Netflix has come a long way since its humble beginnings as an American DVD-by-mail subscription service in 1997. Now its name has become synonymous with streaming, with almost 200 million subscribers worldwide and doubling in just over two years.
While the introduction of countless new streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus and NOW TV means there is stiff competition for subscribers, Netflix still has the largest customer base, due in no small part to the amount of fresh new content they bring to the platform each month.
There is an extensive back catalogue of classic shows and movies, as well as numerous Netflix Original titles released to stream each month. Here are some of the movies and TV shows coming to Netflix UK this December.
Now that Christmas is safely behind us, Netflix are set to release a number of great new TV shows this month. We've already started binging a few.
Picking up right after the explosive events of the season two finale, the Karate Kid reboot/spin-off returns with even more action, redemption, humour, and, of course, karate.
The one and only Nicolas Cage hosts this unscripted series which explores the history of the rudest words we all can admit to uttering now and then. With guest appearance from the likes of Sarah Silverman, Nick Offerman and Patti Harrison, this is a humorous and insightful look into the evolution of our foulest language.
Even without a watchlist of Christmas movies to keep you entertained there's still plenty of great movies to watch on Netflix in January.
Upbeat and happy this is not. Pieces of a Woman is the story of a heartbreaking home birth that goes wrong. Vanessa Kirby gives a gripping performance as she struggles to deal with the profound loss of her child. Also starring Shia LaBeouf, Sarah Snook, Iliza Shlesinger and Ellen Burstyn, this is an emotional film, if you're ready for it.
Another emotional one, Naomi Watts stars as a mother struggling to come to terms with her paralysis after falling from a collapsing balcony. The Australian drama also stars Andrew Lincoln as her husband, as both characters try to find their way back to normal, for themselves and their children.
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50M2 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Bonding: Season 2 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
June & Kopi — NETFLIX FILM
The Netflix Afterparty — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
17 Again (2009)
30 Minutes or Less (2011)
Abby Hatcher: Season 1
Blue Streak (1999)
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Can’t Hardly Wait(1998)
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
Cobra Kai: Season 3 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Cool Hand Luke >(1967)
Dream Home Makeover: Season 2 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987)
Enter the Dragon (1973)
Gimme Shelter (2013)
Good Hair (2010)
Goodfellas (1990)
Gothika (2003)
Headspace Guide to Meditation — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Into the Wild (2007)
Julie & Julia (2009)
Monarca: Season 2 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Mud (2012)
Mystic Pizza (1988)
Sex and the City: The Movie (2008)
Sex and the City 2 (2010)
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Striptease (1996)
Superbad (2007)
The Creative Brain (2019)
The Departed(2006)
The Haunted Hathaways: Seasons 1-2
The Minimalists: Less Is Now — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
What Happened to Mr. Cha? — NETFLIX FILM
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
Asphalt Burning (Børning 3) — NETFLIX FILM
Gabby’s Dollhouse — NETFLIX FAMILY
History of Swear Words — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
LA’s Finest: Season 1
¡Nailed It! México: Season 3 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
Ratones Paranoicos: The Band that Rocked Argentina — NETFLIX FILM
Surviving Death — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Tony Parker: The Final Shot — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Pieces of a Woman — NETFLIX FILM
Charming — NETFLIX FILM
Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons: Season 5 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Lupin — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Mighty Little Bheem: Kite Festival — NETFLIX FAMILY
Pretend It’s a City — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Stuck Apart (Azizler) — NETFLIX FILM
The Idhun Chronicles: Part 2 — NETFLIX ANIME
Spring Breakers (2012)
CRACK: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
The Intouchables (2011)
Last Tango in Halifax: Season 4
An Imperfect Murder
Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Bling Empire — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Carmen Sandiego: Season 4 — NETFLIX FAMILY
Disenchantment: Part 3 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Double Dad (Pai Em Dobro) — NETFLIX FILM
Henry Danger: Seasons 1-3
Hook (1991)
Kuroko’s Basketball: Season 1
Outside the Wire — NETFLIX FILM
Penguins of Madagascar: The Movie (2014)
Pinkfong & Baby Shark’s Space Adventure (2019)
The Magicians: Season 5
A Monster Calls (2016)
Radium Girls (2020)
Homefront (2013)
Hello Ninja: Season 4 — NETFLIX FAMILY
Daughter From Another Mother (Madre solo hay dos) — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Sightless (2020)
Spycraft — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Call My Agent!: Season 4 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Blown Away: Season 2 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Busted!: Season 3 — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Fate: The Winx Saga — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous: Season 2 — NETFLIX FAMILY
So My Grandma’s a Lesbian! (Salir del ropero) — NETFLIX FILM
The White Tiger — NETFLIX FILM
Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) — NETFLIX ORIGINAL
Go Dog Go — NETFLIX FAMILY
Accomplice
Penguin Bloom — NETFLIX FILM
Below Zero (Bajocero) — NETFLIX FILM
Finding ‘Ohana — NETFLIX FILM
The Dig — NETFLIX FILM
We Are: The Brooklyn Saints — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Fatima (2020)
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Netflix’s content output has expanded rapidly in recent years. Currently, the service offers four different types of content it brands ‘original’, some of which are accessible everywhere and some of which aren’t:
These are TV programmes or films that have been produced by Netflix and are only distributed via Netflix worldwide.
As you might expect, these programmes or films are created in collaboration with other production houses, including BBC America, ITV, AMC and E4. This content isn’t available on Netflix globally as the partnering broadcaster usually retains the rights for its country.
These are programmes that previously aired on another network which Netflix either picked up after they were cancelled or outbid the network for the rights to air a new series. Continuations are available globally and are exclusive to Netflix.
Although Netflix lists these programmes as ‘originals’, these are TV shows that are either currently airing or have previously aired in one country which Netflix has bought the rights for exclusive distribution in another market. Whether or not you can watch these series is heavily dependent upon where you’re located.
These may seem like minor differences, but due to international copyright laws and distribution restrictions, it’s important to understand the differences and what you can expect in your home versus when you’re using Netflix abroad.
Netflix has dozens of original series. Here are just some of Netflix's best shows:
The Crown
Stranger Things
Sex Education
Orange is the New Black
The Witcher
Messiah
13 Reasons Why
Big Mouth
BoJack Horseman
Narcos
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance
When They See Us
Russian Doll
The Get Down
You
Master of None
Living With Yourself
Netflix's original documentaries often become a hot topic online — lots of its productions end up going viral, either due to controversial subject matter or just genuinely riveting accounts of memorable moments in history.
Here are some of the best documentaries on Netflix right now:
American Factory
The Great Hack
The Devil Next Door
Icarus
Confessions with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes
Knock Down The House
Fyre
World War II In Colour
Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends
Hip-Hop Evolution
Making a Murderer
Explained
The streaming service is fast becoming a hub for stand-up comedy across multiple countries. Here are some notable specials you should see:
Leslie Jones: Time Machine
Mo Gilligan: Momentum
Michelle Wolf: Joke Show
Dave Chapelle: Sticks & Stones
Bill Burr: Paper Tiger
Katherine Ryan: Glitter Room
Ellen DeGeneres: Relatable
Russel Brand: Re:Birth
Trevor Noah: Son of Patricia
Sarah Silverman: A Speck of Dust
Ricky Gervais: Humanity
Reggie Watts: Spatial
Arrested Development
The Killing
Top Boy
Lucifer
Black Mirror
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
Shaun the Sheep (yes, really!)
Better Call Saul
Orphan Black
Once Upon a Time
Shadowhunters
Scream
Archer
Reign
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Pretty Little Liars
Netflix has a huge collection of TV programmes from all over the world available to stream. Some of these change regularly, but you can expect to see series along the lines of:
Breaking Bad
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Gilmore Girls
One Punch Man
The Blue Planet
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Mad Men
Glee
The Thick of It
Rick and Morty
Planet Earth
Absolutely Fabulous
Fargo
Blackadder
How I Met Your Mother
The IT Crowd
Jane the Virgin
Doctor Who
Fargo
The Good Wife
Peep Show
Attack on Titan
South Park
American Horror Story
Although TV programmes are the main draw for Netflix, the service boasts a staggering collection of films across a wide variety of genres, including:
A Quiet Place
Gone Girl
The Death of Stalin
The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Studio Ghibli franchise
Call Me By Your Name
The Babadook
Erin Brokovich
Birdman
Dunkirk
La La Land
Legally Blonde
American Psycho
12 Years A Slave
Thelma & Louise
Netflix has a dedicated kid’s profile with heaps of TV series and films for kids of all ages, such as:
Hotel Transylvania
Peppa Pig
The Angry Birds Movie
Matilda
The Little Prince
Walking with Dinosaurs
The Boss Baby: Back in Business
Yu-Gi-Oh!
Minions
Paw Patrol
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Sam & Cat
Shrek
Peter Rabbit