Netflix has always been the best place to go to watch your favorite series or movie, but in 2018 it really pulled out all of the stops with their Netflix Original films and shows. The recent buzz around Netflix has surfaced in the media, and there were big names being mentioned. Being in high school means that social media drives most of our lives, so hearing about a new movie or show is not that unheard of, which is why Netflix’s subscription numbers have risen to 148 million in the fourth quarter in 2018. Here are the top 10 Netflix Originals of 2018.

Birdbox

The 2018 Netflix thriller, Birdbox, broke records for streaming services everywhere. Within the first seven days after the debut, it had 48 million accounts that had already watched it. Most think the reason Birdbox drew in so many views, is because of the big names in the movie, like Sandra Bullock and Sarah Paulson. The story follows a group of survivors after a mysterious epidemic breaks out across the world. The only way to survive is to not look. Amberly Butler, a senior, shared that Birdbox was rated R for a reason, it was suspenseful yet graphic. Still, it pulled her in. Birdbox has kept the audience on their seats and there is no wondering why it sits number one on the list.

13 Reasons Why

The Netflix original series 13 Reasons Why returned in 2018 with season two. When it first premiered in 2017 there was a circle of social controversy around the idea of a tv show revolving around the topic of suicide. Some thought that the show itself was glorifying the idea of suicide and was giving youth the wrong idea about suicide. While others thought that the show did a great job touching on the topic and showing the raw emotion that comes with suicide and how it affects everyone around that person. Putting the controversy aside, the show did great in the Netflix ratings, hence why it came back for a second season, and sits at number two on the list.

Black Mirror

Black Mirror started a new wave of television on Netflix. Now the original tv series on Netflix did not premiere in 2018, the newest addition, Bandersnatch did. Bandersnatch paved a new wave of TV, being Netflix’s choose your own adventure show. This drew the audience in immediately, because who doesn’t want to be able to choose where the story goes? Senior Dajour Rucker shared that Black Mirror has been one of Netflix’s best productions in a while. It is highly intricate and disturbing to the fact that it makes you question your own reality. This is what makes it one of the greatest of 2018.

Haunting of Hill House

The Haunting of Hill House has been one of Netflix’s most popular thrillers of the year. This is a re-imagining of the 1959 classic horror novel, by Shirley Jackson. Netflix promoted the show as a ten-episode limited series and fans want more. It followed a family of siblings and their life while living at the Hill House and how it affected their lives after. On Rotten Tomatoes, The Haunting of Hill House has an approval rating of 92% based on 87 reviews, with an average rating of 8.38/10. On the site, the critics say that “The Haunting of Hill House is an effective ghost story whose steadily mounting anticipation is just as satisfying as its chilling payoff.” The show’s reviews are just one example of why this show sits so high up on the top 10 2018 list.

End of the F-ing World

In early 2018 Netflix premiered End of the F-Ing World, which is a British show based on a very popular comic series, by Charles Forsman. Netflix did a great job giving everyone a sense of a teenage serial killer and his journey with love. This seemed to be an odd combination, which is what made this show so unique. The characters are two seventeen-year-old outsiders, who embark on a road trip to discover who they are and who they want to be. On their way then encounter one disaster after another. Then show as a whole is an emotional rollercoaster and viewers loved to ride along with them.

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before had a lot of different opinions when it came out onto Netflix. It is a put in the category of “teen romance”, which draws the attention of young viewers. A teenage girls’ love letters have been exposed to all the boys that she had written them to, but she never intended on them reading the letters. The main character, Lara Jean, is an Asian-American, which caused attention from viewers because the lead role was written as an Asian-American descent just as the book. On Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of viewers actually enjoyed the Netflix film. Noah Centineo stars in the film, which brings a lot of younger views, as Noah is a beloved actor within the Netflix Originals.

Big Mouth

Big Mouth was another Netflix Original that returned for its second season due to its popularity, sitting at number seven on the list. Big Mouth started the beginning of Netflix’s adult cartoon productions, even though its topic is on adolescent puberty. Stock Watson, senior explained why the show was so popular and why it was deserving of another season. At first, all he knew about the show was that it was incredibly inappropriate. After watching he realized it was, but it was touching on a subject that has seemed to be taboo in television. This show was not afraid to not censor things and keep the raw, awkwardness that is puberty. Over time as he paid more attention to the show, he realized that there was a bigger message behind the whole show, that puberty is messy and one of the biggest rough patches in life. But unfortunately, everyone has to go through it an has to learn to get over it like everything else in life. Big Mouth pulled in most of its viewers the same way it did Stock, originally with crude humor and cartoons and then eventually with the reality and relatability of puberty.

What Happened To Monday

The Netflix Original, What Happened To Monday, is a dramatic, futuristic thriller, set in 2043. It follows the storyline of the worlds overpopulation issue and the only way to solve it, was the one-child policy. Seven siblings are born into a world where they don’t belong, and end up having to trick the government to believe they were all one person. Viewers were kept on the edge of their seats the entire movie, only knowing that this could actually happen in their lives. This Netflix Original sits at number seven on the list because it is definitely worth the watch, even though it may not be number one on the list.

Fuller House

We all have heard of the TV show, Full House, which came out in 1987. In 2018, they brought back most of the cast from the original show for a “reunion” show. The show focuses on DJ Tanner-Fuller, who is a veterinarian and a widowed mother of three sons. The new show reflects some of the same plot ideas as the original Full House. Such as a single mother, instead of a single father like in the original. The show is based in San Francisco, California. The whole crew lives together in one home, just like in the original, and the show goes through their daily, chaotic adventures. Only 74% of viewers liked Fuller House, which can go either way, good or bad. Most likely, people only enjoyed Fuller House because they liked seeing the original cast come back together for one last time.

Insatiable

Insatiable took 2018 by storm. The main character, Patty, had been bullied in her high school because of her weight. She then became thin and wanted to seek revenge on the people who treated her terribly. Patty meets a disgraced attorney who sees Patty’s potential in beauty pageants. Bob, the attorney, and his wife, Coralee don’t know the full lengths that Patty will go to get revenge on the people who have done her wrong. When the show first came out there was some disagreement on whether it was about embracing your body and not body shaming or the complete opposite, body shaming and fat shaming. The actress who plays Patty, Debby Ryan, shared that the whole show was supposed to be a satire on how society treats body positivity and body shaming. Even though many people agree that the show did well on Netflix, it didn’t beat the other choices on the list, placing it last.