Netflix Originals Can’t Retain Viewers Because of Netflix
Netflix has a problem. Its original series aren’t able to retain viewers, with heavy-hitter shows like “The Gentleman” being the most recent show to return with season 2 and see a drop of 45% in viewership. This isn’t a new issue either, and it’s common for Netflix Originals to see more than half their audience not return for a new season.
For viewers who have gotten invested in a Netflix Original show or have followed any of those originals, this viewership drop likely won’t come as a surprise. Comic Basics states that Netflix executives are studying this issue to find the reason behind these viewership drops, but one look at Reddit, Threads, or any other website that allows for forum-like discussion has a list of reasons for why viewers don’t bother watching new seasons.
Netflix Originals Take Too Long to Release Seasons
The best example of this is “Stranger Things,” which had unfortunate timing with production and the pandemic. It took three years for season 5 to be released after season 4, and in that time, viewers are going to forget which story threads still need to be tied up, or they could simply lose interest and have moved onto a different show.
On top of the long breaks between seasons, Netflix drops the entirety of a season on one day, or two days if it’s split into two parts. That makes it difficult to build momentum during a season the way that weekly episode releases can, and instead you have a setup that encourages binge watching.
Yet that’s not the only reason that you’ll find on forums. Another issue is Netflix’s habit of canceling its original shows without giving them a chance to wrap up the story. It’s common enough that some comments on articles about the viewership drop have viewers mentioning that they don’t start any Netflix Original shows now because they believe it’ll just end up cancelled, leaving them with another cliffhanger.
Original Movies and Documentaries Are Netflix’s Strength
Obviously, movies and documentaries don’t have the same viewership drops, because most of these films are standalone titles. You can go into the movie and know that you’ll receive closure for the events that happen during it. However, sequels can fall into the same viewership drop, which Netflix saw with “Enola Holmes 3.”
Then, there are movies like “KPop Demon Hunters” that become massive hits for Netflix. Plus, documentaries tend to get quite a bit of attention, especially true crime ones like “Death of the Pastor’s Wife.” This could mean that Netflix is better off funding movies and documentaries, then purchasing the rights to shows instead of producing original shows that get canceled and struggle to retain viewers.
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