Best Netflix top 10 shows — top 3 series you need to binge-watch this week (May 12-18)

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(Image credit: Netflix; Shutterstock)

Here at Tom's Guide, we're always keeping an eye on what's popular across all the best streaming services. One of the easiest ways to see what people are watching is by taking a look at each platform's top 10 charts.

While you can use these charts to try and get some easy viewing suggestions, you can't always guarantee that what's trending on any streamer — Netflix included — is definitely worth adding to your watchlist. That's precisely why whittle the Netflix top 10 shows list down to just three watchlist-worthy picks.

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Best shows in the Netflix top 10

'Legends'

Legends | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube Legends | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube
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Let's kick this list off with a new six-part British thriller from the creator of "The Gold," Neil Forsyth, which Netflix says is "inspired by one of the most remarkable criminal investigations ever conducted."

This is "Legends," which takes us back to the early '90s and sees a group of ordinary British Customs officers embarking on a bold, top-secret mission. Her Majesty's Customs and Excise is losing the battle against drug smuggling across British borders, and that sees a collection of normal people being given basic training and tasked with building new identities ("legends") within the criminal underworld, all so they can infiltrate some of the nation's most dangerous drug gangs.

Watch "Legends" on Netflix now

'Lord of the Flies'

Lord of the Flies | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube Lord of the Flies | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube
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While it premiered on the BBC earlier in the year in the UK, Jack Thorne's ("Adolescence" co-creator) new adaptation of William Golding's novel "Lord of the Flies" landed on Netflix last week, and it looks like it's found more fans on the streamer.

If you're not familiar with the story, "Lord of the Flies" is a survival drama about a group of schoolboys who end up stranded on a tropical island. With no adults around, they organize themselves into a group in order to restore some sense of order... but when another boy becomes more interested in vying for leadership and hunting, he starts to splinter the group and draw some of the survivors away from order and towards tragedy.

Stream "Lord of the Flies" on Netflix now

'Man on Fire'

Man on Fire | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube Man on Fire | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube
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If you're not quite caught up on Netflix's intense action thriller show, "Man on Fire" is definitely worth checking out. This high-octane new series tells the story of John Creasy (played by "Wonder Man" star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II).

Creasy was once a skilled Special Forces Mercenary known for escaping even the most deadly situations... but now he's a man haunted by his past. He sets off on a path to try to overcome his demons, but he finds himself being pulled back into the fray and forced to fight harder than he ever has.

Watch "Man on Fire" on Netflix now

Full Netflix top 10

  1. "The Roast of Kevin Hart"
  2. "Worst Ex Ever"
  3. "Man on Fire"
  4. "Lord of the Flies"
  5. "La Brea"
  6. "Funny AF With Kevin Hart"
  7. "Legends"
  8. "Should I Marry a Murderer?"
  9. "Running Point"
  10. "My Royal Nemesis"

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Martin Shore
Staff Writer, Streaming

Martin is a Streaming Writer at Tom’s Guide, covering all things movies and TV. If it’s in the theaters or available to stream somewhere, he’s probably watched it… especially if it has a dragon in it. Before joining the team, he was a Staff Writer at What To Watch where he wrote about a broad range of shows that stretched from "Doctor Who" and "The Witcher" to "Bridgerton" and "Love Island". When he’s not watching the next must-see movie or show, he’s probably still in front of a screen playing massive RPGs, reading, spending a fortune on TCGs, or watching the NFL.

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