The five best limited series to watch on Netflix this weekend
Netflix weekends have always been considered sacred. You know the drill: snacks on the table, phone on silent (okay, maybe half-silent), and a series you can actually finish before Sunday night dread kicks in. All thanks to the limited series that hit the sweet spot.
You have no endless seasons and no bloated filler episodes. Just tight storytelling, you can conquer in a weekend. And lucky for us, Netflix has some gems that feel like they were made exactly for this mood.
The best part? These shows are often underrated. They are a little offbeat and not the usual “top 10 trending” suspects you scroll past every week. They are the ones that slipped under the radar, waiting for the perfect weekend to pull you in. Expect a dose of comedy, a dash of drama, a little sprinkle of history and even some music thrown into the perfect recipe for binging this weekend.
Honestly, what can be more satisfying than finishing a whole story in one sitting? On that note, here are the five best limited series you need to watch on Netflix this weekend.
The five best limited series to watch on Netflix this weekend
Crashing (2016)
Six months prior to the release of Fleabag, which made Phoebe Waller-Bridge a household name, she gave us Crashing. A messy, hilarious, and painfully relatable comedy about twenty-somethings squatting in an abandoned hospital. It is basically what happens when you mash together these individuals with zero adulting skills into six perfect episodes.
The show is loud and wildly honest about the weird limbo of figuring out life and love in your twenties. It feels like watching your own group chat come to life on screen, complete with bad decisions. You have everything from messy hookups to conversations that make you laugh out loud because you have definitely been there. The rest of the cast includes Jonathan Bailey (Netflix favourite Lord Anthony), Julie Dray, Damien Molony, Louise Ford and Adrian Scarborough.
Tokyo Trial (2016)
Tokyo Trial could be a perfect fit if you want something a tad more serious. It is history wrapped in gripping courtroom drama, perfect for a brainy watch. This four-part series follows the international tribunal set up after World War II, as judges from around the world wrestle with justice mixed with politics and the weight of rebuilding a broken world. With an international cast and sharp writing, it is premium television that does not drag.
What makes it weekend-worthy is its ability to make history feel alive and not like a dusty textbook you have always dreaded picking up. The tension between the judges when they deal with the moral dilemmas and the quiet humanity of the story make it surprisingly addictive.
The Get Down (2016)
Baz Luhrmann’s The Get Down is pure magic. It may have been critiqued for having a little more style than substance, but when was that ever too bad a thing? It is set in the Bronx during the birth of hip-hop and disco and is a visually stunning masterpiece. It takes you on a ride through music, culture, and survival in the late 1970s. Think loads of glitter mixed with an energy that does not quit.
It is part musical and part history lesson. The show is packed with heart and spectacle, the kind of thing that makes you want to dance along while also googling old-school records. It is a flashy experiment by Netflix that deserved way more love than it got.
Everything Sucks! (2018)
Sydney Sweeney sure is making headlines with her new American Eagle advertisement, but this is one of those initial cinemas which brought her into the limelight in the first place. Yes, we are talking about Everything Sucks! Remember the awkwardness of high school? This show captures it perfectly. Set in the 1990s with all the cringe fashion, VHS tapes, and teen angst you could ask for, it is a nostalgic throwback that defies the decades to still feel fresh.
It nails a messy mix of first crushes and teenage melodrama and, of course, identity crises, which makes it hilarious and surprisingly touching. Since it is only one season, you can dive in and relive all the awkwardness without having to drag yourself through endless “will they, won’t they” arcs.
The Waterfront (2025)
Now, for the last pick, we have got you a recent release, The Waterfront. This show is pure “don’t trust anyone” TV, and honestly, that’s what makes it binge gold. Picture a seaside town where the docks are supposed to mean community and hard work, but what you actually get is smuggling, corruption, and enough family drama to fuel three seasons of therapy.
What makes it fun is how personal the mess feels. This is not a faceless crime. It has both parents and lovers getting tangled up in choices that could either save or sink them. One minute you are rooting for them, the next you are wondering why you ever trusted them in the first place. It is exactly the kind of show you finish in one sitting because you have to know who makes it out alive.