Within the last five years, streaming services have started popping up everywhere. Netflix no longer dominates the market. In fact, some services, like Disney+, have even been predicted to catch up to Netflix's subscriber count in just a few short years.
But with all these options and with new shows premiering every single day, audiences are left wondering...how many of these are actually worth watching? The list below is a primer of the best shows on each of the major streaming platforms, according to their IMDb ranking.
Peacock - Save Me (7.7)
Save Me is a British series that's been labeled a "Peacock Original" because Peacock has the exclusive rights to stream it in the US. The series follows a father as he desperately searches for his missing daughter.
To find her, he must lie, cheat, and steal. The show has been well received, with many critics praising the series for adding new and unexpected twists to the classic missing child storyline. The show's lead, Lennie James (who is best known for his role in The Walking Dead), has also been praised for his convincing performance.
Crackle - StartUp (8.0)
Crackle is a free streaming service that offers everything from original series to short-form web shows, as well as a large collection of horror, action, and comedy films.
In 2016, their original show StartUp became a sleeper hit with fans, and quickly gained a cult following. The series centers around a new company called GenCoin, which works in online cryptocurrency. StartUp focuses on many real-life issues that crypto presents and the potential problems it could create for society. The show also starred some impressive names like Adam Brody, Mira Sorvino, and Ron Pearlman.
Hulu - The Handmaid's Tale (8.5)
Based on the 1985 novel by Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale centers around a dystopian future where women are treated like slaves whose only purpose is for breeding. However, despite the grim concept, the book and series actually show the ways in which women have protested against patriarchy throughout the ages.
The show's lead, Elisabeth Moss, had already proved herself to be an acting powerhouse in Mad Men but has since received even more praise, including dozens of nominations and awards for the Hulu series.
Amazon Prime - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (8.7)
For the past few years, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has been a staple at the Emmys and the Golden Globes. Critics and audiences can't get enough of the quirky series that centers around a female comedian and her manager as they navigate life in the late '50s.
The show is loaded with veteran actors like Alex Borstein, Tony Shalhoub, and Jane Lynch, all of whom deliver outstanding performances time and time again.
Apple TV+ - Ted Lasso (8.7)
Jason Sudeikis stars in this series about an American football coach who gets recruited to coach a football team in the English Premier League...despite the fact that he knows nothing about soccer.
Interestingly, the Ted Lasso character actually originated in a few promo spots for NBC Sports to portray the everyday American who probably knew nothing about English soccer. Somehow, this show that nobody thought would work, became a massive hit, proving that Apple TV+ could be a big contender in the streaming wars.
Disney+ - The Mandalorian (8.7)
Joining the ever-expanding Stars Wars universe is The Mandalorian, a show about a Mandalorian who is tasked with rescuing "The Child" (aka: Baby Yoda / aka: Grogu) and returning him to the Jedi. While the show has a loose overarching plot, it's also episodic, so most episodes can be watched individually without needing much background knowledge of the series or the franchise.
The series quickly became the shining beacon of Disney+ and has attracted numerous high-profile guest stars like Amy Sedaris, Rosario Dawson, and even Werner Herzog.
HBO Max - Adventure Time: Distant Lands (8.9)
HBO Max was able to acquire the popular cartoon Adventure Time and create its spinoff Adventure Time: Distant Lands. The new series continues the adventures of Finn and Jake as they navigate journeys through the post-apocalyptic land of Ooo.
Many other favorites from the original series also returned, including Princess Bubblegum and Marceline the Vampire Queen. This time around, each episode is launched as a special and is twice the length of a traditional episode.
CBS All Access - The Twilight Zone (9.0)
In 2019, CBS All Access revived the beloved classic, The Twilight Zone, this time being hosted by the new master of horror, Jordan Peele. The series has always been praised for its ability to combine horror, sci-fi, and physiological thrillers into one very unique show.
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This time around, The Twilight Zone also tackles topical issues, breathing a good dose of modernity into the classic series.
Netflix - Our Planet (9.3)
Our Planet is considered one of television's greatest nature docuseries of all time. The series was narrated by David Attenborough (who also narrated the groundbreaking Planet Earth) and each episode focuses on a unique biome, such as "Frozen Worlds", "Forests", and "Coastal Seas".
One of the biggest differences between Our Planet and previous nature shows is that it focused heavily on humans' impacts on the planet, including urban sprawl, pollution, and climate change. According to Netflix, the show was watched by 33 million households in its first month alone.