Netflix shows can be very divisive. This streamer is known for putting out an extreme amount of content every month, canceling shows that don’t work right away, and taking the time to continue shows that do work. Still, there’s no denying that Netflix has churned out some of the best and most memorable television shows of recent years, many of which feature some instantly iconic characters.
From chess experts to little girls of great mental strength to English men, these characters are among the most famous and beloved personalities of modern television. Luckily for fans, Netflix seems to want to keep this character as long as possible.
10 Titus Andromedon — ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ (2015-2020)
Sitcom characters can be bland to mediocre or standouts that steal every scene they appear in: Titus Andromedon is the last one. Played by the funny Titus BurgessTitus Andromedon is the best character in the Netflix sitcom Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Titus is a larger than life, flamboyant and utterly hysterical fighting actor who is the heart and soul of the show. Burgess received critical acclaim for her performance, including five Emmy nominations. Iconic and well loved, Titus Andromedon has had some of the show’s most iconic moments, including his now famous recreation Beyonce‘S Lemonade.
9 Joe Goldberg – ‘You’ (2018-)
Penn Badgley rose to fame playing Dan “Lonely Boy” Humphrey on The CW’s teen hit Gossip Girl. However, the actor accepted the role in his career with the Netflix psychological thriller You, based on the eponymous novel. The plot revolves around Joe Goldberg, a serial killer who develops an unhealthy obsession for young women, whom he then targets.
Captivating yet deeply unsettling, Joe Goldberg is a monstrous creation, the embodiment of the average hiding the absolute manifestation of mad obsession. Badgley’s performance has been praised by fans and critics alike, with many considering him worthy of award consideration, especially in the show’s early seasons. You will return for a fifth and final season, but Joe’s place in pop culture is firmly established.
8 Anthony Bridgerton – ‘Bridgerton’ (2020-Present)
Bridgerton is one of Netflix’s biggest and most unexpected hits. Bringing sex and hotness into the period section, Bridgerton redefining the boundaries of a genre long considered virgin and safe. Season 1 introduced Jonathan BaileyViscount Anthony Bridgerton, an overprotective woman who took some getting used to. However, Season 2 took his story forward, developing his character and turning him into a Netflix staple.
Anthony is still hard to love, but Bailey finds vulnerability in him, creating a Byronic hero worthy of standing alongside Heathcliffs and Darcys in this period romance. Bridgerton capitalizes on its sexy setting, but it would be nothing without the right actors; luckily for the fans, Bailey more than did his job.
7 Seong Gi-hun — ‘Squid Game’ (2021-)
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No Netflix show has been more successful or surprising than Squid Game. The survival drama follows a group of desperate individuals who agree to participate in a series of deadly contests based on a child’s game with a prize pool of $35 million.
Squid Gamethe protagonist, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung Jae), is the perfect average Joe for audiences to root for. Flawed but still relatable, Gi-hun is a complex character with a dark side. However, the show has never lost empathy for him, turning him into an unlikely hero in one of television’s most brutal and unique competitions. Squid Game was a spectacular success for Netflix, thanks in large part to Gi-hun, a character tied to pop culture glory.
6 Wednesday Addams — ‘Wednesday’ (2022-)
Netflix’s latest breakthrough hit is Tim Burton-producing supernatural comedies Wednesday. Based on the beloved character created by Charles Addams, this show revolves around Wednesday Addams, who gets involved in a murder mystery while enrolling at Nevermore Academy.
Jenna Ortega brought new life to the character Wednesday, turning him into an icon for a new generation. The actress gives a dry but fun performance that will win over even the most skeptical audience. Ortega is the beating heart of the show, single-handedly transcending conventional teen dramas without his confident, compelling performances.
5 Geralt of Rivia — ‘The Witch’ (2019)
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Throw a coin at your sorcerer, indeed. Henry Cavill stars—for now—as Geralt of Rivia on Netflix The Witch, adapted from Andrzej Sapkowski’s novel. The plot follows three characters whose beliefs intertwine while living on the Continent, a world infested with monsters.
Geralt of Rivia is already well known thanks to CD Projekt’s hugely successful video game series. However, Cavill did the impossible, taking a loved one and making it his own. Henry Cavill is Geralt, embodies the character’s grit, dry wit, elusive wisdom, and hidden vulnerability to a tee. The actor will be leaving the show after the upcoming Season 3, and his absence will leave a void that no actor can compensate for.
4 Mart & Wendy Byrder — ‘Ozark’ (2017-2022)
Ozark is Netflix’s answer to Falling apart. Jason Bateman And Laura Linney stars as Marty and Wendy Byrde, a married couple who become money launderers after moving to the Lake of the Ozarks region of central Missouri.
Bateman and Linney put on the show of a lifetime Ozark. Marty and Wendy are two of television’s most complicated, efficient, charming, and terrifying characters, ranging from a seemingly harmless suburban couple to violent criminals who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. The two actors create chilling depictions of ambition and corruption, deftly presenting the characters’ descent into darkness. Ozark is a classic tale of the broken morality and promise of the American dream, with Bateman and Linney as the perfect catalysts.
3 Beth Harmon – ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ (2020)
Queen’s Gambit was a bonafide phenomenon when it premiered in Fall 2020. Anya Taylor-Joy stars as Beth Harmon, a chess expert struggling with drug and alcohol addiction while trying to make a name for herself in the competitive world of 1950s chess.
The Queen’s Gambit is a riveting and suspenseful portrayal of addiction, drive, and identity, bolstered by Anya Taylor-Joy’s tour de force performance. From the moment her fiery mane hits the screen, Beth Harmon is a force to be reckoned with, with Taylor-Joy’s stunning and chill performance doing wonders for the character. Beth is now synonymous with the Netflix identity, providing layered antiheroines for streamers through the ages.
2 BoJack Horseman – ‘BoJack Horseman’ (2014-2020)
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Adult animation has never been better, thanks to shows like BoJack Horseman. The show revolves around the titular character, a fading sitcom star trying to make a comeback via an autobiography while struggling with his deteriorating mental health.
A subtle and insightful portrayal of mental health and political correctness, BoJack’s Horseman is one of the best dark comedies on television. BoJack is a great creation, a self-loathing depressive narcissist with delusions of grandeur who remains deeply relatable and sympathetic. It’s a huge feat to balance such opposing qualities, but voice actors Will Arnett and the show’s writers did, crafting one of the best characters on modern television.
1 Eleven — ‘Stranger Things’ (2016-)
Stranger Things was without a doubt Netflix’s biggest hit, cementing him as a major player in the cutthroat world of television and cementing his legacy. And of the show’s many characters, none are more famous or beloved than Millie Bobbie BrownEleven.
Indeed, Eleven is probably the poster child of Netflix, the character everyone thinks of when they hear the word “Netflix”. Eleven is strong but charming, mysterious but attractive, elusive but magnetic; in short, he is everything an excellent character should be and more. Brown is one of Netflix’s biggest breakout stars, and Eleven is arguably the streamer’s finest achievement, a character who won the hearts of audiences and became an icon for an entire generation.