Netflix is packed with old shows that you’ve glossed over. Sure, they were first aired elsewhere, but that’s besides the point: these are the best old shows you can find on Netflix right now.
6
Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)
Watch Gilmore Girls on Netflix
Relationships are at the center of this long-running comedy-drama series, which aired for seven seasons, comprising 153 episodes, on The WB, later becoming The CW. It starred Laura Graham and Alexis Bedel as a mother-daughter duo whose relationship was more like a best friendship than a traditional parent-child dynamic. In 2016, the main cast from the series returned for a four-part miniseries on Netflix, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.
The show Gilmore Girls sustained its audience base throughout its entire run because of several essential factors. The central bond between the main characters proved most vital because it connected with audience members. Additionally, the series maintained its freshness through co-creator Amy Sherman-Palladino’s witty dialogue, which included fast-paced writing and pop culture references that were entertaining during its time and potentially funnier in 2025. The fictional town of Stars Hollow, along with its wonderful supporting characters, also made the show appealing to audiences.
No show is perfect, and the same can be said about Gilmore Girls. It lacked diversity by today’s standards, and its later seasons weren’t as crisp as the earlier ones. In particular, the sixth and seventh seasons are often regarded as the weakest ones. They also happened to be the seasons after the creators, Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, left the show. Regardless, Gilmore Girls offers a fun ride through the early years of this century.
5
Lost (2004-2010)
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One of the best series early this century, ABC’s Lost, still causes fans (and non-fans alike) to question what it was about. On the surface, it was a story of plane crash survivors who were forced to survive on an unknown island. Right beneath its surface, however, Lost was a series that left us with unanswered questions that still rattle viewers today.
Primarily developed and helmed by Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, Lost ran for six seasons. During that time, we got to see how the main characters were before the crash (through flashbacks) and later, how they might have been in the future (through flash-forwards). In between, we saw rich and sometimes interconnected backstories among the characters that made us smile and cry, depending on the action.
What makes Lost still special isn’t how it ended, because whether the final episode was a success is open to debate. Instead, Lost’s positive light still shines because of the characters we met each week. Each was complex with backstories that took time to unfold, making every episode an adventure. If you haven’t watched Lost, try it now. If you have, watch it again as it holds up pretty well.
4
Arrested Development (2003-2006, 2013-19)
Watch Arrested Development on Netflix
Satirical sitcoms aren’t usually my thing. I felt the same about Arrested Development, which first aired on FOX between 2003-2006 before the show quietly went off the air—only to return a decade later on Netflix for two more seasons. It was when the second batch arrived that I started watching the show from episode one, and it changed my opinion.
Arrested Development is about the dysfunctional Bluth family headed by George Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) and Lucille (Jessica Walter). When George is arrested, hence the series’ name, it’s up to the family’s lineup of eccentric siblings to keep the family’s real estate business afloat. This is a comedy that doesn’t exactly go as planned, which makes for 84 glorious episodes.
Told in a mockumentary style (think The Office), Arrested Development also starred some now-familiar names in Hollywood, including Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett, and many others.
If you’re into deadpan humor, you’ll almost certainly love Arrested Development—though it’s not quite on my list of the best shows for comfort binge-watching.
3
Roswell, New Mexico (2019-22)
Watch Roswell, New Mexico on Netflix
Back in 1999, Roswell aired for three seasons on The WB network and later UPN (currently streaming on Hulu). The science fiction series was based on the young adult book series by Melinda Metz, Roswell High. When it originally aired, Roswell never had a large audience. Thanks to streaming, however, a new generation found it, which led to a sequel on The CW: Roswell, New Mexico.
The newer series aired for four seasons and features many of the same character names and storylines as the original. However, the reboot explored more adult themes and societal issues.
Roswell, New Mexico, is a hidden gem that tells stories that are both inspiring and engaging. Although it features fictional aliens, it tackles subjects that we humans must conquer every single day, which makes it worth your time.
2
Six Feet Under (2001-2005)
Watch Six Feet Under on Netflix
Before Michael C. Hall became Dexter, he was David Fisher for four seasons on HBO’s critically acclaimed Six Feet Under. The series, created by Alan Ball (American Beauty), followed the Fisher family, who were forced to take over the family business—a Los Angeles funeral home—after the death of their patriarch. The drama told stories of, not surprisingly, life and death, personal identity, and the sometimes strangeness of relationships.
I watched Six Feet Under when it originally aired, but I recently revisited it a second time. I believe it works much better as a binge series than one that requires waiting for a new episode each week. It makes the overarching subject material much easier to deal with and the character development more noticeable. It’s not for everyone, however.
With Six Feet Under, you’re going to see a lot that is bizarre and also unsettling. However, if you can swallow all of that, expect a fun ride that’s inspirational, sometimes funny, and always thought-provoking.
1
Home Improvement (1991-1999)
Watch Home Improvement on Netflix
Airing on ABC, Home Improvement was a comedy about a husband and father, Tim Taylor (played by Tim Allen), who hosted a popular home-improvement show. Each week’s show featured storylines set in his home, while others showed life at the “Tool Time” studio.
Home Improvement featured Patricia Richardson as wife Jill, Richard Karn as Tim’s sidekick Al, and Earl Hindman as Wilson Wilson Jr., the Taylors’ neighbor, whose face is famously never fully shown. There were also the three Taylor sons, played by Zachery Ty Bryan, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, and Taran Noah Smith.
The series spanned 204 episodes over eight seasons. Today, it’s considered one of the best American sitcoms of all time. Even after all these years, it holds up remarkably well, although some aspects do feel a little dated, which is to be expected.
No doubt, one of the top reasons to subscribe to Netflix is to watch the new shows it produces. And yet, there are hundreds of older shows, including some amazing one-season wonders, that offer just what you need as a viewer. The ones above are worth your time.
