Published Feb 27, 2026, 10:00 AM EST
Dani Kessel Odom (they/them) is an autistic lead writer on the New TV team, focusing on writing and content planning for streaming shows. They often assist with Classic TV coverage, as well.
They have covered events, such as Denver Fan Expo. Their articles have also been shared by professionals in the field, such as Damien Leone and Lucy Hale.
In university, they majored in English Writing with a minor in psychology. They have always had a passion for analyzing TV and movies, even taking filmography and scriptwriting classes in university. They also studied and participated in onstage and onscreen acting extensively from the ages of 7 to 18.
Aside from working at Screen Rant, Dani has worked as a freelance editor and writer over the past decade, often in a ghostwriting capacity.
Only two limited series appear on Netflix’s most-watched English-language TV shows of all time, and other TV shows should take note of their one key similarity. While other streamers dominate sci-fi and fantasy, Netflix dominates the market when it comes to producing high-value limited series.
Rather than sticking to true crime, like other platforms, Netflix’s limited series vary from slow-burning historical dramas to wonderfully campy Harlan Coben adaptations. There’s something for everyone.
That being said, only two appear on Netflix’s current top 10 most-watched English-language TV shows list: Adolescence, which was released in 2025, and The Queen’s Gambit, which came out in 2020. These two shows align in one big way, which can serve as guidance for future showrunners.
The Queen’s Gambit & Adolescence Are Netflix’s 2 Most-Watched Limited Series
Netflix calculates its Top 10 most-watched lists by looking at the number of views in the first 91 days after its release. Adolescence brought in 142,600,000 views, placing it at number two. Meanwhile, The Queen’s Gambit takes the number eight slot with 112,800,000 views. They regularly update the list on Tudum.
As of the time of writing, no other limited series from Netflix has had the same level of success as Adolescence and The Queen’s Gambit. Impressively, these series appear alongside Bridgerton and Stranger Things, massive multi-season shows with gigantic production and marketing budgets. Given their success, it should come as no surprise that The Queen’s Gambit and Adolescence swept their respective award seasons.
At face value, there aren’t a ton of similarities between the two limited series. The former is a biographical period drama about a chess prodigy, and the latter is a crime drama about a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a classmate with a knife. The stories and characters themselves are nothing alike. However, the Netflix shows share less obvious similarities.
The two limited series have distinct visual styles, fewer episodes than average, and feature young people navigating high-pressure environments in their formative years. Additionally, they have a much bigger similarity. Adolescence and The Queen’s Gambit share an interesting narrative approach that future TV shows should take note of.
Adolescence & The Queen’s Gambit Dive Into The Psychology Of Their Main Characters
Adolescence and The Queen’s Gambit could have been plot-driven stories if they were approached differently. They could have turned all their attention toward the crime investigation rather than the people, and toward the chess competitions rather than Beth. However, both series had psychological questions they wanted to explore, and the best way to answer them was to zoom in on the main characters.
The Adolescence creators took inspiration from a disturbing news report about a young boy murdering a girl. Consequently, they spent the series trying to determine what could cause this crime. Meanwhile, The Queen’s Gambit explores the very real impact of family trauma and patriarchal gender roles on a young woman, using a fictional lens. It also asks, “What is the cost of genius?”
While it’s uncomfortable at times, the Netflix limited series gives viewers insight into the minds of Jamie and Beth, showing exactly what drives them. This is what makes episode 3 of Adolescence so difficult to watch. This closeness also makes it heartbreaking every time Beth engages in maladaptive and self-destructive behaviors.
However, the fearlessness with which these challenging topics are handled is also what makes The Queen’s Gambit and Adolescence so impactful. It’s not often that mental health and psychology are handled so skillfully, especially when so few episodes are involved.
How Adolescence & The Queen’s Gambit Can Guide Future Series
Adolescence and The Queen’s Gambit deserve every bit of critical and audience praise that they’ve received, and a couple of big lessons can be taken from their success.
Firstly, a good story doesn’t necessarily need multiple seasons to be told. The Queen’s Gambit only has 7 episodes, and Adolescence wraps up in 4. Both feel well-written and complete. Inevitably, other shows will need more episodes than these series, depending on the complexity and type of story. Ultimately, length should be determined by a story's needs, not by some fixed goal post.
Additionally, showrunners shouldn’t be afraid to dive into the minds of their characters, even when it isn’t so pretty. Not everything needs to be heavy and serious, but those things shouldn’t be feared either. People are fascinated by the human condition, and Adolescence and The Queen’s Gambit understood that. Intimacy shouldn’t be feared, and vulnerability should be embraced.
All in all, it will be hard for any other limited series to reach the same level of success as these two Netflix shows. However, they will have a better chance if they open up to the possibility of different formats and deeper character exploration.
English (US) ·