10 Best Netflix Shows With Less Than 20 Episodes, Ranked for a Short Binge

Romance Across the Years

Set in late-1990s Japan, First Love follows two teenagers who fall deeply in love and imagine a future together. As they grow older, personal tragedies and unexpected circumstances pull them apart.

Across nine episodes, the romantic drama uses music to connect memories and different stages of its characters’ lives. Its performances and sincere approach give the story’s emotional turns room to land.

A Search Across London

In Giri/Haji, Tokyo detective Kenzo Mori, played by Takehiro Hira, travels to London to find his presumed-dead brother. The brother’s link to a killing threatens to spark a yakuza war in Japan.

The crime drama tells its story in eight episodes, combining suspense with emotional depth, style and unexpected humor. Its brief run still leaves room for a layered story.

Anxious Thoughts Animated

Tear Along the Dotted Line follows Zero, an Italian cartoonist voiced by Zerocalcare, whose everyday experiences can become philosophical crises. He narrates his life with anxious speed. The six-episode series blends animation, comedy and self-reflection. What may first seem like disposable comedy develops into a distinctive account of one person’s scattered thoughts.

Chess and Personal Struggle

The Queen’s Gambit centers on Beth Harmon, an orphan played by Anya Taylor-Joy, who discovers an extraordinary talent for chess. Custodian Mr. Shaibel, played by Bill Camp, helps her uncover that gift.

The seven-episode limited series makes chess central to its story while following Beth’s talent, obsession and escape. Its production design, editing and music help shape a character-focused period drama.