The Best TV Shows on NPO 3

Every NPO 3 Show Ranked From Best To Worst

Pingu and Sinterklaasjournaal represent the pinnacle of NPO 3’s programming, launching in 1986 and 2001. Boasting a rich catalog, NPO 3 features more than 20 shows, with broadcasting dates ranging from 1986 to 2023. Dive into our updated selection of NPO 3’s finest, featuring more than 20 series as of September 2025.

  • Sinterklaasjournaal
    Sinterklaasjournaal (2001)8.6

  • Commandos
    Commandos (2020)8.6

    Former commando John de Koning, traumatized by a failed mission in Nigeria, is confronted with a murderer trying to eliminate his former comrades in battle. He starts the fight, but ends up in a war in which he threatens to lose his mates, his family and himself.

  • Ranking the Stars
    Ranking the Stars (2006)7.7

    Ten Dutch celebrities participate in each broadcast. Two non-ordinary questions are asked of the Dutch celebrities per episode, such as "Who would have the easiest time going forty days without sex?", "Who used to be chosen last in gymnastics?" and "Who is your best friend?". The broadcasts claim that for each question a panel of 100 people compiled in advance a top 10 in which the famous candidates were "ranked."

  • Penoza
    Penoza (2010)7.7

    Carmen, the daughter of a notorious Amsterdam drug lord, reluctantly takes charge of the family's smuggling business in order to clear her husband's debts.

  • #BOOS
    #BOOS (2016)7.0

  • Zenith
    Zenith (2017)7.0

    Fay (14) and Boris (10) discover that their parents secretly replaced themselves by robots. Claudia and Joost each have demanding jobs and even though they try very hard, they are not able to combine their jobs with spending quality time with their children. Boris, Fay, Claudia and Joost slowly realize they need each other as a family and when the robots become uncontrollable, they can only clear up the mess by working together.

  • Pingu
    Pingu (1986)6.9

    Playful penguin Pingu lives with his family in Antarctica, where he often finds himself caught up in mischievous high jinks with his pal Robby.

  • ANNE+
    ANNE+ (2018)6.3

    The weekend Anne (24) moves into her own place she unexpectedly runs into her ex-girlfriend Lily, and a lot has happened since they broke up four years ago. Over the weekend, Anne reflects on the relationships she has had throughout her student years in Amsterdam.

  • I know who you are
    I know who you are (2018)6.1

    After wrecking his car in a deserted road in the middle of the forest and being found with the blood and mobile phone of his niece, successful criminal lawyer Daniel Elias can no longer remember who he is but must find a way to prove his innocence, even though he does not know whether he is guilty or not.

  • Arcadia
    Arcadia (2023)6.1

    Following a major catastrophe, a new society, Arcadia, is born. Resources have become scarce and a point system, known as the Citizen Score, is introduced. It determines what you can and may do and what a citizen is entitled to.

  • The First Years
    The First Years (2014)5.2

    The First Years is a Dutch series for young people in which real-life situations are recreated. The series sheds light on subjects that pupils in the first year of secondary school may be confronted with.

  • Riphagen
    Riphagen (2017)5.0

  • Best Friends
    Best Friends (2007)3.0

    Best Friends follows the life of a group of friends at their high school ‘Spangalis College’. Inside and outside of school exciting and challenging experiences take place. Growing up is never easy; every character has its own, unique story of love, friendship, loneliness, sorrow, discovery. There is drama and joy in school, family, teachers, parents, divorce, bullying, and always dreams for the future.

  • Draadstaal
    Draadstaal (2007)1.5

    Draadstaal is a satirical sketch comedy television program of the VPRO, and CCCP 2 Dutch production company and broadcaster. It was created by CCCP and Jeroen van Koningsbrugge and Dennis van de Ven. The show features lots of recurring stereotypical characters. The program is reminiscent of the work of Van Kooten en De Bie.

  • Waku Waku
    Waku Waku (2022)1.0

    Waku waku is the Dutch version of a Japanese game-show format (hence the name, unintelligible in Dutch or other Western languages) in which a small panel of celebrities is shown a number of short film sequences in which (usually wild or zoo) animals are shown in unusual (often artificially created) situations. The presenter asks the panel members multiple choice-questions about what an animal (or group)'s next move or reaction will be, as a rule a matter of guessing, the scores don't actually affect the show.

  • Sprookjesboom
    Sprookjesboom (2006)N/A

    Sprookjesboom, also known as "The Fairy Tale Tree" and "Märchenbaum" is a computer-animated series for children from The Efteling. The show is produced by the animation studio Motek Entertainment in Amsterdam, based on a concept from Efteling's director, Olaf Vugts. The television program is broadcast daily in several international markets including the Netherlands on TROS and z@ppelin, in Belgium on Ketnet, and in Germany on NRW. Sprookjesboom is similar in theme to Dreamworks' Shrek. It tells the story of the characters that live in the Sprookjesbos, or Fairy Tale Forest, including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Tom Thumb. Behind every 5-minute episode is a subtle moral message. Episodes are in Dutch, with some having been translated to German and English. The character animation is based on motion capture performance. A feature length film titled Sprookjesboom, de Film was released in 2012 and was awarded the 100th Dutch Gouden Film. The film was based on the characters and stories from the series.

  • Metropolis
    Metropolis (2008)N/A

  • MoleTalk
    MoleTalk (2016)N/A

    Immediately after The Mole you can watch MolTalk, live from VondelCS in Amsterdam. In these commentary's, Marlijn Weerdenburg and Splinter Chabot discuss hints, tasks and theory's with former candidates and other guests.

  • Nieuw Zeer
    Nieuw Zeer (2020)N/A

  • De Faker
    De Faker (2021)N/A