Brief - The Hustle

What are Netflix’s biggest hits?

Written by Trung T. Phan | Sep 29, 2021 8:45:06 AM

“Bridgerton” is the top series, while “Birdbox” and “Extraction” are the top films.

When a Netflix series or movie blows up, how do we know?

One sure sign: a steady drip of memes (think Tiger King).

While that’s a great outcome for internet culture, it leaves a lot to be desired for many of Netflix’s other stakeholders — like investors and talent.

Peeling back the curtain

At the Code 2021 conference on Monday, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos revealed some juicy streaming data, per The Verge.

Its most popular content can be tracked across 2 variables:

  • The number of accounts that watched at least 2 minutes of the content within 28 days of its release
  • Total view hours per title within the first 28 days

“Bridgerton: Season 1” was the most popular show across both of these metrics, while “Birdbox” and “Extraction” shared the top 2 spots for films.

Netflix needs to provide even more data…

… to placate talent, producers, and agents. For example, how many people watched something in its entirety or the total number of viewers (not just accounts).

The data dump comes as Hollywood battles it out for streaming riches:

  • Scarlett Johansson suing Disney over her “Black Widow” release
  • TV unions pushing streaming services for better pay

We’re just happy a new season of “Tiger King” is out in November.