Riverdale, All American and 5 more shows Netflix inadvertently saved

Riverdale -- "Chapter One Hundred: The Jughead Paradox" -- Image Number: RVD605b_0090r.jpg -- Pictured (L-R): Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper, KJ Apa as Archie Andrews and Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge -- Photo: Kailey Schwerman/The CW -- © 2021 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved. /

3 of 7

GREY’S ANATOMY – “Save the Last Dance for Me” – DeLuca can’t figure out what’s going on with his incurable patient Suzanne and he turns to a diagnostics genius, Dr. Riley from UCSF, for help. Bailey checks in on Joey, a foster kid that Ben brought into Grey Sloan. Meanwhile, Amelia is getting the results of her paternity test and Jo confronts her about how she is treating Link on an all-new episode of “Grey’s Anatomy,” THURSDAY, FEB. 13 (9:00-10:01 p.m. EST), on ABC. (ABC/Ali Goldstein)ELLEN POMPEO /

How Netflix saved Grey’s Anatomy

If you’re a fan of Grey’s Anatomy, you’re probably asking yourself, “Wait… How did Netflix save a show that’s clearly doing well and has never really been on the bubble?” It’s a fair question because you’re right: Grey’s has been rock solid for its entire run.

The series premiered as a midseason entry in March 2005 and quickly became one of the highest-rated shows on television alongside other ABC shows of the time like Lost and Desperate Housewives. We’re talking about a show that in its heyday grabbed at most 25 million viewers for a single episode.

As the streaming era commenced and started to strain the performance of the broadcast networks, Grey’s Anatomy was able to outlast many other shows based on the power of its established branding alone. However, having the chance to stream on Netflix helped further extend its popularity.

A new generation of Grey’s fans were able to binge-watch the early days, catch up to the modern seasons, and thus keep up with the veteran medical drama. The ratings have since naturally declined, but it’s still one of the most popular shows on television in its 18th season. There are so many reasons for that staying power, and Netflix accessibility is one of them.

Home/TV