Sometimes, sitting down and streaming a simple series over the weekend is better than binge-watching a complex show that's hard to digest. A miniseries gives you the chance to relax and enjoy the limited amount of episodes, so it’s essentially like watching a very long movie.
If you’re in the mood for a good miniseries, Netflix has plenty to offer. From a dark comedy about road rage and prolonged feud to a tense drama about fleeing an arranged marriage, there are many options to choose from when the weekend rolls around. But making that choice can be difficult.
This is where we step in to help, as we’ve searched every possible hiding spot on the platform for some great shows while also comparing them on Rotten Tomatoes. Now, here are the best Netflix miniseries to watch with incredibly high ratings.
'Alias Grace'
Based on the novel of the same name, “Alias Grace” follows Grace Marks (Sarah Gadon), an Irish Immigrant in Canada who ends up getting accused of murdering her employer and his housekeeper. James McDermott (Kerr Logan), a man who works in the stables, also gets convicted and hanged for the same crime, while Grace gets a life sentence in prison. However, a psychiatrist is ordered to evaluate her mental state, which takes the story down a different path. This miniseries reveals how Grace became one of the most notorious women in the 19th century, and it is actually inspired by events in this time period.
Episodes: 6
Genre: Drama
Rotten Tomatoes score: 99%
Watch on Netflix
'Baby Reindeer'
“Baby Reindeer” is based on a true story experienced by comedian Richard Gadd. It follows his fictionalized character Donny Dunn, whose one act of kindness toward a woman named Martha (Jessica Gunning) led to some unsettling consequences. Martha appears to be friendly at first, but she soon grows attached to Donny and stalks him relentlessly. With thousands of voicemails, emails, and text messages, Martha’s obsession persists, pushing Donny to face some buried trauma that he didn’t want to remember. As the saying goes, “no good deed goes unpunished.”
Episodes: 7
Genre: Drama/thriller
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%
Watch on Netflix
'Beef'
“Beef” is a dark comedy miniseries that follows the growing feud between two strangers who were both involved in a road rage incident. Danny Cho (Steven Yeun) is a failing contractor and Amy Lau (Ali Wong) is a self-made entrepreneur who has a seemingly perfect life. The following days, weeks, and months after the accident bring more chaos into their lives and relationships, as neither of them can seem to drop the ongoing feud. If you’re in the mood for a dark but deeply moving comedy, then “Beef” should be your next watch.
Episodes: 10
Genre: Dark comedy
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%
Watch on Netflix
'Unorthodox'
The German miniseries “Unorthodox” focuses on 19-year old Jewish woman Esther (Shira Haas) who is extremely unhappy and bored in an arranged marriage. Deciding to do something better with her life, she flees this marriage in Brooklyn and goes to Berlin, where her estranged mother lives. Hoping to start a new life, she learns more about the different communities around her while dismissing the beliefs she once learned and grew up with. However, the past eventually catches up to Esther, as her husband learns of her pregnancy and travels to Berlin to try and find her.
Episodes: 4
Genre: Drama
Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%
Watch on Netflix
'Lost Ollie'
The simple synopsis for “Lost Ollie” is that a toy named Ollie (voiced by Jonathan Groff) searches for the boy who lost him, but it’s so much more than that. This little rabbit toy winds up in an antique shop, confused and hopeless because his best friend, Billy, is nowhere to be seen. He decides to go on a journey to reunite with his owner again, and along the way he discovers more about himself when fond memories come to the surface. It’s a touching but wholesome miniseries that shows you there is joy and sorrow in everything.
Episodes: 4
Genre: Animated adventure
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
Watch on Netflix
