub disappearance. The story follows a detective, a photojournalist, and a suburban mother with a past identity. Evidence includes security footage, abandoned vehicles, and coastal searches. The eight part run delivers answers tied to long standing community secrets.

‘Safe’ (2018)

A surgeon searches for his teenage daughter inside a gated community after a party. Michael C. Hall headlines a cast that works through school contacts, neighbors, and private security logs. The inquiry uncovers hidden relationships and a previous incident. Eight episodes bring the case and the community’s history to a close.

‘Devil in Ohio’ (2022)

A hospital psychiatrist shelters a teen who escaped a cult, which brings unfamiliar symbols and visitors to town. The series uses police reports, county records, and rural site searches to map the group’s reach. Emily Deschanel stars alongside a young ensemble as the family adjusts to safety plans. The eight episode run addresses the investigation and the group’s influence.

Tell us which hidden gem limited series on Netflix we missed and drop your quick weekend-watch picks in the comments.