10 Most Ambitious Netflix Original Shows, Ranked

If there is one studio that has become quite ambitious with its original programming, it’s Netflix. What started as a humble DVD e-commerce service has since become a giant in Hollywood and is poised to grow even further with its potential acquisition of Warner Bros. But we’re not here to talk about that right now; we’re here to talk about the service’s most ambitious original series.

Ever since Netflix started producing its own original programming in 2011, its shows have progressively grown better and more daring as the years have passed. So, we want to discuss the most ambitious original programming Netflix has ever produced, and we’ve come up with 10 shows that we think fit this description. Without further ado, let’s dive in.

10 'The 3 Body Problem' (2024–)

One of the adverse effects of having a huge catalog of original programming is that some truly great and innovative shows can get lost in the mix and fall through the cracks. That can explain why few people talk about The 3 Body Problem, one of Netflix’s most ambitious and little-known programs on its service.

The premise of The 3 Body Problem is so fascinating. Here, we follow the “Oxford Five,” a team of scientists who try to understand why people are turning their backs on science decades after scientists made first contact with an alien race during the Cold War. While the premise of this series can be confusing at times, and the pacing of the show is all over the place, there is no denying that The 3 Body Problem is one of the most underrated sci-fi series of the 2020s.

9 'The Sandman' (2022–2025)

When we discuss the greatest fantasy shows of the 2020s, you can be sure that The Sandman will be mentioned. Based on the Neil Gaiman comic book series published by DC Comics, The Sandman is quite an ambitious feat for Netflix, one that works in treating its source material well, while adding new wrinkles that separate it from its comic book roots.

The Sandman was originally supposed to be a movie, but because it sat in development hell for so long, that idea died a slow death. Enter David S. Goyer and Allan Heinberg, who, along with Gaiman, re-purposed it as a TV series, and Netflix was very wise to pick it up. The Sandman ran for just two seasons, but what a fantastic two seasons it was for one of Netflix’s most ambitious original series.

8 'The Crown' (2016–2023)

It took a lot of time and devotion to bring the story of Queen Elizabeth II to life, and it paid off big time. It may not seem this way on the surface, but The Crown, which ran for six seasons, was a very ambitious feat of historical television that few can match. Not only is it as close to historically accurate as humanly possible, but it’s also extremely entertaining.

As the title implies, The Crown looks at the life of Queen Elizabeth II, from her accession to the British Monarchy up until 2005. While it would have been good if they added a seventh season to cover her life up until her death, The Crown was pretty solid in the story that it told, and it’s one of the best historical dramas ever made, period.

7 'The Queen's Gambit' (2020)

Released at the height of the “virus that shall not be named,” The Queen’s Gambit was the definition of a comfort food binge-watch. Based on Walter Tevis’ 1983 novel of the same name, The Queen’s Gambit was quite an ambitious show, taking something that may seem boring on the surface, but deep down was quite impressive.

The miniseries follows Elizabeth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy), an orphan who, after growing up, becomes the best chess player in the world. But here’s the kicker: While she has all the admiration of being a top-tier chess player, Harmon is struggling with an addiction to drugs and alcohol that only gets worse over time. This could have been a really simple miniseries, and it would have been just fine, but seeing how this young woman struggles with addiction while maintaining her status as the world’s best chess player, elevates The Queen’s Gambit into something completely fascinating.

6 'House of Cards' (2013–2018)

Before diving into House of Cards, let us give you a quick history of Netflix’s original programming (don’t worry, this won’t take long, and it’s totally relevant to this entry). Before 2013, Netflix was mainly seen as a streaming vehicle for other studios when it came to shows and movies, but in 2011, while analyzing real-time data on what customers of the service liked to watch, they began to launch efforts to create their own original programming. The first series Netflix produced was the forgettable sitcom Bad Samaritans, but that same year, they premiered an ambitious political drama, and had the same, pull-no-punches quality that HBO shows were long known for. That show was House of Cards.

Adapted from Michael Dobbs' 1989 novel of the same name, House of Cards tells the story of Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey), a politician who would do anything he could to gain power in Washington, from pragmatism to betrayal. Frank was all about power, and his thirst for it made House of Cards a huge hit for the service. This was an ambitious gamble for Netflix, and it paid off big time. You know how the rest of the story went.

5 'BoJack Horseman' (2014–2020)

After House of Cards proved that Netflix could pull off engaging programming on its own, the very next year, it premiered an animated series that took a different turn than some of its network competition. Created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, BoJack Horseman starred Will Arnett as the voice of the titular character, a former 1990s sitcom star who has become washed-up and is looking to return to relevance by writing an autobiography.

Make no mistake, BoJack Horseman had some great comedic moments, but what sets it apart from shows like Family Guy and The Simpsons is that it’s actually, at its heart, a tragedy. We watch how BoJack deals with his addiction to alcohol and drugs, his recklessness as a result of this, and his declining mental state. As the series moves along, we see BoJack Horseman for what it truly is, an emotional tragicomedy that uses black humor and satire to mask the emotional pain BoJack suffers through. This was a pretty ambitious gamble, and it paid off as the show is recognized as one of the best animated series ever.

4 'Orange Is the New Black' (2013–2019)

When you sit and think about it for a bit, you begin to see that the early days of Netflix original programming were quite ambitious and diverse. Maybe it’s because it was so nuanced at the time, the streaming service was more creative in bringing what it wanted to bring to its growing subscriber base. From a daring political drama in House of Cards, to the tragicomedy of BoJack Horseman, Netflix was pretty daring in the early 2010s; but the show that best describes how creative Netflix was at this stage was Orange Is the New Black.

Created by Jenji Kohan, Orange Is the New Black is based on Piper Kerman’s 2010 memoir about her experience serving a year at FCI Danbury, a federal minimum security prison for women. The TV adaptation follows Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), a woman who gets sentenced to 15 months at Litchfield Penitentiary for transporting drug money. Orange Is the New Black expertly mixed humor and drama together to make an intoxicating mix of great television. The result was a series that garnered a slew of awards for its innovative storytelling.

3 'Squid Game' (2021–2025)

Squid Game is a South Korean survival drama created by Hwang Dong-hyuk that became a global phenomenon following its 2021 debut. Set in a dystopian world where financially desperate individuals are lured into a deadly competition of twisted childhood games, the series stunned audiences with its high-stakes concept, striking visuals, and brutal social commentary. Squid Game broke streaming records and became the most-watched series in Netflix history.

There was just something disturbing about watching contestants try to survive while playing “Red Light, Green Light,” the dystopian nature in which the game was played, and how the series tied into our own real-life economic fears. Squid Game deserved every accolade it received. Innovative and ambitious, there will never be another show like Squid Game.

2 'Stranger Things' (2016–2025)

It’s hard to fathom that it's been 10 years since Stranger Things first premiered on Netflix. Think about what changed in the TV landscape over that time. Shows came and went, viewing habits changed, but this sci-fi coming-of-age horror show from the Duffer Brothers remained a constant. Why is that? Because one, it turned ambition and promise into must-stream TV, and two, it’s simply a great series.

Stranger Things could have taken a different path, keeping it as a straightforward sci-fi horror TV series in which kids had to defeat the Upside Down and save their town. But the coming-of-age portion of the story is what made it stand out from its contemporaries and gave the series heart in the middle of all the horror. Stranger Things is a unique show that cannot be copied, no matter how hard another showrunner may try. Even though the series is now over, fans will be talking about Stranger Things for years to come. That is the hallmark of a pop culture icon.

1 'Dark' (2017–2020)

While Stranger Things certainly has a great case for being number one, there is a show that was even more ambitious than the service’s flagship series, and it comes from Germany. In 2017, Netflix premiered Dark, a sci-fi mystery thriller that was captivating from the opening scene.

Created by Baran Bo Odar and Jantje Friese, Dark tells the story of four families from a small German town who search for the truth after a child disappears. Unbeknownst to the families, they stumble on a time travel conspiracy that is even more sinister than the Upside Down. Dark was very compelling, and once the mystery unfolds, your jaw will be on the floor. While some may say Stranger Things is the undisputed most ambitious show Netflix has produced, that distinction goes to Dark.