Netflix has been weirdly busy lately. Honestly, if you feel like your "My List" is basically a graveyard of half-finished documentaries and shows you'll never actually watch, you're not alone. But right now, the global charts are looking a little different than they did even two weeks ago. People are moving away from the heavy holiday stuff and diving headfirst into thrillers that make you question your own spouse and rom-coms that feel like a warm hug in the middle of January.
So, let's get into what is actually trending on netflix right now, specifically for the week of January 16, 2026. We aren't just looking at the "Top 10" row—which, let's be real, can be a bit manipulated by Netflix's own marketing—but at the shows that are actually sticking in the cultural conversation.
The Mystery Everyone is Obsessed With: His & Hers
If you haven't started His & Hers yet, you've probably at least seen the memes. It’s sitting at the very top of the global charts right now, and for good reason. Based on the Alice Feeney novel, the show stars Tessa Thompson as Anna, a news anchor who returns to her sleepy hometown to report on a murder. The twist? Her estranged husband, Jack (played by the always-intense Jon Bernthal), is the detective leading the case.
It’s basically a massive game of "he-said, she-said." Both Anna and Jack suspect each other, and because the show uses a dual-narrator structure, you never quite know who is lying to you. It's tense. It's dark. And honestly, seeing Bernthal and Thompson play off each other is just top-tier television. It's currently pulling in nearly 20 million views a week, which is massive for a limited series.
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Why people are binging it
- The Unreliable Narrator: You literally can’t trust anyone.
- The Setting: Sleepy Georgia towns always feel creepy in these shows.
- The Length: At only eight episodes, it’s a perfect weekend binge.
The "Bookstagram" Movie: People We Meet on Vacation
On the complete opposite side of the vibe spectrum, we have People We Meet on Vacation. If you follow anyone on TikTok or Instagram who reads romance, you know Emily Henry is basically a goddess to them. Netflix finally dropped the adaptation on January 9, and it has been the #1 movie in dozens of countries, including the US, Canada, and Australia.
It follows Poppy (Emily Bader) and Alex (Tom Blyth), who are total opposites but have taken a summer vacation together every year for a decade. Then, they stopped speaking. Now, they’re trying to fix it. It’s a "will they, won't they" story that actually feels earned. Lukas Gage and Sarah Catherine Hook show up in supporting roles, but the chemistry between Bader and Blyth is what’s carrying the film. It's the kind of "easy watching" that people crave when the weather is miserable outside.
The Return of the Maffleck: The Rip
Dropping today, January 16, is the big one for action fans. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are back together in The Rip. They play two Miami cops who stumble upon a stash house with $24 million in cash. The whole movie takes place over a very short, high-stress window as they try to figure out how to count and process the money before things go south.
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Director Joe Carnahan, who did Smokin' Aces, is behind the camera here. It’s fast-paced, loud, and exactly what you’d expect from a Damon-Affleck reunion. It's already trending in the "New Releases" section and is expected to hit #1 on the movie charts by tomorrow morning.
What Else is Trending on Netflix?
Beyond the brand-new hits, there are a few "zombie" shows—series that have been out for a while but refuse to leave the charts.
- Stranger Things 5: Even though it’s been out for a bit, the final season is still hovering at #3. Netflix also just released One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, which fans are eating up.
- Run Away: This is another Harlan Coben adaptation. If you’ve seen one, you know the drill: secrets, lies, and a suburban dad who isn't who he says he is. It's currently the #2 show globally.
- Adolescence: This one is a bit of a sleeper hit. It’s a four-episode limited series shot entirely in "one take" per episode. It just swept the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards, so people are circling back to see what the hype is about. It’s heavy, though, so maybe don’t watch it right before bed.
- Emily in Paris: Look, people love to hate-watch this, and clearly, they still are. It’s holding steady at #4.
The Global Perspective: International Hits
What's trending in the US isn't always what's trending everywhere else. In South Korea, everyone is watching Can This Love Be Translated?, a new series starring Kim Seon-ho that just premiered today. Meanwhile, in Latin America, The Queen of Flow (La Reina del Flow) has returned to the Top 10 with its third season.
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Upcoming Releases to Watch Out For
If you’ve already blazed through His & Hers and you aren't in the mood for a rom-com, here is what is coming down the pipe later this month:
- Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart (Jan 21): A new documentary that’s already getting a lot of pre-release buzz.
- WWE: Unreal Season 2 (Jan 20): Netflix is leaning hard into its partnership with WWE, and this docuseries is a big part of that.
- Bridgerton Season 4, Part 1 (Jan 29): This is the massive one. It focuses on Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Baek. If you think the internet is loud now, just wait until the end of the month.
How to actually find something good to watch
Don't just rely on the "Trending Now" row. That row is often based on what people started, not necessarily what they finished. Instead, check the Global Top 10 site that Netflix updates every Tuesday. It gives you the actual hours viewed, which is a much better indicator of whether a show is actually worth your time or just has a really good trailer.
Also, keep an eye on the "Leaving Soon" section. For example, Confessions of a Shopaholic leaves today, January 16. If you want a nostalgia trip, you’ve got about six hours left to make it happen.
If you're looking for your next binge, start with Adolescence for the technical brilliance, or His & Hers if you want to argue with your partner about who the killer is. Both are vastly better than the standard procedural fare we usually get this time of year.
Practical Next Steps:
- Check your regional Top 10: Open the Netflix app and scroll to the "Top 10 TV Shows" or "Top 10 Movies" to see what’s specifically hot in your country today.
- Add Bridgerton to your Remind Me list: If you’re a fan, hit the bell icon on the Bridgerton title page so you get a notification the second Part 1 drops on January 29.
- Watch "The Rip" tonight: Since it just released, you can get ahead of the spoilers before they hit social media tomorrow.