10 Netflix Shows That Are Still the Gold Standard
Collider has published a list highlighting ten Netflix original series that the outlet considers benchmarks for streaming television, arguing that the platform's success rested not just on its binge-release model but on the quality and ambition of its original programming. The piece frames these shows as having helped define what streaming TV could be, standing out for strong characters and creative risk-taking that rivalled traditional network television.
Among the entries discussed are "The Punisher" (2017–2019), praised as a grounded character study of Frank Castle built around brutal, consequence-heavy action, and "Sense8" (2015–2018), a globe-spanning drama about eight strangers who become psychically linked, noted for its ambition and diversity despite lasting only two seasons.
- Collider ranks ten Netflix original shows as genre-defining classics.
- "The Punisher" praised for grounded, unglamorised violence and character depth.
- "Sense8" highlighted for ambitious, globally diverse storytelling despite early cancellation.
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Netflix's original series were central to how the platform grew from a DVD-rental company into one of the biggest players in television. Rather than releasing episodes weekly like traditional broadcasters, Netflix popularised "binge-release", dropping whole seasons at once, and backed that model with ambitious, often unconventional original programming designed to draw in subscribers and set it apart from rivals.
Shows like "The Punisher", based on the Marvel comic-book character, and "Sense8", a science-fiction drama from the Wachowskis about eight people around the world who find themselves mentally connected, were part of a wave of Netflix originals in the mid-to-late 2010s that took creative risks traditional networks were often reluctant to fund. Some of these series ran for years, while others, including "Sense8", were cancelled relatively early despite strong critical followings.
Looking back at these shows matters because they help explain how streaming services built their reputations and audiences in the format's early years, and why certain titles are still cited as reference points for quality as the streaming landscape has become far more crowded and competitive.