Netflix is one of the very best streaming services when it comes to binge-worthy content, with countless series available for subscribers and account sharers to enjoy during long viewing sessions. Sometimes, however, viewers may only have twenty or thirty minutes to spare, at which point, something a little shorter may be just what the doctor ordered.
Whether they're looking for something to watch while eating dinner or a show to enjoy while traveling to work by bus or by train, these thirty-minute Netflix shows are a great way for viewers to spend half an hour of their lives. From laugh-out-loud comedies to more serious dramas, the streaming giant really does have something for everyone.
Updated December 29, 2022, by Tom Bowen: Most of the best shows on Netflix tend to clock in at around the one-hour mark. This is great for those with a lot of free time on their hands but may prove to be problematic for anyone with a busy schedule. Thankfully, there are still plenty of great 30-minute shows on Netflix covering a wide variety of genres. From half-hour comedies to 30-minute dramas, there's really no shortage of high-quality programming available for those who know where to look.
The Best 30-Minute Comedies on Netflix
Every time a new subscription streaming service pops up, it seems as though Netflix loses more and more of its fan-favorite shows. Neither Friends nor How I Met Your Mother are available on Netflix US these days, though North American subscribers can at least still enjoy all nine seasons of Seinfeld. Those looking for something a bit more modern may want to consider checking out Community instead, with the Dan Harmon show every bit as funny as the classic nineties sitcom.
Alternatively, shows like The Good Place and Arrested Development take a more serialized approach to comedy, and, between them, offer well over 100 episodes. For those in a real hurry, Man vs. Bee provides a short yet satisfying story that stars Mr. Bean actor Rowan Atkinson and is broken up into easy-to-digest chunks. All nine episodes can be watched in under two hours, making it a great comedy show to binge or spread out over the course of a few weeks' worth of dinnertimes.
Though it may be more than half a century old, Monty Python's Flying Circus remains just as funny as ever and is a great option for anyone looking for a good 30-minute comedy on Netflix US. Those looking for something a bit more modern should instead check out Grace and Frankie, an American series in which Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin play two aging women whose husbands fall in love and decide to get married.
The Best 30-Minute Animated Shows on Netflix
These days, Netflix has an excellent selection of animation shows for adults, with the pick of the bunch being Bojack Horseman. The hard-hitting series covers a variety of heavy issues including depression and addiction, while also providing plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Inside Job is not too dissimilar, boasting a decent blend of sci-fi-inspired humor and character-driven drama that should have no trouble keeping viewers engaged.
Those looking for something a little more in line with more conventional animated comedy shows would be better served by checking out F is for Family or Disenchantment. The former gives off a lot of King of the Hill vibes, while the latter is a satirical fantasy show from Simpsons and Futurama creator Matt Groening. There's also Paradise PD, a surreal comedy series that's centered around an incompetent police department in a small town that's drowning in crime.
For those who enjoyed Bojack Horseman, Tuca & Bertie boasts a similar art style and was also created by Lisa Hanawalt. Rather than depression though, the show explores what it's like to be a woman in the modern age in a way that manages to be both humorous and thought-provoking in equal measures. For younger viewers, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous is a solid option, particularly if those viewers happen to love dinosaurs and sci-fi adventures.
The Best 30-Minute Dramas on Netflix
US Subscribers may not be able to watch How I Met Your Mother on Netflix anymore, but they can still enjoy one of its biggest stars in Uncoupled. The series sees Neil Patrick Harris play Michael, a New York real estate agent whose partner unexpectedly breaks up with him after a 17-year relationship. Sorry For Your Loss also deals with losing a partner, though is very much a drama as opposed to a dramatic comedy like Uncoupled.
Other great 30-minute drama series on Netflix include Russian Doll and I Am Not Okay With This, the latter of which is a coming-of-age drama based on the graphic novel of the same name. Viewers looking for something a little lighter may instead want to turn to Fleabag, a BBC series inspired by comedian Phoebe Waller-Bridge's fantastic one-woman show.
British series Heartstopper was one of Netflix's most popular shows in 2022 and is well worth checking out. Both viewers and critics adored the coming-of-age drama, with many praising its representation of the LGBT community and the way that it tackles its subject material. Alternatively, Emily in Paris offers up a somewhat lighter tone, yet is equally enjoyable for those looking for a good 30-minute drama to watch on Netflix.
The Best 30-Minute Anime Series on Netflix
Given the rising popularity of anime in recent years, it should come as little surprise to learn that there's now a great selection of anime on Netflix, including a couple of really good Netflix originals. In this regard, it's hard to look much further than Castlevania, while Demon Slayer is perhaps the most popular non-Netflix anime available on the platform from the past few years.
Providing viewers are happy to indulge in older anime then Death Note is well worth the watch, though subscribers are advised to steer clear of the terrible Death Note live-action adaptation. There are plenty of other great classic anime series available on Netflix too, including Cain Kuga's Cowboy Bepop and the long-running manga and anime seinen series, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
Those who enjoyed Netflix's Castlevania series may want to check out some of the other great anime series based on video game franchises. There are two that really spring to mind; those being Dota: Dragon's Blood and Tekken: Bloodline. Both feature episodes that clock in at 30 minutes or less and are pretty faithful to the source material when all's said and done. Sadly, the League of Legends-inspired series Arcane is a little longer but is well worth watching for those who are able to squeeze it into their schedules.
The Best 30-Minute Stand-Up Shows on Netflix
There's no shortage of great stand-up comedy routines available on Netflix, though most tend to be around one hour in length. Thankfully, this isn't the case with The Standups, a carefully-curated selection of stand-up routines that have been trimmed down to thirty minutes in length. There are three seasons available, with 18 different comedians for viewers to enjoy. There's also The Degenerates, another stand-up comedy series that features a different comedian in each half-hour episode.
Pretty much all of the other stand-up comedy specials on Netflix last for 45 minutes or more, though there are a handful of half-hour routines that viewers can turn to for a quick laugh. Chapelle's Home Team - Earthquake: Legendary is one of them, with Aziz Ansari: Nightclub Comedian and Chris DiStefano: Speshy Weshy also clocking in at around the thirty-minute mark.