Netflix has blessed us with some truly great television shows like Stranger Things, The Queen’s Gambit, and The Crown. It’s also cursed us with chronic indecision, leaving us scrolling down the Netflix main page for hours just trying to pick something to watch. The overwhelming amount of shows and movies can be chalked up to Netflix’s dual gifts of acquiring great shows to stream and producing tons of original content, but if there’s always something new on Netflix, how are we supposed to choose?

Generally speaking, a good strategy is to only watch the good Netflix shows, but finding out which ones are good take time. Let us carry some of that burden and list the best Netflix original series released in the past 6 months.

1. Shadow and Bone

Shadow and Bone is the rare book-to-TV adaptation that took full advantage of the time between publishing and premiere and used it to improve the source materials in multiple directions. Leigh Bardugo’s original novel was a smash hit, but Shadow and Bone the series makes the cast more diverse, adds a subplot starring characters from the companion series Six of Crows, and brings forth some of the book’s messed-up romantic politics in a thoughtful and entertaining way. Casting Ben Barnes as the Darkling, long thought to be the ultimate fancast, is only the very, very good-looking cherry on top of a series that takes the thematic responsibilities of YA fantasy seriously while being a dang entertaining show. —Alexis Nedd, Senior Entertainment Reporter (*)

How to Watch: Shadow and Bone is now streaming on Netflix.

2. Yasuke

Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

LeSean Thomas’ miniseries follows the life and legend of its title character, a Black samurai who served daimyō Oda Nobunaga. Years after Nobunaga’s death, Yasuke lives as Yassan, a boatsman who shuttles villagers along the water and speaks little of his past. But a young girl with awesome power undoes Yassan’s quiet life and alias, thrusting him back into a world of warriors, magic and more. The show blends together sci-fi, fantasy, and history as only anime can, with LaKeith Stanfield at the mic bringing Yasuke sublimely to life. —Proma Khosla, Entertainment Reporter (*)

How to Watch: Yasuke is now streaming on Netflix.

3. Sweet Tooth

SWEET TOOTH (L to R) CHRISTIAN CONVERY as GUS in episode 107 of SWEET TOOTH Cr. KIRSTY GRIFFIN/NETFLIX 2021
Credit: KIRSTY GRIFFIN/NETFLIX

Sweet Tooth was a surprisingly fantastical addition to the Netflix lineup this year and its big bet on childlike wonder paid off in spades. Even though its setting takes place after a deadly virus has decimated the human population and caused the collapse of civilization (yikes), Sweet Tooth is more of fairy tale told from the perspective of one of the other side effects of the apocalypse — a human-deer hybrid named Gus whose father sheltered him from the worst of the world until shelter became untenable. Gus’s journey through the world he barely knew existed is a beautiful coming-of-age story with a talented supporting cast and a flawless cute-to-concerning ratio. —A.N. (*)

How to Watch: Sweet Tooth is now streaming on Netflix.

4. High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America

High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America. Episode 1, “Our Roots”. (L-R) Pictured: Stephen Satterfield and Dr. Jessica B. Harris. c. Courtesy of Netflix 2021
Credit: Courtesy of netflix

A laundry list of successful titles proves Netflix knows how to make a good cooking show. But High on the Hog is really more than that. In this stunning four-part docuseries, food journalist Stephen Satterfield follows the journey of African cuisine across West Africa and the United States. It’s a celebration of culture and cultural preservation that not only inspires, but urges viewers to appreciate the complex origins of food and family tradition as part of our global history. —Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter (*)

How to Watch: High on the Hog is now streaming on Netflix.

5. Masters of the Universe: Revelation

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: REVELATION (L to R) CHRIS WOOD as PRINCE ADA, DIEDRICH BADER as KING RANDOR and ALICIA SILVERSTONE as QUEEN MARLENA in episode 101 of MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: REVELATION Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX 2021
Credit: COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Masters of the Universe: Revelation is nostalgia first and foremost, but it’s also far more than that. Kevin Smith’s sequel to the classic ’80s cartoon series (which owes its existence to a line of toys) is peddling the idea that even the childhood things we remember most fondly can live on in new and updated forms. They can change as the world changes. Just as it is in He-Man’s Eternia: The magic may be fading, as it is in this new story, but fresh faces and new ideas are always waiting in the wings to save it. —Adam Rosenberg, Senior Reporter

How to Watch: Masters of the Universe: Revelation is now streaming on Netflix.

6. Love is Blind: After the Altar

Love Is Blind: After the Altar. Episode 14, Celebrations and Confrontations. Pictured: (L-R) Francesca, Giannina & Damian. c. Courtesy of Netflix 2021
Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

We’re still eagerly waiting for Love Is Blind Season 2 to send a new batch of sexy singles into Netflix’s infamous dating “pods.” Thankfully, while we wait, we have Love Is Blind: After the Altar — a juicy, three-episode reality event that follows up with the contestants who appeared on the series two years ago. Nearly every member of the Season 1 cast returns, with major life developments and personal news to share. See who managed to make it and who, well, didn’t. (Plus, a highly dramatic crossover event with a cast member from Too Hot To Handle sets off an all-time great reality TV storyline with Giannina Gibelli and Damian Powers…) -A.F.

How to Watch: Love is Blind: After the Altar is now streaming on Netflix.

7. The Chair

The Chair isn’t without its flaws, but you do get a lot for a little with this smart dramedy from creators Amanda Peet and Annie Julia Wyman. Set on the campus of the fictional Pembroke University, Season 1 of The Chair follows English department head Dr. Ji-Yoon Kim (Sandra Oh) as she grapples with a scandal involving her fellow professor and love interest (Jay Duplass). Choppy pacing and some muddled messaging around cancel culture make this an imperfect, yet worthy binge, clocking in at six episodes in just three hours. —A.F.

How to Watch: The Chair is now streaming on Netflix.

Asterisks (*) indicate this entry previously appeared in another Mashable streaming list.