One surprise even managed to top One Piece this year

Anyone looking for the next series title to binge on Netflix was again presented with a huge selection this year. With 165 new series and over 80 new seasons, the streaming service escalated every watch list, no matter how clean it was. In addition to high-flyers like One Piece and The Night Agent, there were some excellent new shows to discover.

Which new Netflix series are really worth watching in 2023? Which insider tips might have passed you by? In the following ranking we have the 20 best new Netflix series of the year based on the rating of the Moviepilot community.

The best Netflix series of 2023: places 20 to 11

From fantasy, action, horror and sci-fi to German thriller fare and exciting documentaries: The top 20 of the best-rated Netflix series of the year are characterized by a variety of genres that have something for every series taste.

For the ranking, we looked at the Moviepilot community’s ratings for all new Netflix series in 2023. All new products from… were included in the selection at least 50 movie pilots were evaluated.

The best Netflix series of 2023 – 10th place: Bodies

Opening the top 10 of the best Netflix series of the year is the comic adaptation Bodies, which offers an unusual mix of crime, science fiction and brain-twisting mystery twists. Here, four London investigators from different time periods – from 1890 to 2053 – are confronted with the same murder case. Anyone who loves intricate puzzle series like Dark or its successor 1899 couldn’t ignore Bodies this year.

The best Netflix series of 2023 – 9th place: The Night Agent

In The Night Agent, FBI employee Peter Sutherland waits in the basement of the White House for emergency calls from undercover agents. When the doorbell rings one night, he is drawn into a dangerous conspiracy involving a mole at the highest levels of the US government. The exciting action-thriller series became a hit in no time and even landed in the top list of the most watched Netflix series ever.

The best Netflix series of 2023 – 8th place: The Fall of the House of Usher

With his 5th and final horror series for the streaming service Netflix, Mike Flanagan devotes himself to the literary work of Edgar Allan Poe and mixes motifs and short stories to create a decade-spanning tale of the rise and bitter fall of the Usher pharmaceutical family. Disgusting, bitterly evil, nightmarishly disturbing and sometimes surprisingly funny: With The Fall of the House of Usher, Flanagan has created another horror masterpiece.

The best Netflix series of 2023 – 7th place: The law according to Lidia Poët

As the only non-English language production in the top 10, The Law by Lidia Poët shows that international Netflix series should not be underestimated. The Italian original is a historical crime series that follows the experiences of Italy’s first female lawyer. Even without a recognized license, Lidia Poët insists on helping people find out the truth about various crimes in Turin in the late 19th century.

The best Netflix series of 2023 – 6th place: Beef

The Netflix series Beef takes a traffic dispute to a whole new level of escalation. Career woman Amy (Ali Wong) always has to be perfect. Danny’s (Steven Yeun) life, on the other hand, is one struggle. In their mutual hatred, they find the ideal outlet for the stress they are exposed to every day – and in the process drag everyone around them into the abyss. The result is a thrilling mix of intense twists, black humor and emotional depth.

The best Netflix series of 2023 – 5th place: Arnold

No, FUBAR wasn’t the best Schwarzenegger series this year. The three-part documentary Arnold sparked more enthusiasm among the Moviepilot community as a nostalgic look at the Terminator’s previous work, which not only includes his film work. Arnold Schwarzenegger personally guides us through the most formative moments of his career – from his beginnings as a bodybuilder to his breakthrough as a Hollywood star to his term as governor of California.

The best Netflix series of 2023 – 4th place: Beckham

Netflix not only has a lot of fictional material on offer, but also some fantastic documentaries. As the best-rated documentary series, the portrait of professional footballer David Beckham even ends up in the top 5 Netflix highlights of 2023. Over 4 episodes, the format traces the highs and lows of Beckham’s career and at the same time provides a very personal insight into the life of the iconic Brit .

The best Netflix series of 2023 – 3rd place: Lockwood & Co

The fact that the fantasy series Lockwood & Co, developed by Joe Cornish, landed at number 3 is a bittersweet success. The story of the young ghost hunters Lucy Carlyle, Anthony Lockwood and George Karim found many enthusiastic fans. But there weren’t enough. Almost four months after its launch, Netflix canceled the series after just one season.

The best Netflix series of 2023 – 2nd place: One Piece

Together with One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda, showrunners Matt Owens and Steven Maeda have worked hard to preserve the integrity of the extremely popular original and transport the strange world of the Straw Hat gang into the live-action medium. With outrageously likeable main characters and a lot of love for manga and anime, the pirate fantasy series One Piece became one of the best live-action adaptations that Netflix has produced to date. Only one series could surpass this success:

The best Netflix series of 2023 – 1st place: Blue Eye Samurai

Shortly before the end of the year, Netflix pulled out one of the biggest surprises that hardly anyone had on their radar. The animated series (for adult viewers) created by Logan author Michael Green and his wife Amber Noizumi quickly rose to the top of the best Netflix series of the year.

The extremely brutal samurai adventure, set in the 17th century, impresses not only with its complex characters and impressive action, but also with its unique style. The breathtakingly designed images, the creative combat sequences and a fantastic soundtrack make Blue Eye Samurai a rare Netflix masterpiece.

Podcast: The best series of 2023 in review

From series blockbusters to absolute insider tips: In the Moviepilot podcast, we introduce you to the 23 best series that were to be discovered in 2023. You can listen to part 1 of the big annual review here:

Whether horror high-flyer The Last of Us, pirate hit One Piece, the masterful Succession finale or brilliant sci-fi discoveries. As series fans, you shouldn’t miss these highlights from Netflix, Amazon, Disney+ and Co.