Netflix returning Originals decreasing in viewers is part of the game

Having a successful series, no matter if it is on Netflix or any other (lesser) streaming service, is tricky. One has to assume, especially and specifically with original shows on streamers, that as the series goes along there will be fewer viewers per season. This does not mean the show is getting worse, though.

In fact, a show could become even better over time, and still fewer people would view it. That is because if someone truly loves a show then they are going to want to start from the beginning of the series, especially if it is something that has a through-line. In other words, if you are watching the excellence of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, you can almost kind of start anywhere.

With most Netflix series, you cannot do that. And that's by design. As opposed to broadcast television making money off weekly ads for each episode of a certain show, Netflix (and Hulu, etc.) wants you to binge-watch based on your subscription level. There is more of an onus on making a series important from episode to episode than one-off greatness.

Netflix returning series losing viewers is all part of the bigger plan

To get more specific, only one Netflix returning original grew its audience last year. The problem would be if most shows actually did grow their audience. This would mean a show like Bridgerton had a terrible first season, but a good third so more people are watching. That is going to limit what the series is capable of overall. Not much.

The show that did grow its audience last year was, well...yes, Bridgerton. Maybe that was a bad example, but the series is a bit different from others. Each season focuses on a different set of characters, and that is part of what makes it magical. Other shows cannot do that because they do not have the same kind of source material.

Another show that came close to matching its previous season was The Lincoln Lawyer. This might be because people have seen the 2011 movie of the same name and think they can start the series at any point. They cannot.

The point is that while no other Netflix returning series matched the viewing numbers of the previous season, they shouldn't. People are mostly going to start from the beginning of the show and then watch through. Some will watch season one of a show and then never tune back in. The real win is if a series is anywhere close to the numbers of season one in its third season or beyond. That means the show has maintained excellence.

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