46 best Netflix shows to watch (and 13 shows you should skip)

The Fall of the House of Usher

Seasons: 1

Created by: Mike Flanagan

Starring: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Mary McDonnell, Henry Thomas, Kate Siegel, Rahul Kohli, Samantha Sloyan, T’Nia Miller, Zach Gilford, and Willa Fitzgerald

Horror lovers and Mike Flanagan fans should consider The Fall of the House of Usher an absolute must-watch. Flanagan has produced multiple masterpieces for Netflix and this one marks the last of the Flanagan/Netflix collaborations as Flanagan will be moving to Netflix. His latest series is a delightfully twisted and oftentimes gruesome family drama based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe.

Many “Flanagan verse” regulars return here, including Carla Gugino, Kate Siegel, Rahul Kohli, T’Nia Miller, and more. The cast is at their absolute best, delivering the top-notch dialogue and bouncing off each other with aplomb. The series centers on the powerful Usher dynasty, led by patriarch Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood) and his twin sister Madeline (Mary McDonnell).

For decades, the Ushers have built their empire off of their designer drug Ligodone (an in-universe stand-in for Oxycontin), produced by their company Fortunato Pharmaceuticals. Attorney Auguste Dupin (Carl Lumbly) has been trying to charge Fortunato for their alleged criminal business dealings for years, but nothing ever sticks.

During the latest criminal trial, he claims there is an informant in the family. And after that, Roderick’s six children begin dying off one by one. Is it all related? Or is there something more sinister—maybe even supernatural—afoot?

Verdict: WATCH