19 Netflix limited series that should have been movies

Netflix mini-series have been telling a wide range of stories in the past several years. Some stories are extremely long, lacking effect, leaving a viewer wanting a more impactful experience. These movies might have found themselves going without delivering themes, characters, and dramatic arcs. From chilling mysteries to emotional dramas, these 19 Netflix limited series could have been much more memorable if they were full-length feature films, packing the same punch in half the time.

1. The I-Land

The I-Land, a sci-fi thriller trying to be like Lost, couldn't keep the momentum going because it was just too overstuffed. Ten strangers wake up on an island with no memory and it could have worked wonderfully as a tight, high-tension movie. Had it been tightened down, this film would have had the character development and mystery unraveling of the island instead of being spread out over a series. It lost the potential for gripping storytelling and stunning visuals in the episodic format, making it a prime candidate for a cinematic redo.

2. Hollywood

Ryan Murphy's fabulous redo of Hollywood in the 1940s was trying to take on racism, homophobia, and sexism in the entertainment industry. While its colorful visuals plus its bold concept dazzled eyes, its rushed story left its audience wanting much more from it. As a film, Hollywood could have produced a dramatic core story that equally emphasized social commentary and emotional feeling. A tighter, feature-length format would have made the impact of themes all the more telling, and the "what ifs" of Tinseltown could have been probed much more poignantly.

3. Midnight Mass

Mike Flanagan's Midnight Mass is a slow-burning, supernatural horror that's inescapably fascinating, but often feels too protracted since it details matters of religion, grief, and existential dread at so great a length. Perhaps those deep philosophical undertones might have worked better over the course of a feature-length film, where the tension could build more steadily. A film would have tightened its pacing, hence the powerful themes and shocking twists fall with greater emotional weight, along with keeping on the edge from start to end.

4. Brand New Cherry Flavor

Based on Todd Grimson's novel, this series has everything a dark, surreal film would need: horror, revenge, and body horror. A tale of vengeance, after a film deal goes bad, is pretty cool, especially as the female lead journeys through the surreal and the twisted characters around her. However, the episodic format stretches this rather unique and disturbing premise too thin. A movie would have allowed better focus on the hero's descent into madness, with a sharper visual style and pacing to heighten psychological intensity and the disturbing imagery that defines the series.

5. Maniac

Maniac is a head trip into one's dream world and therapy experiments, but sometimes the series' storytelling seems disjointed. Visually striking, with outstanding performances from Emma Stone and Jonah Hill, the series would have worked better as a film. As for keeping the emotional core intact, a film may have succeeded in capturing the essence of the experimental nature of the show's storytelling. It would have been much more poignant in a shorter running time, as the surreal elements combined with the relationship at the heart of the story would have left a lasting impression without losing the magic.

6. The Queen’s Gambit

This highly acclaimed miniseries for the story of a young chess prodigy takes the audience on an emotional ride through ambition, addiction, and self-discovery. While The Queen's Gambit was a cultural phenomenon, a movie adaptation could have made the pacing trim to give us a more focused and powerful story. It is a feature movie that would've probably ventured into the mental turmoil of Beth Harmon while keeping a tight leash over the drama and intensity of all the chess games.

7. Behind Her Eyes

Behind Her Eyes is a psychological thriller with twists that keep you guessing until the very end. The series creates suspense, however, the episodes contain excess filler and should not have been there. As it's a movie, the plot would have been largely streamlined in the narrative had it delivered the more shocking twist along with a pace this slow. It would have been possible to have sharper character development, particularly the complex dynamics of the main characters, and the final twist would have been even more impactful without overstaying its welcome.

8. The Watcher

The Watcher is founded on the real-life mystery of a couple that was stalked by an anonymous figure after moving into their dream home. The series is thrilling, yet sometimes meanders with subplots that detract from the mystery at its center. A movie format would have permitted the quicker unraveling of intrigue and refocused more on the creeping dread and building tension and suspense involved with the mysterious letters. The final reveal might have affected emotions more positively with a narrative structure that could have been compressed more.

9. Echoes

Echoes is a thrilling tale of twin sisters leading secret lives, with an emphasis on identity, deception, and family secrets. The series has a great premise but drags out what could have been a very suspenseful movie in the episodic form. As a film, the plot could have been maintained suspenseful, with a focus on the psychological tension between the sisters and leading to a climactic confrontation. The slow-burn series could be developed into a closely knit narrative whose stakes are so high that does not lose intrigue.

10. Godless

Godless is a gritty, atmospheric drama set in the Old West, about a town of women trying to fend for themselves in the world after all the males are killed off in a mining accident. While there are certainly standout performances, the show would have been better suited as a film, wherein the tension of the western frontier could have been cranked up even more. The film might well center its entire story on revenge, survival, and redemption while merging the complexity of character development into a much tighter narrative that comes with an emotionally stronger payoff.

11. Inventing Anna

The true story of Anna Sorokin, a socialite who faked being a wealthy New York elite, Inventing Anna is compelling, but sometimes it leaves one feeling like the show is stretched too thin. A film adaptation would make it a lot more streamlined as to Anna's lies, manipulations, and the consequences of those. Condensing the dramatic twists into a tighter structure would have helped to emphasize tension and allowed the story to continue at a brisk pace, while the final revelation would have hit in a much more satisfying and less dragged-out way.

12. 13 Reasons Why

While 13 Reasons Why enthralled viewers with its presentation of teenage struggles, the first season's emotive and intense storyline would have been better suited to be a movie. Hannah's story would have kept the core themes of bullying, trauma, and suicide awareness in a single film with high emotional stakes. A movie would have been able to pack a much more powerful and concise message without needing seasons, bringing home the story with a much greater impact in a shorter runtime.

13. The Society

This series was about a bunch of teenagers stuck in a parallel world without any adults, an interesting concept but then had pacing problems and character arcs. As a movie, high-concept plots could have had the mystery and tension unfold without being bogged down by filler content. A movie would have been able to do the same but in a more concentrated manner with power struggles, survival, and emotional breakdowns and would wrap up the story to leave audiences satisfied without dragging out the plot.

14. Chambers

Chambers follows a woman who, following her heart transplant, starts seeing strange visions tied to the life of her donor. The ominous overtones and tension would have been far better served over a movie, which could have tightened the whole story up. By focusing on psychological horror and supernatural elements, a movie could have kept the pace moving at a healthy clip while delivering an adequate chill. Exploration of identity and possession would have been more impactful if it had been done in a single, well-executed film rather than spreading it across episodes.

15. Gypsy

Gypsy revolves around the life of Jean Holloway, a therapist who is crossing many boundaries with her patients in increasingly dangerous ways. Although Naomi Watts' performance was very convincing, the slow unraveling of Jean's descent into obsession would have been much more extreme in a movie. A movie would have fixed her psychology in sharp focus and allowed for a heightened play on the consequences of her actions. The suspense could have increased at a quicker pace, and perhaps the psychological tension could have led to an exciting finale.

16. The Haunting of Bly Manor

The Haunting of Bly Manor was a master in the emotional storytelling of a ghost story, yet its slow pacing and too many backstories reduce its impact. A film version would be more centered around the love story of Dani and Jamie, while mysterious happenings surrounding the manor would have a tighter narrative structure. The haunting and breaking elements or twists could have been given more impact in a concise way, maybe delivering chills and emotions in equal distribution without losing the audience in unnecessary subplots or lengthy exposition.

17. Pieces of Her

It is a mystery-thriller that follows Andy as she unfolds the dark past of her mother after a shooting incident. The tension of the mother-daughter relationship along with the slow reveal of secrets could have been better if done as a film. A single movie would have permitted suspense and action to build up more coherently, focusing on explosive reveals without necessarily dragging the story for a long time. The compact format would have given the intense moments room to breathe, delivering a more explosive conclusion.

18. Devil in Ohio

Devil in Ohio is a psychological thriller about a girl who runs away from a cult and is full of twists and dark secrets, but the lack of pacing makes it feel as though more could be said in a more streamlined manner. A film would have streamlined the central plot to some extent by focusing on the disturbing psychological dynamics of the cult and the girl's quite unsettling return to normal life. This would have been with a shorter running time, making the tension and stakes go up in a much more urgent and gripping experience.

19. The Stranger

The Stranger is a mystery thriller in which a mysterious stranger threatens to unravel the family's seemingly perfect life. Even though the mystery is great, this show cannot maintain tension in every single one of its episodes. Its movie version might have given a more coherent and faster delivery in such a thrilling tale with secrets constantly being unraveled and unease. Without the dragging episodes, the emotional payoff would have hit much harder and given a better feel to the program.