The 10 Most Popular Netflix Shows (So Far) in 2020

Curious about what the hottest shows on Netflix are? We’ve curated the 10 most popular Netflix shows in 2020, ranging from rom-coms and thrillers to docuseries, so you can enjoy them too!

2020 saw the release of several highly anticipated shows on Netflix, including Enola, a Sherlock Holmes spinoff, and the latest season of Queer Eye. While we’re not quite at the end of the year, we thought we would get a headstart and compile the 10 most popular shows on Netflix, so far, for you.

1. Cheer

This sensational docuseries follows the ups and downs of a competitive cheer squad from Navarro College, recording the training, preparation, and individual struggles leading up to the national championships in Daytona. That a show about cheerleading could rise up the ranks and get fawned over by celebrities of various ilk may be surprising to some, to others, it’s a no-brainer. So, if you appreciate good sportsmanship and heartfelt stories, then consider Cheer for your next weekend binge-out.

Watch this if you like: Last Chance U; Glee; Friday Night Lights

2. Cobra Kai

Set 34 years after the original Karate Kid film, Cobra Kai reconsiders the narrative through Johnny Lawrence’s viewpoint, chronicling his decision to reopen the Cobra Kai karate dojo and the inevitable face-off with former rival Daniel LaRusso. Acquired by Netflix back in June, the series rapidly mounted the charts, and was reportedly viewed by a whopping 50 million accounts in the first 28 days. If you’ve yet to join the bandwagon, there’s still plenty of time to catch up before its scheduled third season release in 2021.

Watch this if you like: Warrior; Iron Fist; The Flash

IG: @navarro_college_cheer
FB: @CobraKaiSeries

3. Ratched

Based on the iconic, villainous character of Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Ratched is a psychological thriller created by the one and only Ryan Murphy, creator of Glee and American Horror Story. An origin story that begins in 1947, the series follows Mildred Ratched’s (Sarah Paulson) early days at a leading psychiatric hospital that dabbles in horrific medical experiments on the human mind. Reminiscent of American Horror Story but with more vivid colours, Ratched is capable of making you feel both dread and anticipation at the same time. In any case, for those of you who are into suspense and all things camp, this one should do the trick.

Watch this if you like: Bates Motel; The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story; American Horror Story

4. Love is Blind

If you are a fan of reality shows, you can’t possibly miss out on the much-discussed Love is Blind. The reality television series follows a speed dating format in which men and women are placed in “pods” and – wait for it – get engaged, all before laying eyes on each other. It’s bonkers, hilarious, and occasionally sweet, not to mention undeniably binge-able. So if you’re into bad reality TV, then sit back, relax, and enjoy the full extent of this smash hit’s absurdity.

Watch this if you like: The Circle; Too Hot To Handle; 90 Day Fiance

IG: @ratchednetflix
IG: @loveisblindnetflix

5. Emily in Paris

In the mood for some light TV? Then look no further. In this comedy-drama series, the titular character, Emily (played by Lily Collins), gets assigned, by a twist of fate, to the Paris branch of the marketing firm she works in. There she begins an adventurous and glamorous life abroad, determined to bring American perspective to the Parisians – drawing some harsh criticism from French viewers. Though what it lacks in earnest humour, it more than makes up for in the charm and allure. While the plot may be borderline cheesy at times, it sure is hard to resist the pull of the silvery script, the great-looking cast, and all the uber-fashionable outfits. Created by the same guy who brought us Beverly Hills, 90210 and Sex and the City, Emily in Paris is an easy binge – and one that certainly everyone seems to be watching right now.

Watch this if you like: The Mindy Project; The Carrie Diaries; Jane By Design

6. The Umbrella Academy

There’s no question that Netflix’s comic-book series hit its stride when season two dropped in July this year, having topped the Netflix top 10 charts for 15 days in a row. The series concerns six siblings who were adopted by an elusive billionaire. Through his training, they essentially became a crime-fighting unit destined to save the world.
Without spoiling the plot for those of you who have yet to finish the first season, season two is also about preventing apocalypse but with heightened visuals and a time-bending narrative. With the suspenseful storyline and on-point soundtrack, The Umbrella Academy is no doubt a binge-worthy show, and one that we’ve even gone as far as to rewatch earlier this Summer.

Watch this if you like: Stranger Things; Misfits; Heroes

IG: @emilyinparis
IG: @umbrellaacad

7. Unorthodox

A German-American drama web television miniseries that debuted on Netflix earlier this year, Unorthodox is based off of the bestselling memoir of a young Jewish woman’s escape from a religious sect. Trapped in her arranged marriage, Esther “Esty” Shapiro, a timid, 19-year-old newlywed, flees from her orthodox Hasidic Jewish community in Brooklyn, New York to begin a new life in Berlin, Germany. What ensues is a compelling tale of personal discovery and repression. The thrilling tone of the series and Shira Haas’ epic performance will make you wish there were more than four episodes.

Watch this if you like: Shtisel; One of Us; Disobedience

8. The Last Dance

Before The Last Dance appeared on Netflix, it was ESPN’s most-watched documentary ever. Over the course of 10 hours, the show goes back and forth between Michael Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls and his early life. You don’t necessarily need to be a basketball fanatic to be captivated by this critically acclaimed, 10-part docuseries, where you can witness a man of singular talent and grit strive for greatness at all costs.

Watch this if you like: Formula 1: Drive to Survive; O.J.: Made in America; Last Chance U

IG: @shirahaas
IG: @thelastdancenetflix

9. Ozark

Pegged as the successor to Breaking Bad, Ozark shares a few things in common with the widely acclaimed show. Besides having dominated the Emmys, the protagonist’s entire family similarly gets wrapped up in the world of crime, as morally questionable financial advisor Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) drags his family from Chicago to the remote Missouri Ozarks, where he launders money at the behest of a Mexican drug cartel. Part of the thrill is to witness the characters go deeper and deeper into the seedy, crime-ridden parts of the community, as they desperately try to save themselves from a hopeless predicament. If you’re a Breaking Bad fan, then Ozark is probably the best show you’re not watching.

Watch this if you like: Narcos; Breaking Bad; The Wire

10. Schitt’s Creek

According to television-tracking app TV Time, Schitt’s Creek is one of 2020’s most popular shows available on Netflix. A Canadian-import that first premiered on CBC in 2015, this award-winning sitcom won a record-setting nine Emmys for its final season earlier this year. Written & produced by Eugene Levy (of American Pie fame) and his son, the series follows a formerly wealthy family forced to relocate to a small town called Schitt’s Creek, and their (comical) struggles with a life without money. With six seasons already available on Netflix, this classic fish-out-of-the-water plot is the perfect show to binge for some family-friendly laughs.

Watch this if you like: Kim’s Convenience; The Politician; Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt