The Nielsen ratings used to be the gold-standard measurement of TV popularity. Programs like M.A.S.H, The Cosby Show, and All in the Family dominated the weekly numbers with tens of millions of viewers tuning in. As streaming took over in the 2010s, these rating systems started to become obsolete for some of the biggest shows on the planet. But how does a company like Netflix determine what show is most popular?
There is data for both the number of viewers and the number of hours viewed that Netflix has published on its Tudum site. The numbers are for individual seasons of TV, not for total views across several seasons. This means that the most popular Netflix shows might be the same ones over and over, just for different seasons. These are the eight most viewed seasons in Netflix history to binge-watch and enjoy.
8. Money Heist: Part 4 (2017)
Coming in at number eight with 106,000,000 views is the Spanish crime thriller series Money Heist. The drama shows crime from the perspective of the criminals and gives a look at the operations of the villains as they try to pull off the titular heist. The fourth part is the most streamed in the series as the show had plenty of time to gain popularity with the first three parts. Money Heist probably helped other foreign language programs like Squid Game eventually gain prominence in the United States and other parts of the world.
7. The Queen's Gambit (2020)
After HBO’s Band of Brothers, there aren’t many miniseries more critically acclaimed than The Queen’s Gambit. Anya Taylor-Joy plays a chess player with substance addiction issues who walks a tightrope between insanity and genius as she juggles her life with the world’s most famous board game and drugs. The limited series was watched 112,800,000 times and is the fifth highest-ranking English language Netflix series on the list.
6. Bridgerton: Season 1 (2020)
Love is in the air when Bridgerton is on the screen. This historical drama captures the 1800s in London with exquisite costume design and accurate accent work by the excellent cast that includes Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley, amongst others. The first season of the show remains its most popular with 113,300,000 views, but future seasons were almost as well-regarded and consumed by Netflix fans. The third season is the sixth most popular English language series in Netflix history and the second season is the tenth most popular English language series.
5. DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022)
4. Squid Game: Season 2 (2021)
3. Stranger Things: Season 4 (2016)
2. Wednesday: Season 1 (2022)
Wednesday was an Autumn phenomenon unlike anything we’ve ever seen on Netflix. Using the famous characters from The Addams Family universe and the talent of Jenna Ortega, this comedy demonstrated the timeless qualities of its source material and characters alongside the wonderful direction of Tim Burton who was involved in the production. Wednesday is finally ready to come out with its second season in 2025 and we can’t wait to see if it can surpass the first season’s 252,100,000 views, a number that nearly doubles its English language runner-up (Stranger Things 4).
1. Squid Game: Season 1 (2021)
Squid Game’s first season is a revolutionary trip through television history. People are usually turned off by subtitles and foreign language stories in America, but this unique tale of a group of desperate contestants willing to play a number of crazy, potentially lethal games for money sums up humanity’s thirst for excitement and living vicariously through their entertainment. The first season clocks in a 265,200,000 views.
