Suits is an example of the “Netflix Effect”. Viewing to legal drama soared on Netflix compared to … More
Earlier today Nielsen released an audience analysis about “The Netflix Effect”, specifically chronicling the impact the streaming giant has had in providing a second life to licensed television programs and movies. The report highlights the combined impact of linear programming with streaming. In the report, Nielsen points out the effect Netflix has had on helping to resurrect or grow the popularity of programs that had previously aired or currently airing on linear television.
Among these programs include the legal drama Suits with the future Duchess of Sussex-Meghan Markle. According to Nielsen, Suits aired on the USA Network for eight seasons (2011-2019) and overall totaled 51.1 billion viewing minutes. In their first six months on Netflix (and Peacock) from June-December 2023, Suits had surpassed the USA Network accumulating 57.7 billion minutes.
Called the perfect binge show by Time Magazine, in just six months Suits had become the most streamed show of 2023. In addition, the drama surpassed The Office which reached 57.1 billion minutes in 2020 as the most streamed show in a calendar year. Based on the streaming success of Suits, last February, NBC premiered a spin-off series Suits LA.
Another example is Riverdale, a program based on the Archie Comics. The program debuted on The CW and had benefited from additional exposure on Netflix. The series debuted on television in January 2017 with the first season concluding that May. After the first season aired all 13 episodes Riverdale became available on Netflix.
According to Nielsen, in its inaugural season on The CW, Riverdale had totaled 1.4 billion viewing minutes. Following Netflix streaming the first season, the second season debuted on The CW in October 2017. The first 13 episodes of season 2 on The CW totaled 2.1 billion minutes, a 50% increase from the first season. This was an early example of the audience windfall Netflix can provide television shows.
Another program that benefited from Netflix was Lucifer. Described as an urban/fantasy series, Lucifer debuted on Fox in January 2016 and aired for three seasons. Because of declining viewing, Fox cancelled the program. In 2019, the series moved to Netflix for another three seasons. Netflix streamed all six seasons, outpacing the Fox audience in the first three seasons with strong viewing for original episodes afterwards.
Lucifer
First Three Seasons Fox & Netflix
Fox Netflix
Season 1 7.0 8.4
Season 2 7.0 9.6
Season 3 8.4 10.6
(Figures are in billions of viewing minutes)
Source: Nielsen
Nielsen also pointed out the effect Netflix has had in heightening interest in programs still airing on other platforms. For example, the drama Fire Country debuted on CBS and Paramount+ in October 2022. Prior to the start of its third season, the first season became available on Netflix. With the boost from Netflix, the audience for Fire Country on Paramount+ increased from 31.6 million minutes viewed for the premiere episode in Season 2 to 48.9 million for the Season 3 premiere episode.
Nielsen points out another takeaway is the ability of Netflix to attract new movie viewers that may have been missed on other platforms. Nielsen looked at four movies and measured the viewing on the final three months before joining Netflix compared to the first three months on the streamer. In all four instances, the audience on Netflix was significantly higher.
For example, in its first three months on Netflix the Super Mario Brothers Movie generated 7,358 million minutes viewed, compared to 2,538 million minutes viewed in the three months before becoming available on Netflix
For the initial three months on Netflix, Reacher amassed 2,105 million minutes, a ninefold increase compared to 233 million minutes over the three months prior to becoming available on Netflix. The television series Reacher premiered on Amazon in 2022 and still ranks among the most streamed programs.
Other movies that increased viewing include Focus which delivered 973 million streaming minutes during the first three months on Netflix, compared to just eight million minutes previously. Also, the viewing minutes to The Flash more than doubled from 192 million minutes to 508 million minutes on Netflix.
The “Netflix Effect” has the uncanny ability to expose viewers to programs and movies they have missed out via more traditional channels. The result supports the claim that content on television can have a stronger shelf life and become a greater part of the social and cultural dialog when available on the streaming giant.
