The 7 Best Old Shows You Can Find on Netflix Now

This guide organizes the entries in "The 7 Best Old Shows You Can Find on Netflix Now" and explains what each option, idea, or example offers. It also highlights practical details that matter when comparing the choices.

6. Gilmore Girls (2000 - 2007)

Relationships are at the heart of this long-running comedy series, which aired for seven seasons and 153 episodes on The WB, later renamed The CW. The series starred Laura Graham and Alexis Bedel as a mother and daughter whose relationship was more like a close friendship than a traditional parent-child relationship. In 2016, the series' main cast returned for a four-part Netflix miniseries, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.

The show Gilmore Girls has maintained its audience throughout its run thanks to a few essential factors. The core bond between the main characters has proven to be the most important because it helps connect with the audience.

5. Lost (2004 - 2010)

One of the best series of the early 20th century, ABC's Lost still leaves fans (and non-fans) wondering what it's about. On the surface, it's a story about survivors of a plane crash forced to survive on a remote island. But underneath, Lost is a series that leaves us with unanswered questions that still haunt viewers today.

Written and directed by Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, Lost ran for six seasons. During that time, we saw what the main characters were like before the accident (through flashbacks) and what they might be like in the future (through flashbacks).

4. Arrested Development (2003 - 2006, 2013 - 2019)

Many people don't like satirical sitcoms. They felt the same way about Arrested Development, which originally aired on FOX from 2003 to 2006 before quietly going dark—and then returning to Netflix for two more seasons a decade later.

Arrested Development follows the dysfunctional Bluth family, headed by George Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) and Lucille (Jessica Walter). When George is arrested, hence the show's name, it's up to the family's eccentric siblings to keep the family real estate business running. It's a comedy that doesn't go as planned, with 84 fantastic episodes.

3. Roswell, New Mexico (2019-22)

Back in 1999, Roswell aired for three seasons on The WB and then UPN (now streaming on Hulu). The sci-fi drama was based on Melinda Metz's young adult book series, Roswell High. When it first aired, Roswell never had a huge audience. However, thanks to streaming, a new generation discovered it, leading to a sequel on The CW: Roswell, New Mexico.

The newer series, which aired for four seasons, shares many of the same character names and storylines as the original. However, the remake explores more mature themes and social issues.

2. Six Feet Under (2001 - 2005)

Before Michael C. Hall played Dexter, he played David Fisher for four seasons on HBO's critically acclaimed Six Feet Under. The series, created by Alan Ball (American Beauty), centers on the Fisher family, who are forced to take over the family business - a funeral home in Los Angeles - after the death of their father. Unsurprisingly, the show tells stories about life and death, identity, and the sometimes strangeness of relationships.

With Six Feet Under, you'll find plenty of strange and disturbing things. But if you can stomach all that, expect a ride that's entertaining, inspiring, occasionally funny, and always thought-provoking.

1. Home Improvement (1991 - 1999)

Airing on ABC, Home Improvement is a comedy about a husband and father, Tim Taylor (played by Tim Allen), who hosts the popular Home Improvement show. Each week, the show features storylines that take place in his home, while other episodes follow life at the "Tool Time" studio.

Home Improvement stars Patricia Richardson as his wife Jill, Richard Karn as Tim's partner Al, and Earl Hindman as Wilson Wilson Jr., the Taylors' neighbor whose face is famously never shown. The Taylors' three sons are also played by Zachery Ty Bryan, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, and Taran Noah Smith.