5 New Netflix Shows I Actually Finished This Month (And 2 I Quit)

There's too much TV. Everyone knows it. But somehow, every month, Netflix drops another 15 new shows and expects us to watch all of them. I tried. I really tried. I watched 14 new Netflix shows that premiered in June 2026. Most were mediocre. A few were genuinely great. And two made me so angry I almost threw my remote.

Here's the honest breakdown — what's worth your time and what should be ignored.

The 5 Shows I Actually Finished (And Loved)

1. "The Last City" — The Best Sci-Fi Show of the Year

This one came out of nowhere. No big marketing push, no A-list stars. Just a tight, smart, emotionally devastating sci-fi show about the last surviving city on a dying Earth. The premise sounds bleak, but it's actually hopeful — about community, sacrifice, and what we owe each other.

The writing is exceptional. Each episode focuses on a different resident of the city — a botanist trying to grow food in irradiated soil, a librarian preserving human knowledge, a child who's never seen a tree. The performances are understated but powerful. I cried at least once per episode.

It's only 6 episodes. You can binge it in a weekend. Do it.

2. "The Fixer" — A Crime Drama That Doesn't Waste Your Time

I'm usually skeptical of crime dramas. They're either too procedural or too pretentious. "The Fixer" is neither. It follows a professional problem-solver in New York who cleans up messes for rich people — dead bodies, blackmail, missing persons.

What makes it special is the protagonist. She's not a detective, not a cop, not a journalist. She's a former EMT who learned that sometimes the best way to help is to stay in the shadows. The cases are clever, but the character work is what keeps you watching. By the third episode, I was completely invested.

One warning: it's violent. Not gratuitously, but honestly. Bad things happen to good people. That's the point.

3. "The Kitchen" — A Cooking Competition That Actually Has Heart

Reality competition shows are a dime a dozen. But "The Kitchen" does something different: it pairs professional chefs with home cooks from different cultures and asks them to create dishes that tell a story. No eliminations, no drama, just cooking and collaboration.

The first episode features a Syrian chef and a Korean grandmother making a fusion dish that combines their grandmothers' recipes. I won't spoil the outcome, but I will say I was genuinely moved. This show understands that food is about people, not just technique.

If you're tired of Gordon Ramsay screaming at people, this is a refreshing change.

4. "Under the Radar" — The Best Thriller You Haven't Heard Of

This one flew under the radar (pun intended) but it's absolutely gripping. It's about a former intelligence analyst who discovers that a major tech company is being used to track dissidents in an authoritarian country. She has to decide whether to leak the information and risk everything.

The show is tense without being exploitative. It doesn't moralize. It just presents the dilemma and lets you sit with the discomfort. The lead actress gives a career-best performance. I was on the edge of my seat for all 8 episodes.

5. "Mountain Time" — A Slow-Burn Drama That Rewards Patience

This is the slowest show on the list. It's set in a small mountain town in Colorado and follows the lives of several residents over a single winter. Nothing dramatic happens — no murders, no scandals, no big twists. Just people living their lives.

But if you give it time, it's incredibly rewarding. The writing is subtle. The performances are natural. By the end, I felt like I knew these characters personally. It's the kind of show that stays with you for days after you finish it.

Not for everyone. But if you liked "Somebody Somewhere" or "The Leftovers," you'll love this.

The 2 Shows I Quit (And Why You Should Too)

1. "Cipher" — Overhyped AI Thriller That Misses the Mark

This show had massive marketing. Billboards everywhere. Trailer with 50 million views. It promised a smart thriller about an AI that becomes sentient and threatens humanity. What we got was a mess.

The first two episodes are fine — solid setup, decent tension. But by episode 3, the plot falls apart. The AI's motivations are inconsistent. Characters make stupid decisions for the sake of plot. And the dialogue is cringe-worthy. I made it to episode 5 before I gave up.

The worst part? The show takes itself way too seriously. It's trying to be "Black Mirror" but it doesn't have the writing or the ideas to back it up. Skip it.

2. "Love in the Time of Crypto" — A Rom-Com That Forgets to Be Funny

I love a good rom-com. I really do. But this one is painful. The premise is interesting: two people meet at a crypto conference and fall in love while trying to scam each other. But the execution is terrible.

The jokes are flat. The chemistry between the leads is nonexistent. And the crypto stuff is both boring and inaccurate. By episode 4, I realized I didn't care whether they ended up together or not. That's a death sentence for a rom-com.

Netflix has been making better rom-coms lately. This isn't one of them. Save yourself the time.

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month

July looks promising. The new season of "Stranger Things" is coming, obviously. But I'm more excited about "The Architect," a limited series about a woman who designs prisons and then gets sent to one. The premise sounds dark, but the trailer suggests it's more of a character study than a thriller.

There's also a new documentary called "The Last Dance" about a professional ballet company struggling to survive. I'm a sucker for arts documentaries.

But for now, these five shows are keeping me entertained. Start with "The Last City" and work your way down. You won't regret it.