On Monday, for the first time, Netflix's shared it's numbers for the most popular original shows and movies by the number of hours that people watched them in total during the first month of their release. Netflix has kept the data closed to the public, but now they're revealing what we're all tuning in to watch.
They've given out a metric, based on the number of accounts that viewed at least two minutes of a program, that while it proves interest in the show, it doesn't truly tell if the viewer was compelled to stick with it. We've all started something and turned it off. Give us the real, real, Netflix!
The number are a bit skewed with the 100 million subscriber uptick in the last year. "Stranger Things' third season, for example, is Netflix's fifth most popular show by number of accounts sampling it. But by hours watched, the third season of Stranger Things moves up to Netflix's No. 3 most popular original series -- and its second season, which came out when Netflix had 100 million fewer subscribers than it has now, is its No. 8 top show by hours watched."
The metric also skews towards programming that has a longer run time, pushing 3 hour movies like The Irishman higher than maybe it should be. The Irishman shows up high in Netflix's film top-10 list by hours watched, while it doesn't make the top-10 if measure it by the 2 minute sampling.
Netflix's most popular shows
- Netflix top-10 series by total view hours in the first 28 days:
- 1. Bridgerton season 1 -- 625 million hours
- 2. Money Heist part 4 -- 619 million hours
- 3. Stranger Things 3 -- 582 million hours
- 4. The Witcher season 1 -- 541 million hours
- 5. 13 Reasons Why season 2 -- 496 million hours
- 6. 13 Reasons Why season 1 -- 476 million hours
- 7. You season 2 -- 457 million hours
- 8 Stranger Things 2 -- 427 million hours
- 9. Money Heist part 3 -- 426 million hours
- 10. Ginny & Georgia season 1 -- 381 million hours
- Netflix top-10 series by number of accounts that have watched at least 2 minutes in its first 28 days of release:
- 1. Bridgerton season 1 -- 82 million
- 2. Lupin part 1 -- 76 million
- 3. The Witcher season 1 -- 67 million
- 4. Sex/Life season 1 -- 67 million
- 5. Stranger Things 3 -- 67 million (the only previously unreleased figure)
- 6. Money Heist part 4 -- 65 million
- 7. Tiger King season 1 -- 64 million
- 8. The Queen's Gambit -- 62 million
- 9. Sweet Tooth season 1 -- 60 million
- 10. Emily in Paris season 1 -- 58 million
Netflix's most popular movies
- For movies, Netflix top-10 movies by total view hours in the first 28 days:• 1. Bird Box -- 282 million hours • 2 . Extraction -- 231 million hours • 3. The Irishman -- 215 million hours • 4. The Kissing Booth 2 -- 209 million hours • 5. Six Underground -- 205 million hours • 6. Spenser Confidential -- 197 million hours • 7. Enola Holmes -- 190 million hours • 8. Army of the Dead -- 187 million hours • 9. The Old Guard -- 186 million hours • 10. Murder Mystery -- 170 million hours Netflix has been cagey about their numbers in the past, but has said the release of the data not only helps to recruit potential new talent, it raises awareness and buzz for a show. While I'm not a fan of the trailer beginning -whether I want it to or not- added function, I am loving the top 10 lists they are sharing on the streaming service. Not only does it give you a read on what the world vibe is, it nudges you into a show that just might be your favorite. Hello, Midnight Mass! This news comes from CNET.com.