10 Netflix Shows That Gave Us The Best Advice Without Even Trying

Turns out some of the best life advice doesn’t come from self-help books or Instagram gurus – it sneaks up on us during late-night Netflix binges.

We’ve all been there, sprawled on the couch at 2 AM, chips in hand when suddenly a TV show hits us with unexpected wisdom. And Netflix has become an unexpected guru, subtly serving sage advice about life and love through engaging stories and characters. From awkward teen moments to royal drama, here are 10 Netflix shows that actually delivered some pretty solid life lessons. 

‘Sex Education’

Sex Education doesn’t just tackle the birds and bees – it rips apart everything we thought we knew about “normal.” Through Otis’s journey from an awkward teen sex therapist to a self-aware young adult, the series reminds us that everyone is figuring things out at their own pace. Maeve and Otis’s evolving relationship proves that vulnerability is scary, but it sets the foundation for genuine connections. The show covers traditionally taboo topics in a relatable way and demonstrates that there’s no “normal” way to experience life, love, or sexuality. 

‘The Crown’

Talk about family drama taken to the next level. Watching the royals navigate their mess makes regular family gatherings look tame. Elizabeth starts out basically drowning in crown jewels and expectations, then somehow figures out this whole leadership thing without losing herself completely. Sure, she messes up – but watching her roll with the punches while trying to keep centuries of tradition from crumbling is inspiring.

‘Dead to Me’

Dead to Me gets how grief turns life into a dark comedy whether you want it to or not. Who knew watching two women bond over tragedy, secrets, and way too much wine could feel so weirdly uplifting? Jen and Judy’s friendship breaks every rule in the book, then writes its own manual about healing through the messiest situations possible.  

‘Emily In Paris’

Yes, she’s ridiculous, but that’s kind of the point. Emily stumbles around Paris like a bull in a Chanel shop, but somehow her clueless optimism works out. Between social media fails and cultural face-plants, she proves that sometimes looking stupid is just part of the journey. The show’s basically telling everyone to stop waiting for perfect and just jump in headfirst.  

‘Stranger Things’

The Hawkins kids made everyone believe in friendship again. While busy fighting interdimensional monsters, they’re actually showing how having your people makes any horror feel conquerable. Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and the gang prove that the weird kids usually have the best survival skills – and the tightest bonds. Sure, not everyone’s battling actual Demogorgons, but those high school hallways can feel just as scary. The series feels like a love letter to outcasts who found their tribe and stuck together through hell or high water.

‘Grace and Frankie’

Getting dumped by your husband for his law partner sounds like a nightmare – unless that nightmare leads to tequila shots with your new best friend at 70. Grace and Frankie flip everyone’s ideas about “aging gracefully” on their head, refuse to fade into the background, launch a sex toy business, and have more adventures than people half their age. Their friendship is what happens when life’s biggest plot twist becomes the best thing that could’ve happened. It’s refreshing watching two older women raise hell instead of just raising grandkids.

‘The Queen’s Gambit’

Beth Harmon makes chess look cooler than rock ‘n’ roll, but that’s not even the best part. Between popping pills and pushing pawns, she shows how talent needs maintenance,  and sometimes the biggest opponent is yourself. The show nails that tricky balance between being extraordinary and being okay, proving that genius comes with its own kind of baggage.

‘Heartstopper’

Heartstopper makes falling in love feel like those butterflies in your stomach got their own Netflix special. Nick and Charlie’s story hits the sweet spots of first love without the usual drama overload. Every awkward text, accidental touch, and confused feeling gets treated like it matters – because it does. The show handles coming out like the personal journey it is, proving there’s no one-size-fits-all way to figure yourself out. Plus, those little animated butterflies is a lot like what crushing on someone feels like.

‘Bojack Horseman’

It’s cool how a cartoon horse can deliver some of the best advice about messing up and trying to do better. BoJack’s whole deal is making terrible choices, feeling awful about them, and then somehow finding tiny moments of growth between the chaos. The show gets brutally honest about how hard change is – especially when you’re your own worst enemy. Through all the clever animal puns and Hollywood satire, it somehow nails what rock bottom feels like, and the long, messy climb back up.

‘Russian Doll’

Getting stuck in a time loop sounds like a nightmare, but Nadia turns it into the world’s most twisted self-help program. Between dying repeatedly and figuring out why the universe won’t let her move forward, she speed-runs through every life lesson possible. The series shows that sometimes you need to hit rock bottom multiple times before the lesson actually sticks. It’s chaotic and weird, just like real personal growth, proving that sometimes you’ve got to break everything to fix anything.