The 15 Absolute Best Netflix Originals of 2017

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I can hardly believe that it's the end of 2017! Is it just me or was it the fastest year EVER?!? I sure hope 2018 goes by a bit more slowly!

Our fastest year ever was also the busiest year for my family. Even though there wasn't much free time, we still managed to make our Netflix Date Nights and Family Movie Nights a regular priority. And throughout 2017, we continued to watch our tried and true favorites, and also discovered a few new shows to add to the rotation!


There are so many great things to watch on Netflix for the entire family! (Seriously...who needs cable?) Grant and I brainstormed, and narrowed down our list to 15 of our favorite Netflix original series. Some of our favorites are incredibly popular, some only have one season so far, and some aren't widely known (yet).

So without further ado, and in no particular order, these are the Netflix shows that we loved so much in 2017!

The 15 Absolute Best Netflix Originals of 2017

OZARK

This drama is about a financial planner who moves his family to the Ozarks when he is forced to launder money for a drug dealer in order to keep them safe. The show is full of twists and turns, and season 1 ends with a finale that both my husband and I thought was one of the best we have ever watched.

THE CROWN

The Crown follows the life of Queen Elizabeth II. It is a fairly accurate depiction, and we have actually googled a few facts while we were watching. It's very well acted AND informative. I honestly didn't know much about Queen Elizabeth II, and wasn't very interested in learning, until I watched the first season!

13 REASONS WHY

There was so much hype over 13 Reasons Why, so my husband and I finally gave in and watched it. The show is about a teenage girl who commmits suicide. Before taking her own life, she recorded tapes to explain the 13 reasons why she commited suicide. The first season ends with a suicide scene that is so real that it's absolutely heart-wrenching. It was brutal, but it's a must watch, especially for parents of teenagers.

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

I read the book before I watched the series, but I love it! The show is about a woman named Piper, who ends up in a women's prison for a crime she commited when she was much younger. The show contains graphic content, but it's highly entertaining!

SANTA CLARITA DIET

This comedy is about a normal family living a normal life. Everything changes when the mom becomes a zombie. It's a bit bloody, but really funny to watch as she tries to lead a normal life and hide the fact that she's actually a zombie!

GRACE AND FRANKIE

I didn't think I would like this comedy about two older women who are thrown together after their husbands admit that they are actually in a relationship with each other, but I laughed my way through it! The cast is very likeable, and the storylines are hilarious. My husband and I didn't think we could relate to a show about older people, but we loved it!

PEAKY BLINDERS

Grant convinced me to watch this show about a powerful gang in the early 1900's. It's violent, but has a storyline that makes you want to keep watching. It has a talented cast, and it's full of surprising plot twists!

LOVESICK

This show is one of the least popular ones on my list, and it definitely deserves more attention. It doesn't seem like many people know about it, but it's an entertaining show with and endearing cast. It's about a man who finds out he has an STD, so he has to contact all of his past lovers to let them know. Every time he contacts one, he flashes back to that relationship. Although the premise doesn't sound promising, it's actually a very sweet show!

MINDHUNTER

Grant and I are only halfway through the first season of this show, but it quickly made our list! This crime drama is about FBI agents who interview serial killers in an attempt to understand their motives so they can catch other serial killers. Along the way, they develop serial killer profiling. It's a very serious show, but fascinating to watch.

UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT

If you're looking for a fun show to watch, this one is it! After being kidnapped and living most of her life in an underground bunker, Kimmy is rescued and has to readjust to life in the modern world. This comedy is over the top, but oh so funny!

STRANGER THINGS

Everybody is talking about Stranger Things these days! The sci-fi drama, which is set in the 80's, captured the attention of those young and old. It's a mix of supernatural and horror that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

FULLER HOUSE

I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but I LOVE Fuller House! I grew up watching Full House, and my kids love watching the reruns now. Although it's every bit as cheesy as the original, my entire family watches Fuller House together and it's one of our favorites!

FRIENDS FROM COLLEGE

This comedy about college buddies who are still friends twenty years later was the most recent show my husband and I finished. We made it through season one in record time, and laughed the entire way through it! It's a great mix of funny and real life, and the cast is very likeable!

HOUSE OF CARDS

I realize that this one is very controversial right now, but it has been one of my favorite shows for years. Despite current events, there's no denying that the previous seasons are REALLY good! If you can put aside the current accusations, it's worth watching.

GILMORE GIRLS: A YEAR IN THE LIFE

I just might have saved the best for last! Gilmore Girls is one of my favorite shows of all time, so I was counting down the days for it to return after many years of it being off the air. Grant and I watched the entire original series (for the sixth time) in anticipation of the big day, and like so many others, we sat glued to our TV for hours, and fell in love with the Gilmore girls all over again!

Image Credit: All images belong to netflix.com.

2017's Netflix original series were so good, but I can't wait to see what's in store for 2018!

Have you watched any of the Netflix shows on my list? What shows would you add?