Aside from asking everyone you know what they’re watching, Netflix’s self-reported Top 10 rankings are pretty much the only way to tell how popular a Netflix show or movie is. The list for Friday, Oct. 16 is topped by The Haunting of Bly Manor, the second season of Mike Flanagan’s horror anthology, followed by Netflix’s latest Adam Sandler movie Hubie Halloween at No. 2. Emily in Paris has been at No. 3 for over a week, and the 2011 Brad Pitt business of baseball movie Moneyball has moved up to No. 4 after making its debut on the list yesterday.
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.
Best New Shows and Movies on Netflix This Week: Unsolved Mysteries Season 2, Grand Army
Based on Netflix’s Top 10 from Friday, Oct. 16
1. The Haunting of Bly Manor
For fans of: Horror that makes you sad | Is it good?: Yes
Season 2 of the moody, emotionally heavy horror anthology (the first was The Haunting of Hill House) is loosely based on Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw. If you don’t go into it expecting a Hill House redux, you won’t be disappointed, because Bly Manor is really good, but it’s different. [TV Guide review] (Yesterday’s rank: 1)
2. Hubie Halloween
For fans of: Sandler at his silliest | Is it good?: Honestly…yes
Adam Sandler plays a weird, easily scared guy named Hubie who’s Salem, Mass.’ self-appointed “Halloween monitor,” which means he annoys everyone and everyone ignores him. But then spoOoOky stuff starts happening, and it’s up to Hubie to save Halloween. If you go into it expecting to have a lighthearted good time, you will. [TV Guide review] (Yesterday’s rank: 2)
3. Emily in Paris
For fans of: Sex and the City, Younger, Ze French | Is it good?: It’s a rom-com, for better and worse
Taking off to Paris sounds like a dream given the current circumstances, so watch Emily do it in this romantic comedy about a young Yank who takes a job in the City of Light to lend an American perspective — perhaps too aggressively American — to a French marketing firm. And as one does in Paris, she joneses for some looooove. [TV Guide review / More shows like Emily in Paris] (Yesterday’s rank: 3)
4. Moneyball
For fans of: Serious actor Jonah Hill | Is it good?: It’s excellent
Brad Pitt stars as former Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane in this sports biopic about Beane and his assistant GM Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) as they try to use advanced statistics to build a team of undervalued role players that can compete for a title. The script was written by Aaron Sorkin and Steve Zaillian, two of Hollywood’s most accomplished screenwriters, and the film as a whole was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture. It’s really good. (Yesterday’s rank: 8)
5. Schitt’s Creek
For fans of: Good vibes, Arrested Development, Catherine O’Hara | Is it good?: It’s simply the best
Following a night to remember at this year’s Emmys, the critics’ comedy darling brings its final season to Netflix, the service it owes for much of its rejuvenated success following a much less-seen run on Pop TV. It’s a busy season, with its characters heading to complete their arcs, but it never loses touch with its warmth. [TV Guide review] (Yesterday’s rank: 4)
6. The 100
For fans of: post-apocalyptic sci-fi | Is it good?: People are mad about the final season
The seventh and final season of The 100 is now on Netflix, and according to our colleague Lindsay MacDonald’s Twitter mentions, it’s controversial. Check it out and decide for yourself. (Yesterday’s rank: 5)
7. The Cabin with Bert Kreischer
For fans of: The Joe Rogan Experience | Is it good?: If you already like the people involved, it’s got some fun parts
Comedian Bert Kreischer and his famous friends chill at a cabin in the woods and do woods stuff as well as self-help stuff. It’s a pure hangout show that’s already given us one hilarious moment of comic Ms. Pat roasting The Big Bang Theory to Kaley Cuoco’s million-dollars-an-episode face. (Yesterday’s rank: 6)
8. Evil
For fans of: The X-Files, canned margaritas | Is it good?: We say it’s the fourth best show on television
Season 1 of this CBS procedural is now on loan to Netflix to build interest in the show before Season 2 premieres later this year. It uses the tried-and-true premise of a skeptic (a forensic psychologist played by Katja Herbers) and a believer (a priest in training played by Mike Colter) investigating inexplicable occurrences, in this case possible demonic possessions on behalf of the Catholic Church’s, how should we say, exorcism department. Since it comes from The Good Wife‘s Robert and Michelle King, it has an uncommon amount of intelligence, ripped-from-the-headlines relevance, and off-kilter humor. Highly recommended. (Yesterday’s rank: 7)
9. One on One
For fans of: UPN sitcoms | Is it good?: People have fond memories of it
This sitcom ran on UPN for five seasons from 2001 to 2006 and starred Flex Alexander as a sportscaster who suddenly becomes a full-time single father to his teenage daughter (Kyla Pratt) when his ex moves out of the country. It’s on Netflix now as part of the streaming service’s pickup of a collection of Black sitcoms from the ’90s and early ’00s. It doesn’t have the same nostalgia factor as Girlfriends or Sister, Sister, but it’s worthwhile if you’ve watched the other shows like it on Netflix. (Yesterday’s rank: N/A)
10. Cocomelon
For fans of: Singalongs, nursery rhymes | Is it good?: Little kids can’t get enough of it
The other day I met someone who works for the company that makes Cocomelon, and she gave me some context about how it got so big on YouTube that other companies started licensing it in order to get a piece of the Cocomelon pie. It’s one of those things that if you’re not regularly around little kids, you might not ever hear about it, but if you are, it’s all you hear about. (Yesterday’s rank: 9)
Lucifer, The Baby-Sitters Club, Love Is Blind