Netflix says 'Bridgerton' is its biggest series of all time, beating 'The Witcher'

• Netflix said on Wednesday that "Bridgerton" was its biggest series debut of all time, beating "The Witcher."
• It was watched by 82 million households worldwide in its first month of release.
• It surpassed Netflix's initial projection of 63 million households.

Shonda Rhimes' "Bridgerton" is Netflix's biggest series debut ever, beating the first season of the fantasy hit, "The Witcher."

The series, which debuted December 25, was watched by 82 million households worldwide in its first month of release, Netflix said on Wednesday. "The Witcher" season one, which debuted in December 2019, was watched by 76 million households in its first month.

"Bridgerton" greatly surpassed Netflix's initial projection of 63 million households.

Netflix counts a view if an account watches at least two minutes of an episode or movie. It's not a reflection of how many users are actually finishing a title, but it indicates strong interest.

It marks a major win for Netflix's deal with Rhimes, the superstar producer known for "How to Get Away with Murder" and "Grey's Anatomy." She struck a mega deal with the streaming giant in 2018 worth $150 million, according to The New York Times. "Bridgerton" is her first series for Netflix as part of the deal.

"Bridgerton" is not Netflix's biggest overall title of all time, though. Five movies, including "Extraction" (99 million households) and "Bird Box" (89 million) were watched by more households in their first month.

Here's how Netflix's top 10 biggest original TV shows looks now, based on first-month viewership numbers the company has released:

1. "Bridgerton" season one - 82 million
2. "The Witcher" season one - 76 million
3. "Lupin" season one - 70 million
4. "Money Heist" season four - 65 million
5. "Stranger Things" season three - 64 million
6. "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness" - 64 million
7. "The Queen's Gambit" - 62 million
8. "You" season two - 54 million
9. "Too Hot to Handle" season one - 51 million
10. "Ratched" season one - 48 million