If comedies are TV's comfort food, then great dramas are the televisual equivalent of a fine dining experience. There's nothing quite like getting invested in a show that serves up depth, twists, and all of the emotions a person can possibly handle experiencing in a single hour. Thankfully, Netflix [1] has some of the greatest dramatic TV shows of all time available on the streaming site.
From modern classics to original series [2] and must-see throwbacks, Netflix's drama category [3] is stacked. Of course, this also means choosing a show to become way too emotionally invested in isn't easy. Don't let the sheer number of choices available keep you from diving into a new-to-you hour-long show that will feed your mind while also keeping you up late into the night watching episodes.
Read on to discover the 22 dramatic TV shows on Netflix [4] that you need in your life.
Mad Men
The world of New York City's '60s advertising business provides the backdrop to one of TV's greatest dramas. While Don Draper and his perpetual existential crisis drive the series, Mad Men [5] is at its best when it puts the feminist awakenings of its female characters like Peggy, Joan, and Betty front and center.
Watch it now. [6]
Orange Is the New Black
Netflix's women in prison drama is a wonderfully inclusive series that balances humor with heartbreak in every single episode. No other show is quite as committed to telling women's stories as this one.
Watch it now. [7]
Breaking Bad
Walter White's journey from high school chemistry teacher to ruthless drug dealer is a character study for the ages. Breaking Bad isn't always easy to watch, but it is always rewarding. (The show's underrated spinoff, Better Call Saul [8], is available on Netflix too.)
Watch it now. [9]
The Crown
Queen Elizabeth II's rise to power makes for a breathtaking viewing experience. From the incredible visual decadence to the quietly powerful performance from Claire Foy, this is one Netflix original that shouldn't be missed.
Watch it now. [10]
Jane the Virgin
Not all dramas are dark and dreary. Jane the Virgin finds drama in everyday life as it follows three generations of women chasing their dreams, falling in love, and facing the trials of motherhood at every stage.
Watch it now. [11]
13 Reasons Why
There's nothing easy about watching Hannah Baker's story unfold, but this searing drama won't let you look away from her pain or stop rooting for her friends to find justice for her.
Watch it now. [12]
Dexter
The less said about the last two seasons, the better, but for most of its run, Dexter was a compulsively watchable drama about a serial killer who channeled his bloody urges into killing killers.
Watch it now. [15]
Marvel's Jessica Jones
The superhero P.I. is by far the most compelling of Netflix's Marvel heroes. A hard-drinking cynic, Jessica knows the world is unjust better than most, but that only makes her quest for justice all the more moving.
Watch it now. [16]
Luther
Idris Elba poured his heart and soul into the character of Luther, and his immense talent will keep you queuing up episode after episode of this crime series.
Watch it now. [17]
Mindhunter
Who knew watching people discover what makes serial killers tick would make for such fascinating TV? Apparently, Netflix did, because that's how the world ended up with the slow-burn series Mindhuter.
Watch it now. [18]
Riverdale
Archie gets dark in this thrilling, pulpy teen drama that mixes sipping milkshakes and murder to create a nostalgia-tinged romp.
Watch it now. [19]
Happy Valley
A tough, wise-cracking cop balances her troubled home life with her even more troubling job in this delicious British import.
Watch it now. [20]
The West Wing
An oldie, but a goodie. The world will always need the wisdom of President Bartlet.
Watch it now. [21]
Parenthood
Before This Is Us was making you sob on a weekly basis, the Bravermans were keeping viewers reaching for the tissues with their emotional family dramas.
Watch it now. [22]
The Fall
Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan play an epic game of cat and mouse in this series about a cop hot on the trail of a serial killer who's leading a double life.
Watch it now. [23]
Ozark
Ozark is like Breaking Bad with an added dose of family unity that makes the central couple's life of crime all the more compelling.
Watch it now. [24]
Gilmore Girls
Once you visit Stars Hollow and meet the fast-talking, coffee-swigging Gilmores, you'll never want to leave.
Watch it now. [25]
Broadchurch
A small town is rocked by the murder of a child in this brilliant but bleak British mystery series starring David Tennant and Olivia Colman.
Watch it now. [26]
Penny Dreadful
A gothic masterpiece, Penny Dreadful is a reminder that genre TV can be highbrow and entertaining.
Watch it now. [27]
Bates Motel
Norman and Norma Bates's relationship is twisted, disturbing, and impossible to look away from.
Watch it now. [28]
Peaky Blinders
Centered on a dangerous gang in post-World War I London, Peaky Blinders is a bloody good time.
Watch it now. [29]