As encouraging as it is to settle down with a show that has over 5 seasons and is 40 minutes an episode, the need for tight, concise storytelling also exists. That’s the beauty of a mini-series – it can tell a tale with more depth than a movie, but doesn’t need to drag on for years on end. Here are some of the best ones on Netflix.
1. The Queen’s Gambit
This drama miniseries about a young chess prodigy upending social norms while battling her own addiction problems was an instant hit. It’s a beautifully shot show featuring standout performances, especially from Anya Taylor-Joy.
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2. Bodyguard
This 6-episode series stars Richard Madden, who played Robb Stark in Game of Thrones, as a volatile war veteran who’s assigned to protect the Home Secretary. However, he doesn’t exactly agree with her politics, leading to questions about his true motives.
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3. London Spy
This 5-part British crime drama follows the journey of a man trying to find out why his lover, an MI6 agent, was murdered. It’s a bit of a slow burn, but well worth the wait, with Ben Whishaw in the lead role.
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4. Alias Grace
This Canadian miniseries is based on Margaret Atwood’s 1996 novel of the same name, which also happens to be a true story. It follows Grace Marks, a poor Irish immigrant and domestic servant who is convicted of the murder of her employer and his housekeeper in 1843 and sentenced to life in prison.
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5. The Haunting of Hill House
This 10-episode Netflix offering is based on the Shirley Jackson novel of the same name. It’s a modern take on the story of siblings who grew up in a haunted house, and the effect that’s had on their lives later on.
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6. Godless
Set in the brutal 1800s American West, this show focuses on a town governed mainly by women who band together to defend themselves against a ruthless gang intent on murder. If you like shootouts, gristle, and whiskey – this show ought to scratch that itch.
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7. Unorthodox
This German-American drama miniseries is based on Deborah Feldman’s autobiography Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots, and is the first Netflix series to be primarily in Yiddish. It follows a young girl who flees her strict and ultra-orthodox Jewish community in the wake of an arranged marriage she is against.
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8. Unbelievable
Two detectives take on a case about a female teenager who reported being raped, but then recanted her story. A major lack of evidence makes the investigation even more complicated. This miniseries is based on a true story.
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9. The Stranger
This eight-part British mystery thriller is based on the 2015 Harlan Coben novel of the same name, and follows a man named Adam Price whose family-revolving world is turned upside down after he’s told a secret about his wife. Now, he has to get to the truth.
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10. The Spy
Featuring the superlative talents of Sacha Baron Cohen, this 6-episode miniseries tells the true of Israeli spy Eli Cohen, who infiltrated the Syrian government in the 1960s.
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Great stories told in a crisp format – enjoy!