Top 5 Best TV Shows Streaming on Netflix: 'Bloodline' And More

Netflix

Need a new TV show to binge-watch and wondering which ones on Netflix are worth checking out the most? Eclectic Pop has narrowed down the best Netflix has to offer from their original programming to those outside that realm and came up with this selection of the Top 5...

#5: Bloodline (Netflix)

It takes a handful of episodes to heat up, and when it does, “Bloodline” positively explodes. In Netflix’s original series, a family’s picturesque resort becomes a battleground for old grudges, buried secrets, and shocking revelations. Igniting all of the action is an outcast brother (Ben Mendelsohn) who returns to the family fold with mysterious intentions.

Has he come back to make peace or wage war? The answer to that question and all that it implies makes for one stellar string of closing episodes. Ben Mendelsohn’s performance as the roguish Danny rates as one of the best of 2015, and it is worth tuning in to see why.

The CW

#4: Reign (The CW)

No TV marathon would be complete without a costume drama to devour. The CW’s exquisite series began as a guilty pleasure before developing into one of TV’s most underrated gems. It tells the highly fictionalized account of Mary, Queen of Scots’ formative years, as she falls in love with a prince (Toby Regbo) and fights to protect her claim to the throne.

Anchored by the commanding lead performances of actresses Adelaide Kane as the likable Mary and Megan Fellows as the conniving Catherine De Medici; “Reign” rules supreme as a compelling drama armed with equally satisfying comedic savvy. For those wondering where they can get a fix of the young adult drama that once dominated the network (i.e., “One Tree Hill” and “Gossip Girl”) “Reign” is the answer, proving that soapy machinations are not restricted to modern times.

Netflix

#3: Narcos (Netflix)

It takes about two episodes for Netflix’s ambitious freshman series to set the hook, and once it is in, you are a goner. “Narcos” chronicles the unbelievable true story of how the notorious Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura) rose to prominence as a drug lord in Columbia. As far as quality goes, “Narcos” is Netflix’s most creatively consistent venture.

Where its other series have experienced peaks and valleys in quality, “Narcos” is relentlessly enthralling throughout its entire run. The credit for most of the series’ draw lies with Moura’s complex portrayal of Escobar as a fully realized individual, both as a ruthless criminal mastermind and a sympathetic paternal figure to his family. A wholly immersive experience that brings a shocking chapter of history into riveting life, “Narcos” is a remarkable piece of television.

BBC

#2: The Fall (BBC)

 If you are prepared to take a dark trip, there is no more thrilling crime drama to embark on than BBC’s “The Fall.” Gillian Anderson stars as Stella Gibson, a hard-nosed senior investigator tasked with cracking the case of a serial killer (Jamie Dornan) who has been terrorizing the women of Belfast.

What sets Allan Cubitt’s addictive drama apart is that it equally splits its focus between the police and their target, taking viewers behind the curtain of a depraved mind’s psychological warfare and their incredible ability to pull off a double life. To Cubitt’s credit, he never stalls the story, allowing every dangerous twist and turn to escalate with tangible repercussions. With two seasons under its belt, “The Fall” gives every indication it is one of the best series of the decade.

A&E

#1: Bates Motel (A&E)

There is currently no better show on television than A&E’s incredible “Psycho” prequel. While this series could have sat on its hands slowly crossing off each destination spot on the Norman Bates becomes “Psycho Norman” story, it has chosen to blaze its own glorious trail of character-driven intrigue, widening its scope to the dysfunctional and loving Bates family as a whole.

Where “Bates Motel” strikes, gold is in its ability to cover every genre: drama, comedy, mystery, romance, action, horror, etc. – without exception. “Bates Motel” does not spoon-feed its viewers shocking innuendo for water cooler points either.

With characters as bold as these, there is no need to. Its writing’s intelligence is beyond reproach as it maneuvers dark subjects with finesse and tenderness that is staggering. If only every show was this good. Well...no one would leave the couch.

Not-on-Netflix Bonus Picks

“True Detective” (HBO), Season 1

The flawless first season that starred Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson set the bar high and, as the second season of HBO’s drama proved, maybe impossibly high. Nonetheless, TV fans looking to burn through a dark and thought-provoking crime drama will find no better offering than the debut season of Nic Pizzolatto’s brooding series.

“Scream” (MTV), Season 1

MTV’s television adaption of the horror movie franchise was the surprise hit of summer 2015. Winning this viewer over as a spine-tingling, twist-packed thrill ride that exceeded expectations at every turn. With a breakout performance from actress Willa Fitzgerald as the series’ girl-next-door heroine and Ghostface’s perpetual target, the show made a rare discovery - a lead worth caring about.