Popular streaming app Netflix has been churning out top-notch and out-of-the-box series since ages. Whether it was the gripping science-fiction thriller Dark or the mushy rom-com series Never Have I ever, Netflix has aptly diversified its reach in genres to cater to all kinds of audience. For a long time, the streaming service giant had remained mum over its viewership statistics but that has changed drastically over the course of time – especially during the pandemic when the critically-acclaimed Korean show Squid Game had topped the charts of ‘most-viewed’ show of all time.
Recently released series Wednesday has set a new record for the most hours viewed in a single week for any TV series on Netflix ever, according to Flixpatrol. A look at other series on the list:
WEDNESDAY
Netflix’s most recent show Wednesday dethroned ‘Stranger Things’ by setting a record for the most hours viewed in a single week for any TV series on Netflix ever. The coming-of-age supernatural comedy horror that clocked in 341.2 million views revolves around the character Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family. Made by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, it is headlined by Jenna Ortega as the lead along with Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, Isaac Ordonez, Gwendoline Christie, Riki Lindhome, Jamie McShane, Fred Armisen, and Christina Ricci. Wednesday follows the protagonist in a bid to solve a monster mystery at school. The eight-episode series premiered on November 23, 2022.
STRANGER THINGS (SEASON 4)
While Stranger Things remains a hot favourite among the audience, the latest season of the science fiction horror drama made its way to every household on May 27, 2022 and at the time garnered 286.8 million hour views making it the most sought-out show. Consisting of three different plotlines, this Duffer Brother magnum opus was set in 1986, eight months after the events of the third season, it aspired to solve the puzzle behind Eleven’s acquired superpowers and also showcased an impending doom that befalls on Hawkins.
The first volume of the season received 13 nominations for the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, including Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. It featured Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Priah Ferguson, Matthew Modine and Paul Reiser, while Brett Gelman reprising their roles.
MONEY HEIST (PART 5)
Who doesn’t like Álvaro Morte in the skin of Sergio Marquina (The Professor)/Salvador “Salva” Martín. The penultimate season of the Spanish Heist Crime Drama highlighting two separate and well-planned heists using the unique plot devices like time-jumps and flashbacks remained a strong contender to Stanger Things with 201.9 million hours viewership. Created by Álex Pina and starring Úrsula Corberó, Itziar Ituño, Pedro Alonso, Alba Flores and Miguel Herrán among others, the show had become a raging sensation during the Covid-19 pandemic and it’s title song became an inseparable part of the pop-culture.
THE JEFFREY DAHMER STORY
One of the most controversial shows to have premiered on Netflix, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story was created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan and it showed Evan Peters essaying the life of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer whose murders involved necrophilia, cannibalism, and the permanent preservation of body parts—typically all or part of the skeleton. Despite the flak received by the families of Dahmer’s victims, accusing Netflix of profiting off their traumatic experiences and “retraumatizing [the families] all over again”, the show went on to garner 865 million hours viewed in the first 28 days of its release. In its first-week run, the bone-chilling series had amassed 196.2 million hour views.
BRIDGERTON (SEASON 2)
The latest season of Bridgerton which premiered on March 25, 2022 and soon clocked 193 million views in the very first week made it one of the most successful shows of the streaming platform giant. Adapted from a book series penned by Julia Quinn, It charted the story of eight siblings hailing from a noble and prestigious family and their bid to navigate through the murky and convoluted backdrop of the Regency era trying to find love and themselves along the way. The show’s record-setting second season, which surpassed season one in viewership, cemented Bridgerton as a franchise per Entertainment Weekly. The series as a whole gave the romance genre its own cinematic universe with the female gaze front and center according to Slate. Bridgerton features Adjoa Andoh, Julie Andrews, Lorraine Ashbourne, Simone Ashley, Jonathan Bailey,Ruby Barker among the stellar cast.
THE WITCHER (SEASON 2)
The Witcher Season 2 was, until the release of Bridgerton Season 2, Netflix’s most watched original series launch at the time, with 142.4 million hours viewed in the first week. While the first season was adapted from The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny, which are collections of short stories that precede the main The Witcher saga, the second season which consisted of eight-episodes was adapted from the novel Blood of Elves. Created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, the fantasy drama series headlined by Henry Cavill, Anya Chalotra, and Freya Allan narrated the legends of Geralt of Rivia, Yennefer of Vengerberg and Princess Ciri.
YOU (SEASON 3)
The third season of the psychological-thriller series starring Penn Badgley, Victoria Pedretti, and Saffron Burrows instantly became a hit after its release with some critics deeming it the best season ever out of the two seasons that has previously aired in 2019 and 2021 respectively. The show clocked 133.1 million hours in the first week as it furthered the messy and psychopathic love story of Joe Goldberg in the midst of becoming a father and shifting to a more suburban house at the bequest of his pregnant wife Love. Created by
Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble, production on the third season began in February 2020 but was later suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
SEX EDUCATION (SEASON 3)
Continuing Otis’s journey and his tryst with sexual intimacy sans exploration, the third season of the comedy-drama amassed 125.8 million hours in the first week of its release. Not only that, the series also bagged the Best Comedy Award at the 50th International Emmy Awards. Reprising their roles, the third season of Sex Education starred an ensemble cast of Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey, Connor Swindells, Kedar Williams-Stirling, Alistair Petrie, Mimi Keene, and Aimee Lou Wood. Created by Laurie Nunn, the show aspires to explore through the lives of the students, staff and parents of the fictional Moordale Secondary School, the web and stigma around sex and intimacy.
THE WATCHER (SEASON 1)
Released last month on October 13, The Walker is loosely based on a 2018 article for New York’s “The Cut” by Reeves Wiedeman.
The mystery-thrier that was originally supposed to be a mini-series had clocked in
125 million hours of viewership in the debut week. It showcased the story of a married couple who, after moving into their dream home in Westfield, New Jersey, are harassed by letters signed by a stalker who goes by the pseudonym “The Watcher”. It featured
Naomi Watts, Bobby Cannavale, Isabel Gravitt, Luke David Blumm, Jennifer Coolidge and Margo Martindale among many others. As the show was a huge success, it’s been renewed for the second season.
ALL OF US ARE DEAD (SEASON 1)
Just like Netflix’s Squid Game had become a raging success, the coming of age zombie apocalypse Korean series headlined by Park Ji-hu, Yoon Chan-young, Cho Yi-hyun, Lomon, Yoo In-soo, Lee Yoo-mi, Kim Byung-chul, Lee Kyu-hyung, and Jeon Bae-soo took no time in becoming of the favourites with 124.8 million hours of viewership to it’s credit in its opening week. Set in the backdrop of a high-school in South Korea in the middle of an ensuing Zombie outbreak, the show was based on the Naver webtoon of the same name by Joo Dong-geun, which had come around during 2009 and 2011. Following the footsteps of The Watcher, All of us are Dead have also been renewed for a second season.
