Netflix's Twisted New 8-Part Thriller Series Is Quickly Becoming One Of Streaming's Biggest Shows

Published Sep 22, 2026, 10:31 AM EDT Nick Bythrow is a Lead Writer for ScreenRant. He has been writing for the site since September 2022. He graduated from Hampshire College in 2022, where he triple majored in Journalism, Communications, and Media Studies. When he's not writing about TV and movies for ScreenRant and his blog, Frayed Branches, Nick is penning speculative fiction and poetry on Amazon. He lives outside Boston, Massachusetts. Netflix's twisted new, eight-part thriller series has swiftly grown into one of the biggest shows on streaming, just days after its premiere. Netflix has a number of thriller TV shows across a wide array of genres, from the Emmy-nominated crime thriller miniseries Black Rabbit to the upcoming political entrapments of The Diplomat season 4. The streaming service casts a wide net, with thrillers of all types managing to find a place on the platform. This allows for a variety of content that can appeal to a wide audience, while also being focused on a similar throughline in the genre. One such show is Not a Stranger, a Turkish thriller released on September 17, 2026. The eight-episode series is the latest addition to Netflix's thriller lineup, though it's markedly different from a number of other core hits for the platform. That's because of its international origin, something often reserved for action-focused K-dramas or mystery thrillers in the procedural genre. However, Not a Stranger tells the story of a family falling apart as their lives are upended by a new force, one that's resonated with audiences around the world. Not A Stranger Is Officially Netflix's Latest Twisty Hit Image via Netflix Twisted thrillers are like bread and butter for Netflix customers around the world, and Not a Stranger is not different. According to data from September 22, 2026, the show has become the Number 2 series in the world on the platform. This includes being Number 4 in the United States, competing with the likes of Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story and The Gentlemen. Globally, the show is Number 1 in 20 different countries, including Turkey, Argentina, Egypt, Morocco, Panama, and Venezuela. It's quickly morphed into a global sensation, high on Top 10 lists around the world. Not a Stranger is just the latest of Netflix's twisted series that have found themselves in the spotlight over the course of the year. From His & Hers starring Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson, to I Will Find You, and adaptation of Harlan Coben's novel of the same name, the genre has been a big point of success on the platform. Not a Stranger follows in the same vein as other international shows, such as South Korea's Mousetrap, that deliver thrilling twists and turns that leave views on the edge fo their seats. What Is The Thriller Series About? Image via Netflix Not a Stranger follows Funda, a professional painter who gives birth and spends some time with her child, putting her career on pause. As she prepares to get back to her passion, she hires a nanny, Nazli, who appears perfect on the outside. However, things quickly take a turn when Funda and her husband, Ilker, find themselves at psychological war with the new nanny, leading to a plethora of secrets, lies, and twists throughout all eight episodes. The show's grounded premise coupled with a family slowly being driven to the brink of insanity makes it engaging to watch unfold. As the series progresses, Nazli's intentions become clearer, with the story slowly showcasing a plethora of additional elements that peel back layers to the larger mystery at hand. With the series currently doing a strong job at gathering an engaged audience, it seems poised to stay on Netflix's global streaming charts for quite some time.