Netflix subscribers will know that the streaming service is home to a mountain of content. While a huge range of shows and movies is an obvious plus, it can also make figuring out what to stream next pretty difficult.
Even if you turn to the Netflix Top 10 shows list for suggestions, there's no guarantee that what's trending is going to be a must-watch; that's why we at Tom's Guide keep such a close eye on the Top 10 list and frequently highlight three of the best things you can stream on Netflix.
Right now, that list includes a popular spy thriller featuring Keira Knightley, the latest Harlan Coben mystery thriller, and, of course, the return of the streamer's most-watched TV show. For more picks, see the best Netflix movies in the top 10 right now.
This article is based on what was in the Netflix Top 10 shows list as of Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, at 12.30 p.m. ET.
Best shows in the Netflix top 10
'Black Doves'
We're currently going through a sort of golden era for spy thriller shows, and "Black Doves" is Netflix's big contribution to this craze. The Keira Knightley-led show dropped in early December, receiving critical acclaim (and earning her a Golden Globe nomination), and it's been a mainstay of the Top 10 ever since.
The show sees Black Dove operative Helen (Keira Knightley) reuniting with an old assassin friend (Ben Whishaw) to seek the truth (and vengeance for) the death of her secret lover.
Watch on Netflix
'Squid Game'
We've had to wait an awful long time for "Squid Game" season 2, so it was no surprise when the hugely popular Korean Netflix drama rocketed straight to the No. 1 spot, a position it doesn't feel it will leave anytime soon.
Having emerged from the games as the sole survivor last time around, season 2 sees Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) returning to take the gauntlet on all over again three years later, but with a new goal in mind: put a stop to this horrifying competition, once and for all.
Watch on Netflix
'Missing You'
Netflix's first major release of 2025 is the streamer's new Harlan Coben adaptation, "Missing You", and the mystery series has debuted at the No. 2 spot in the charts. The series is classic Coben stuff, through and through; dark secrets, missing persons, and plenty of shocking twists. This time, we follow Kat Donovan (Rosalind Eleazar), a detective whose world is turned upside down when she discovers the love of her life — who disappeared without a trace 11 years ago — on a dating app. Josh's return throws her world into disarray and forces Kat to dig back into the mystery surrounding her father's murder, uncovering some long-buried secrets from her past.
Watch on Netflix
Full Netflix Top 10 shows list
- "Squid Game"
- "Missing You"
- "Virgin River"
- "Your Friend, Nate Bargatze"
- "No Good Deed"
- "Torching 2024: A Roast of the Year"
- "La Palma"
- "Black Doves"
- "Michelle Buteau: A Buteau-ful Mind at Radio City Hall"
- "The Madness"