From 7 Episodes to 32: 8 Greatest Netflix Shows With Fewer Than 40 Episodes

A harrowing personal story

In Baby Reindeer, Richard Gadd writes, creates and stars as Donny Dunn, a struggling London comedian whose kindness to Martha, played by Jessica Gunning, begins a stalking campaign. The seven-episode limited series draws on Gadd’s Edinburgh Fringe one-man show and his own experiences.

The story moves between comedy and discomfort, while examining Donny’s decisions and a traumatic experience from his past. Netflix released the series in April 2024, and it drew widespread attention within days.

Teen life and frank conversations

Sex Education follows Otis Milburn, played by Asa Butterfield, as he gives classmates advice about sex from a disused school bathroom. His mother is a sex therapist, played by Gillian Anderson, while his friends Eric, played by Ncuti Gatwa, and Maeve, played by Emma Mackey, shape his life at school.

The series runs for 32 episodes across four seasons. Its large cast includes Connor Swindells as Adam Groff and Aimee Lou Wood as Aimee; the show also addresses Aimee’s assault in its second season.

A new view of Steinbeck

Zoe Kazan adapted John Steinbeck’s 1952 novel East of Eden into a seven-episode Netflix limited series. The story follows generations of the Trask family in California’s Salinas Valley, with Florence Pugh playing Cathy Ames and Christopher Abbott playing Adam Trask.

Mike Faist plays Charles, Adam’s brother. Garth Davis directed the first four episodes, Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre directed the final three, and Jeb Stuart shared showrunning duties with Kazan.

Chess and personal struggle

Alongside her success at chess, the story explores Beth’s growing dependence on drugs and alcohol. The series’ production design is also highlighted as a notable feature.