Netflix
"Bodyguard"
- 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:
TV Time
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: