Netflix reported a relatively even split between original and licensed content.
The extensive list covers over 18,000 TV series, each with a minimum of 50,000 viewing hours between January and June.
Netflix has recently unveiled its most comprehensive data transparency initiative by sharing a detailed list of viewing statistics for the first half of 2023. The extensive list covers over 18,000 most-watched TV shows, each with a minimum of 50,000 viewing hours between January and June. This unprecedented release of information, presented by Vice President of Strategy and Analysis Lauren Smith, provides a profound insight into Netflix’s viewership, marking the most extensive public disclosure of streaming data by the platform or any other streaming service to date.
In the initial half of 2023, The Night Agent claimed the top spot on Netflix with an impressive 812.1 million viewing hours, followed by Ginny & Georgia’s second-place finish at 665.1 million hours. The Korean drama The Glory secured the third spot with 622.8 million hours, while Wednesday — released in November 2022 — ranked fourth with 507.7 million viewing hours. Notably, Netflix opted for total hours viewed as a metric in this report, emphasising user engagement over its usual “view” formula used for weekly top 10 lists, which factors in the total viewing hours divided by the running time.
Here’s the list of its top 10:
1. The Night Agent: Season 1 – 812mn
2. Ginny & Georgia: Season 2 – 665mn
3. The Glory: Season 1 – 623mn
4. Wednesday: Season 1 – 508mn
5. Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story – 503mn
6. You: Season 4 – 441mn
7. La Reina del Sur: Season 3 – 430mn
8. Outer Banks: Season 3 – 403mn
9. Ginny & Georgia: Season 1 – 302mn
10. FUBAR: Season 1 – 266mn
While original series and movies hold a strong presence at the top of the viewing chart, Netflix reported a relatively even split between original and licensed content. Approximately 55 percent of viewing was attributed to original titles, while 45 percent was for licensed shows and films. Suits, a series that previously dominated Nielsen’s US streaming charts, amassed a total of 599 million viewing hours globally across all nine seasons on Netflix. Notably, the first season ranked highest, securing 67th place with 129.1 million hours of viewing.
