According to a study, these are the 10 most overrated Netflix Originals
By Mads Lennon
Given just how much content Netflix produces and how subjective film and television is as a whole, it was always inevitable there would be discrepancy between critics and viewers regarding which shows or movies are actually "good" and which ones are overrated.
According to a new study conducted by Amazon Slots, there are several popular shows that audiences consider to be overrated, among them are the acclaimed series The Queen's Gambit starring Anya Taylor-Joy and even movies like Lady Dynamite and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
The study's methodology involved scanning Metacritic reviews and then comparing the difference in points between critics and audiences. Films or series with the largest discrepancy between verified critic and user review scores are consider the most overrated. Amazon Slots highlighted a list of the 10 most overrated series based on their findings.
Here's the list from the projects deemed most to least overrated:
- Enola Holmes
- The Queen's Gambit
- The Witcher: Blood Origin
- Three-way tie between Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and Lady Dynamite
- Big Mouth
- Marriage Story
- Tie between Midnight Sky and Death Note
- The Old Guard
- Fear Street Part One: 1994
- Sweet Tooth
These findings are enlightening because I thought Fear Street, in particular, was beloved by audiences, so the fact there is some significant discrepancy between viewers and critics regarding that film was surprising. Then again, most people who enjoy Fear Street seem to prefer the third and final movie in the trilogy, critics and fans alike.
The Witcher: Blood Origin's inclusion might raise some eyebrows. I think most of us are in agreement that the prequel series was unnecessary and not great. Critics did not hold back their distaste for it and the fact audiences ranked it even lower than critics just speaks to the universal dislike for that show.
Similarly, acclaimed movies like Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Glass Onion, and Marriage Story further point to just how different audiences and critics view movies at times. These films all received awards attention, yet viewers were less impressed.
Polar dubbed the most underrated Netflix film
Not only did the study look into overrated series and movies, but it also examined some of the underrated features and the most significant difference between critic and audience opinion involves Mad Mikkelsen's 2019 thriller Polar. Critics "overwhelmingly disliked" the movie, with a meager score of 19 out of 100, whereas users were far more favorable, giving the film a 64 out of 100.
A spokesperson from Amazon Slots said that the this study "highlights a noticeable gap in perspectives between critics and the public." It's interesting to investigate and explore where these diverging opinions come from. One possible explanation is how critics can sometimes get swept up into hype and buzz from their peers and media.
"Despite their best efforts to remain fair and impartial, critics can still be inadvertently swept up in the prevailing excitement of a new release and offer a slightly more generous review than might be merited. Users, many of whom view the release at a later date, are not necessarily subjected to the same external pressures, and may find they can offer a more objective review of each title."
- Amazon Slots
That said, the inverse of this can be true as well. Often audiences aren't viewing television through a critical lens and therefore might not notice when something is made poorly so long as they're entertained. Speaking from my own experience, I've been on both sides.
Some of my favorite movies are not necessarily "good," but I found them enjoyable for some reason or other. There's nothing wrong with either perspective, but it's certainly intriguing to reflect on the differences.