Netflix
- Many TV shows have grown massively in popularity thanks to streaming on Netflix.
- TV Time provided Business Insider with some of the shows that have benefited most from the "Netflix effect."
The "Netflix effect" has been very real for many TV shows that grew in popularity and found new life after they started streaming on the service.
The term was popularized by AMC’s "Breaking Bad," which enjoyed a surge in ratings after streaming on Netflix. The show’s creator, Vince Gilligan, credited Netflix with keeping the show alive.
"I think Netflix kept us on the air," Gilligan said in 2013 when the show won the Emmy for best drama series. "… I don’t think our show would have even lasted beyond season two. It’s a new era in television, and we’ve been very fortunate to reap the benefits."
Television-tracking app TV Time provided Business Insider with an analysis of some of the TV shows that have benefited most from the Netflix bump, based on data from its 12 million global users. The shows include some international favorites that Netflix has acquired, such as the German-language series "Babylon Berlin" and the Golden Globe-winning "Bodyguard," from the UK.
Netflix also acquired the Lifetime series "You," which debuted on the service in September and quickly became an online sensation. Lifetime canceled the series, but Netflix said 40 million households viewed it in the first month. A second season is currently in the works that will debut exclusively on the streaming giant.
"You" peaked at around 150,000 viewers who checked in on the TV Time app, a huge increase from before it arrived on Netflix, when it barely made a blip on Lifetime, as seen below:
Others shows, like "Schitt’s Creek," aren’t Netflix originals, but have enjoyed a rise in popularity after becoming available on Netflix.
Below are five TV shows that have grown in popularity thanks to Netflix:
"American Crime Story"
FX
Original network: FX
Number of seasons: 2
Description: "Inspired by actual events, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story is the second installment of FX’s award-winning limited series, American Crime Story … FX’s first installment of ACS, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, garnered 9 Emmy Awards while collecting 22 nominations. As one of the most critically acclaimed programs of 2016, it also won Golden Globe, BAFTA, AFI, PGA, WGA and TCA awards."
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 92%
What critics said (Season 2): "Featuring less star power than OJ but a few stellar performances of its own, Gianni Versace will be a tougher sell to casual viewers, but those who go along for this journey into the world of a sociopath will be dramatically rewarded." — Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com
"Babylon Berlin"
Netflix
Original network: Sky 1 (Germany), now a Netflix original
Number of seasons: 2 (season 3 coming this year)
Description: "A Soviet freight train’s hijacking leads a haunted cop and a poor typist to uncover a political conspiracy amid the vice and glamour of 1929 Berlin."
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 100%
What critics said (Season 1): "Part noir, part spy thriller, part historical portrait, Babylon Berlin’s characters are striking enough that you’re happy to follow along, even when you’re not super clear on what exactly is happening." — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture
"Bodyguard"
Netflix
Original network: BBC One (UK), now a Netflix original
Number of seasons: 1
Description: "After helping thwart a terrorist attack, a war veteran is assigned to protect a politician who was a main proponent of the very conflict he fought in."
Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 94%
What critics said (Season 1): "More concerned with being a good ride than exploring character or politics, the show is awash in a timely cynicism." — John Powers, NPR
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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Source: Business Insider – tclark@businessinsider.com (Travis Clark)