Netflix’s Big Mistakes Is the Eight-Episode Crime Thriller You’ll Binge in One Sitting

Here’s something I never get tired of seeing: a creator who not only writes the show but also plants themselves right in the middle of it. Tina Fey did it with '30 Rock'. Donald Glover and Phoebe Waller-Bridge did it with 'Atlanta' and 'Fleabag'. And, as usual, Dan Levy is making it look way easier than it probably is. If you’re still thinking of him as 'that guy from Schitt's Creek', he’s now fully running the show (literally and figuratively) on Netflix's new comedy crime-thriller, 'Big Mistakes'.

Dan Levy Does It All (Again)

Dan Levy isn’t just starring in 'Big Mistakes'—he’s also the man behind the whole thing. Not a surprise, considering he’s racked up Emmys for writing, directing, and acting already. He co-created 'Schitt's Creek' with his dad (Eugene Levy) and got into reality TV with 'The Big Brunch', so the guy clearly knows his way around a show. Now he’s back with something new—and, once again, he’s the boss both in front of the camera and behind the scenes.

So, What’s the Big Mistake? (Or, Actually, Several)

The basic setup: Levy plays Nicky, a pastor who’s deeply in the closet. He’s got a great career and absolutely zero desire for his church folks to learn he’s gay. His sister, Morgan (played by Taylor Ortega), is an elementary school teacher with a flair for self-sabotage.

Enter their mother, Linda (Laurie Metcalf), a classic steamroller who not only runs a store but is also somehow running for mayor. Her dying-matrix wish: the siblings have to buy their grandma a necklace. Morgan, rarely making the right call in life, decides: why not just steal a diamond necklace from the local jeweler? (Sure, what could go wrong.) Here’s where things get messy: the necklace isn’t just random bling, it’s tied up with a local crime syndicate.

Suddenly, Nicky and Morgan are being blackmailed. The syndicate sniffs them out almost instantly (criminals in TV-land are never as dumb as the main characters), and then ropes them into doing a bunch of highly illegal errands. The pair have no business doing crime—their attempts are as clumsy as you’d expect—so most of the show involves them flailing their way through a tangle of threats, screwups, and escalating shenanigans.

The Rest of the Crew (Spoiler: It’s Stacked)

• Natalie (Abby Quinn): Nicky’s younger sibling, helping Linda’s mayoral campaign
• Annette (Elizabeth Perkins): Local real estate powerhouse (not a villain, not not-a-villain)
• Max (Jack Innanen): Morgan’s boyfriend, a childish guy who manages to be comic relief and deadweight at the same time
• Tareq (Jacob Gutierrez): Nicky’s boyfriend, a handyman who’s tired of being their shared secret

Is 'Big Mistakes' Actually a Hit?

Short answer: yes, and not in a 'Netflix buries it in their algorithm' sort of way. The show premiered April 9, 2026, and has become a genuine global hit. At its peak, it climbed to #7 worldwide according to FlixPatrol, and is currently sitting pretty as Netflix’s most popular show overall (thanks, TelevisionStats). Plus, it's topping both the crime and comedy genres at the same time—a rare crossover event.

In case you’re wondering what it’s up against, it’s doing better than 'Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen', 'Peaky Blinders', and even 'One Piece' right now.

What Do Critics and Viewers Say?

Always the big question: does anyone actually like it? The answer is a pretty emphatic yes. Rotten Tomatoes has it at 80% with critics and 73% with audiences, so it’s not just a hype machine. Reviewers have praised the 'biting dialogue' and called it a standout among LGBTQ-themed series (which, frankly, the genre could always use more of). Everyone seems to agree about Levy’s chemistry with the rest of the cast and his knack for writing to the audience’s taste. The only real complaints are that it occasionally drags, but even those reviewers are outnumbered.

'Big Mistakes blows you away with rapid-fire dialogue and is one of the sharpest, funniest LGBTQ stories out right now'

With the buzz it’s getting, Netflix would need actual brain damage not to order a second season. There’s already talk about how it stacks up to 'Schitt’s Creek', which is Levy’s big legacy title (that show took in 19 Emmy nominations, 2 SAG Awards, and 18 Canadian Screen Awards). Whether 'Big Mistakes' hits those heights is TBD, but there’s no missing the momentum.

Crime, Religion, and Netflix: Apparently a Recipe That Works

Netflix has a pretty strong track record mixing crime and religion ('Narco Saints', where a drug lord has a side hustle as a preacher, and 'Messiah', which is a wild ride on its own). Now, with 'Big Mistakes', they’re doubling down on this sweet spot. Is it Dan Levy’s best work? The internet will argue about that until the end of time. But if you’re looking for sharp writing, offbeat crime capers, and a main character who’s constantly one bad day away from disaster, you’ll probably be just fine here.

Cast Breakdown

Here’s who’s making all the trouble on screen:

• Dan Levy as Nicky, the closeted pastor who can’t catch a break
• Taylor Ortega as Morgan, the queen of bad decisions
• Laurie Metcalf as Linda, their overbearing, mayor-wannabe mom
• Abby Quinn as Natalie, sibling and campaign co-conspirator
• Elizabeth Perkins as Annette, the local real estate operator
• Jack Innanen as Max, Morgan’s child-in-a-man’s-body boyfriend
• Jacob Gutierrez as Tareq, Nicky’s increasingly frustrated secret boyfriend

Whether you’re a Levy superfan or just want something new/unpredictable in your queue, 'Big Mistakes' is worth bumping to the top of your list. Netflix is clearly betting big.