The Netflix Top 10 list won’t tell you how many people are watching a show, but it will tell you which shows people are watching the most. The Top 10 list for Wednesday, Dec. 2 finds Virgin River Season 2 holding on to its No. 1 spot, while the Ryan Phillippe action movie The 2nd has moved up behind it, bumping the Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn-starring new release The Christmas Chronicles 2 down from No. 2 to No. 3. Both the wildly successful limited series The Queen’s Gambit and The Crown continue to hold strong in the top 5, with a couple of new additions to the list in its second half.
But of the Netflix Top 10, which of these shows and movies are actually worth watching? We break down the entire Netflix Top 10 list and guide you through what to binge and what to skip.
The Best TV Shows and Movies on Netflix in November 2020
Based on Netflix’s Top 10 from Wednesday, Dec. 2
1. Virgin River
For fans of: Hallmarkian romance, heartwarming tearjerkers | Is it good?: It’s a fun time for any hopeless romantic out there
Adapted from the Virgin River novels by author Robyn Carr, the romantic drama stars Alexandra Breckenridge as Melinda “Mel” Monroe, a midwife and nurse practitioner from Los Angeles who moves to a beautiful but remote Northern California town following a series of traumatic heartbreaks. It all has a very Hallmark vibe to it, but in a good way! (Yesterday’s rank: 1)
2. The 2nd
For fans of: Ryan Phillippe, corny action movies | Is it good?: Not particularly
Ryan Phillippe plays a man named Vic Davis tasked with rescuing his son’s crush, who is also the daughter of a Supreme Court justice, after she gets kidnapped. Since she’s someone else’s child, The 2nd puts a spin on the usual “daughter gets taken” plot. (Yesterday’s rank: 3)
3. The Christmas Chronicles 2
For fans of: Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Christmas | Is it good?: The first is better, but it still gives a good dose of holiday cheer
In the sequel to 2018’s The Christmas Chronicles, Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn return as Santa and Mrs. Claus, which is pretty delightful all on its own. There’s also a plot here, though, with Kate Pierce (Darby Camp), who has grown into a cynical teen, reuniting with the Clauses to help save Christmas after it’s threatened by an elf gone bad. (Yesterday’s rank: 2)
4. The Queen’s Gambit
For fans of: Chess, drugs, and character drama | Is it good?: It’s one of the best shows of the year
Budding superstar Anya Taylor-Joy (she’s been cast as young Furiosa in the next Mad Max movie) stars in this literary adaptation as Beth Harmon, a brilliant but troubled chess champion in 1950s Kentucky. She was an orphan who, in her youth, developed an incredible skill for the game but also a debilitating addiction to pills, which quiet her obsessive mind. It’s a detailed character study of brilliance and madness that’s usually reserved for male characters. It comes from one of Netflix’s go-to limited series producers, Godless‘ Scott Frank. (Yesterday’s rank: 4)
5. The Crown
For fans of: Palace intrigue, the Royals | Is it good?: It’s the best season yet
The ambitious, decades-spanning drama series about Queen Elizabeth II is back for its second season with Olivia Colman in the lead and its fourth season overall, and it adds two pivotally important characters into the mix: Margaret Thatcher (the great Gillian Anderson) and Princess Diana (Emma Corrin), who both clash with the Queen. Their addition breathes fresh life into the series, which remains one of the grandest on all of television. (Yesterday’s rank: 5)
6. Peppermint
For fans of: Jennifer Garner, moms getting revenge | Is it good?: Not really
Jennifer Garner plays a mother on a mission to exact her revenge on the cartel that killed her husband and daughter. It was critically panned and is full of typical action movie clichés, but Garner’s performance makes it watchable. (Yesterday’s rank: n/a)
7. The Grinch
For fans of: the Grinch | Is it good?: It’s fine
Benedict Cumberbatch voices Dr. Seuss’ iconic green guy who learns to love Christmas. You know the story, and this CG adaptation doesn’t add much to it. But it doesn’t detract anything from it, either. It’s better than the Jim Carrey version, but not as good as the original version. (Yesterday’s rank: 6)
8. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
For fans of: Jim Carrey, Baby Grinch | Is it good?: People certainly love it
The second Grinch on this list, Jim Carrey‘s 2000 adaptation of the Dr. Seuss book has become a holiday classic for plenty of people. If you’re a fan, you’ve probably already made a plan to revisit it for the holidays. (Yesterday’s rank: 9)
9. Cocomelon
For fans of: Mashed vegetables, pacifiers | Is it good?: For babies, sure
Colorful objects, preschool songs, and big-headed babies make this catnip for toddlers and younger kids who get screentime. (Yesterday’s rank: 10)
10. Rust Creek
For fans of: Survival thrillers, anxiety | Is it good?: Yes
A college student takes a wrong turn on her way to a job interview, leaving her stranded in an unfamiliar forest. She suddenly finds herself being pursued by two ruthless men and is forced to hide out with a mysterious meth cook in order to survive. It’s a wild ride. (Yesterday’s rank: n/a)
The Best Netflix Originals of 2020 So Far
Lucifer, The Baby-Sitters Club, Love Is Blind” width=”2070″ height=”1380″ title=”Lucifer, The Baby-Sitters Club, Love Is Blind” data-amp-src=”https://tvguide1.cbsistatic.com/i/r/2020/09/17/505dd032-3cbb-41bc-b9c7-b25aa75a8297/watermark/706d004f9a37fe96bd7085c7f19efb3c/netflix-2020-reg.jpg”>Lucifer, The Baby-Sitters Club, Love Is Blind