Netflix has been streaming TV shows and movies for quite some time, but it was only in 2013 that the service started to offer its own slate of original series. It was Netflix that opened the door for plenty of competitors in the streaming landscape to do the same, from Amazon Prime Video to Hulu, CBS All Access, and a growing list of others. Since 2013, Netflix has been releasing a steady stream of original series across all genres.
Chances are that you can check back from one month to the next and see new content on Netflix that includes not only the series the streaming service has picked up from other networks but ones they have commissioned themselves. While there have been plenty of great new series in 2020, here's a look back at the first 10 original dramas and comedies released by Netflix from 2013-2015 and how they rank, according to IMDb.
10 Richie Rich (2015) – 3.2
It's a mystery as to why Netflix launched this series given that the 1994 film starring Macaulay Culkin was widely panned by critics. Nonetheless, somehow Netflix thought turning the concept of a wealthy brat of a kid into a sitcom would go over much better.
It didn't. And the series, which surprisingly lasted two seasons and was only loosely based on the Harvey Comics character, was not popular among viewers. Thanks to the beauty of streaming, however, you can still watch it today.
9 Hemlock Grove (2013) – 7.1
This horror series by Eli Roth was based on the novel of the same name and became one of Netflix's first original series. The story follows wealthy heir Roman Godfrey who keeps encountering strange happenings in his fictional town in Pennsylvania.
Hemlock Grove ran for three seasons and represented Netflix's very first Primetime Emmy Award nomination, putting the service on the map as a viable home for quality television content.
8 Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015) – 7.6
It seems like this hilarious sitcom is still rather new, but indeed, it was one of Netflix's first. Created by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, it's about a 29-year-old woman who is rescued from an underground bunker where she was kept in captivity for 15 years. Now, she has to try to reintegrate into society and adult life, but her sugary-sweet teenage girl attitude and desperate attempt to live life to the fullest is put to the test when she decides to move to New York.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt streamed for four seasons plus an interactive special and earned an impressive 20 Emmy nominations through its run, proving that Netflix had a knack for picking great shows.
7 Marco Polo (2014) – 8.0
This was a series Netflix was really pushing in its early days, inspired by the life of Polo and his early years in Kublai Khan, the Khagan of the Mongol Empire, and the founder of the Yuan dynasty. And while the streaming service had high hopes for the series, it was canceled after two seasons and apparently cost Netflix and The Weinstein Company millions in losses.
Nonetheless, while viewers who left IMDb ratings apparently loved Marco Polo, critics weren't so generous for the first season, though much more so for season two but by then, it was too late.
6 Bloodline (2015) – 8.0
The black sheep of the family returns to his family home in Florida and the must deal with pushback from his siblings who aren't too keen about his return. The thriller drama was praised, particularly the lead actors Ben Mendelsohn and Kyle Chandler.
Bloodline lasted three seasons. It might have continued on but interest and aggregate scores seemed to dwindle after season one, suggesting that the show just didn't have staying power.
5 Orange Is The New Black (2013) – 8.1
For a while, Orange is the New Black was Netflix's most popular original series; so much so that it was renewed for three seasons at once after season four!
The show, loosely based on the life of Jenji Kohan and her time spent in a women's prison, lasted for seven seasons and earned numerous awards and nominations, including 12 Primetime Emmy Awards for its first season. After a switch from the comedy to drama categories, it became the first series to ever be nominated in both genres.
4 Grace and Frankie (2015) – 8.3
Still going strong, Grace and Frankie will stream its seventh and final season soon. The series stars iconic Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as two older women who discover that their husbands (played by the equally iconic Sam Waterson and Martin Sheen), aren't just business partners but have been in a secret homosexual relationship with one another for decades. While the two are very different women, they find themselves leaning on one another for support as they rise above the madness and start over in their 70s.
While the show initially received mixed reviews, it has been better received over time and even earned numerous Emmy nominations. It's a unique concept and proves that a comedy can still work with a cast that doesn't just center around 20-40-somethings.
3 Chef's Table (2015) – 8.6
Netflix's very first docuseries came out of the gate swinging and remains a popular one among foodies. Every episode highlights a specific chef from somewhere in the world as viewers learn about their culinary inspirations, signature dishes and philosophies about cooking, and their personal lives.
Several famous chefs have been featured, from Massimo Bottura to Grant Achatz and Christina Tosi through the six seasons to date.
2 Daredevil (2015) – 8.6
Canceled in 2018 after three seasons, Daredevil was Netflix's first foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and told the story of Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil, a blind man who works as a lawyer during the day and fights crime secretly at night.
The series was tremendously popular and there is a chance it could be revived by the rival Disney+ streaming service. However, there's no official word yet.
1 House of Cards (2013) – 8.7
Ending its run in 2018 after six seasons, House of Cards starred Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright as Frank and Claire Underwood, power-hungry political figures out for blood, literally, on their quest for White House domination.
It earned 33 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, making it the first streaming original series to receive major Emmy nods, it still remains Netflix's highest-rated original, according to IMDb reviewers.
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