As you may know, Netflix started out by delivering DVDs and Blu-rays but soon moved to streaming series and movies online. There are now many competitors offering similar services, including Amazon Prime and Now TV. However in the UK Netflix is top dog. According to a UK TV ratings service more than 5 million homes in the UK used Netflix in 2015 while only 1.6 million subscribed to Amazon Prime and less than 1 million were signed on to Now TV.
Netflix is now available in around 200 countries and it seems to be the Netflix original productions that are the most popular with viewers. The hype that surrounds the original shows such as House of Cards and the new Stranger Things is what encourages people to sign up and start to binge-watch great quality shows.
We looked at the reaction to three of the most popular Netflix originals: House of Cards, Orange is the New Black and the most recent addition Stranger Things to see how Netflix manage to get it so right.
House of Cards
House of Cards is one of Netflix’s most popular shows, with 13 Emmy nominations this year for the strength of the show’s fourth season.
The show stars Kevin Spacey as predatory politician Frank Underwood who, along with his equally manipulative wife Claire, attempt to climb the hierarchical ladder to power, taking down anyone who gets in their way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULwUzF1q5w4
When House of Cards was released by Netflix in 2013 it won three Prime-Time Emmys and became the first series that wasn’t shown on cable or network TV to win awards. The critics at Rotten Tomatoes give House of Cards an 85% rating.
IGN’s Roth Cornet wrote, “The production is sleek and well executed as you would expect from this caliber of talent, and a match for most high-end cable programs”.
Mike Rays from What Culture wrote, “Long story short, you owe it to yourself to watch House of Cards, simply because of the horrors that are about to follow promise to be interesting enough to sign up to a Netflix instant account.”
The Adorescore for House of Cards is a high 66 with the top high intensity emotions being ecstasy, amazement and anticipation. These emotions are not surprising with the number of people watching and enjoying the series. The anticipation emotion is most likely related to those who have finished season four and eagerly awaiting the release of the fifth season.
Such a powerful tv show @HouseofCards #HouseOfCards everything so accurate. @KevinSpacey a masterpiece actor 😎 pic.twitter.com/61Yl3gNWAu
— ✙ Simon ✙ (@simontemplr) July 31, 2016
last episode of house of cards is beginning. urghhhhh imminent sense of profound loss when i realise that's it until march.
— red 𓆧 (@rednewsom) July 31, 2016
Orange is The New Black
The next Netflix Original in our line up is Orange is the New Black. The prison series was named the most in-demand digital original series in the US before Netflix’s recent addition Stranger Things took over (1). The Guardian named it one of the most forward thinking shows around which provides a refreshingly accurate portrayal of women. The series is currently in production for season five.
The show follows New York woman Piper Chapman who is sentenced to 15 months in a minimum security women’s federal prison when she is convicted of drug smuggling for an ex girlfriend 10 years prior. The series follows her life in prison along with the interesting backstories of many other inmates. The show pays attention to how instances of corruption, funding cuts, drug smuggling, racism, sexism and guard brutality can adversely impact prisoners health and well-being.
The show has won four Prime-Time Emmys, and has gained critical acclaim for approaching hard hitting subjects and topics such as addiction, gender equality, rape and racism.
Rotten Tomatoes gave the show a 95% rating.
Isaac Feldberg from We got this Covered wrote, “With stellar acting, strong execution and borderline-brilliant writing, the first season of Orange is the New Black is criminally good addictive television.”
Jeff Beck from The Examiner wrote, “Orange is the New Black succeeds as a compelling series thanks to a fascinating set of characters and a story that continually grabs the viewers’ attention with multiple twists and turns.”
The Adorescore is 18 for the most used hashtag #OITNB. The main high intensity emotions are interest, rage and ecstasy. The more negative emotions aren’t surprising if you, like me, were gripped by the most recent season and are painfully aware that is doesn’t end on the happiest of terms for some of our most loved characters. The interest and ecstasy are most likely due to the series being renewed for a fifth, sixth and seventh season.
Just finished season 4 of @OITNB.
One word: WOW#OITNB #OITNBseason4
— Mike Lynch 👋 (@MikeLynch09) August 1, 2016
https://twitter.com/shegotfurlough/status/759937382019850240
Stranger Things
Netflix’s new addition Stranger Things debuted this July and has got people talking, both online and in the Adoreboard offices. This week, It was named as the most in-demand digital series in the US.
The series has been described as a love letter to the 80s classics that we all know and love such as ET. Stranger Things is set in Indiana in 1983, where a young boy disappears. As friends and family search for answers, they uncover a extraordinary mystery involving top secret government experiments, supernatural forces and a very strange little girl called 11.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWxyRG_tckY
The show is relatively new so hasn’t been nominated for any major awards as of yet, but if the reviews are anything to go it won’t be long before it is.
Rotten Tomatoes gives the show a great rating of 94%.
TV critic John Hanlon wrote, “A nostalgia driven but unique adventure, this Netflix show is one of the best must-see shows of 2016.”
Evan Valentine from Collider wrote, “Stranger Things is up there with some of the best the 80s had to offer, and somehow manages to fit seamlessly both in that era and our own.”
The Adorescore for #StrangerThings is at 30 with the main emotions being ecstasy, admiration and rage. The ecstasy and admiration are most likely due to the hype and excitement surrounding the new show and the rage could be due to the tense and dark nature of the plot.
https://twitter.com/jojomoyes/status/762724296766660609?lang=en
Today at work should be interesting… I stayed up allll night watching #strangerthings wow is it ever addicting 😳😳😳 @netflix 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
— Hilary Duff (@HilaryDuff) August 8, 2016
Really enjoying Stranger Things. Shout out to the Internet as a whole for bullying me into watching it.
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) August 7, 2016
It is clear to see that Netflix just keep producing hit after hit, and the company are showing no signs of slowing down. Netflix Chief Content Officer, Ted Sarandos says they have no intention of putting the brakes on Netflix originals stating, ‘If you’re keeping the shows great and people are loving them, why make less?” The streaming giant knows how to reach its audience with built in algorithm recommendation engines that get them to the right shows.
Although it might not be plain sailing with Amazon’s boss Jeff Bezos claiming they are doubling spending on Amazon original shows such as “The Man in the High Castle” and “Transparent” in an attempt to cement their position as a viable competitor of, and alternative to, Netflix.
[1] https://www.thedrum.com/news/2016/07/18/orange-new-black-still-most-popular-digital-series-us
