1-season Netflix show that’s a ‘banger’ from start to finish | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV
A quick, one-season Netflix show has been hailed as a “banger”, with viewers urging others to tune in and see it for themselves. There’s an abundance of television shows and miniseries available on the hit streaming service, with some fans fatigued at the prospect of finding something to watch. Many often turn to social media looking for recommendations and guidance, with one Reddit user “begging” others for their top recommendations for shows that were only one season long and definitely not a “slow burn”.
Fellow Netflix subscribers were quick to share their views, with many heavy hitters mentioned. Some recommended crime drama Broadchurch, stressing the first season can be enjoyed without any need to watch the second and third; some suggested sci-fi action show Altered Carbon but said “stop at season one” and “under no circumstances acknowledge that there is another season”; while others praised 2025 psychological thriller The Beast In Me.
But lots urged people to settle down for a seven-episode miniseries that made a star out of its lead actor after its release in 2020, with some fans confessing they’ve rewatched it every year since.
The Reddit user titled their post “need a ONE-SEASON banger Netflix show” and explained: “I’m begging at this point. I don’t want a slow burn. I don’t want ‘it gets good in season three.’ I want a ONE-SEASON show on Netflix that just hits from start to finish.
“Something so good I finish it in one sitting, stare at the wall afterward, and rethink my existence. No fillers. No dragging. Just straight banger energy.
“Any genre is fine – thriller, mystery, drama, sci-fi – as long as it’s elite. Please save me from scrolling Netflix for 40 minutes and watching nothing”.
The show in question is The Queen’s Gambit, based on the 1983 book of the same name by author Walter Tevis. Fronted by Anya Taylor-Joy in a star-making performance as orphaned chess prodigy Beth Harmon, the series charts her life and rise to become the best chess player in the world, all while battling addiction and a penchant for self-destructive behaviour.
Set in the mid 1950s and 60s, the show explores Beth’s childhood and present, as her dependency on drugs and alcohol worsens on her path to glory. In the comments section, one person sparked the praise from fellow fans with a simple answer: “Queen’s Gambit”.
Another replied: “I watched Queen’s Gambit with two other people, all three of us had different TV show tastes, and we all LOVED it.” A third agreed: “You don’t even need to know chess to understand.”
A fourth said: “This is the right answer.” Someone else said: “Fine, I will rewatch it for a fourth time!”
Another commented: “I rewatch it religiously almost every year. Only a few series get this honour.”
And another added: “The best original Netflix show ever imho [in my humble opinion]. Been in love with ATJ [Anya Taylor Joy] ever since.”
