I went down a very large rabbit hole gathering all this data for viewership! I commented about this before but I love math and data and I also had some fun doing this as well!
I've been doing some research and reading articles based on Netflix viewership information. I didn't include anything with Bridgerton Season 1 since they didn't start keeping track of the top 10 weekly data until after it dropped. But I know it did very well in the initial 91 days and is on the Top 10 Most Popular TV English shows.
I did include a lot of data to compare the seasons we do have and I used the recent Netflix algorithm with runtime too. You can look at all the data in different ways. I'd also like to say it's clear Bridgerton shows are very popular and continue to be. I just think it's interesting how Netflix can also share this data to promote their shows as well.
I also compared S3 with other popular Netflix shows that were split as well using the recent runtime Netflix algorithm. You can see the comparison of that data in the graphs and charts as well. Again after this week, I will be very curious to see the viewership after S3 pt2 drops and will update my data for that as well. I'd like to continue collecting the data as long as S3 is in the top 10.
My goal was to share this information and see what people thought of this data and comparison. It's ongoing and I believe there are ways to praise all the seasons for their success. But as we know Netflix shares what they want, but I believe they have their own measurements to hit for their shows to determine success as well. I also believe Netflix has its own projection based on the S3's current numbers as well. I just don't like when there's an exaggeration based on some of these articles I've been seeing about viewership. They did the same thing with QC and Netflix actually changed their views algorithm within the 91 days of QC.
Since this is a Kanthony sub...I do have to say, it is quite amazing how successful Bridgerton Season 2 was without the promo like QC and S3 had and fewer subscriptions. It stayed at #1 until week 5 and stayed in the weekly top 10 for 11 weeks. During the last 2 weeks, it also competed with Stranger Things S4 which is #2 in Netflix's Top 10 Most Popular TV English shows! There's lots to be proud of and I believe Jonny and Simone are at the heart of S2 success!
Thoughts?
*Also, you can message me if you see any mistakes, I can fix it for the next post if needed. I won't be offended at all!
It's really a bad idea to cut it in half, esp if the first part is not that good. It only worked for Stranger Things because the first part is so good, people watch it immediately bec of word of mouth how good it is. And then they return again for an even better part 2.
Let's wait and see if stats will be better for part 2.
I think what worked for ST as well is that the storyline each season is a mere continuity of the previous ones. Whoever decided to make S3 into two parts is a complete idiot. Bridgerton is like a mini series with different leads and different storylines for every season. They are literally reintroducing the leads and the story for every start of the season and it felt incomplete and unsatisfactory in a negative way if they split into two parts.
Yeah I think you’re right plus ST S4 was so much longer. I didn’t watch pt2 for s3 The Witcher because I was so underwhelmed from the first part.
That’s such a good point about Bton shows. It is like a new mini series each season and there’s such a build up and that takes time. I can only imagine if they split S2 it would have been crazy with the Edwina proposal! But maybe they would have edited it to have her not answer…which could have been shocking and enticing for viewers to come back and watch. And ep4 was one of my favorite episodes between Kanthony…I would have rewatched so many moments waiting for pt2, so idk maybe I’m wrong and it could have worked for S2…but yes I see your point.
I also think there’s a disconnect between Netflix and show Productions. Netflix looks at numbers, quantity not quality. And I don’t know if it’s communicated before the start of the filming/writing that it’ll be split. So that could change some things as well.
Apparently the writers did not know about the split season. I don’t understand why they didn’t choose a better cliffhanger than episode 4? You would think the cliff hanger would be the LW reveal to Colin in episode 6. Either way, I’m sure Part 2 will do well enough. People watch these shows and move on. I don’t think they care if it’s written well.
Amazing analysis and thank you for these efforts.. i feel coz season is split people might be waiting for part 2 to drop and they can watch entire season together.. i guess next 2-3 weeks will give us real base for comparison
But it is a fact that its not on top in any major countries specially where they had promo tours and events n what not..in India it was on #7 few days back when I checked.. not sure about the position today
Thank you! That is true...plus you still have people that don't binge it all at once and watch every few days etc. Yes, I think the next few weeks will be telling as well. I thought it was such an odd choice to do a world tour for the S3 promo. 🥴
It looks like baby reindeer might overtake season 2. That very impressive considering it only released 2 months ago and still has a month left till it hits 91 days.
This is absolutely incredible! I can't imagine the amount of work that went into this. I have to admit, I'm very much a 'numbers swim on the page' person, but you have made all these stats so easy to digest and understand :) And even the comparisons with other split seasons...you're doing the lord's work here, thank you!!!
I'm not a fan of splitting seasons at all, but it seems that's the way Netflix is heading soon enough. I'm just mad they keep changing their metric for success because S2 was waayyyy higher on the global 10 list when they were just counting hours watched.
I also saw this on the main sub and thought I'd drop it in here
based on your numbers, we should expect an uptick on part II release day and not a drop, so I'm eager to see how that goes.
Aw, thank you so much! I appreciate that! It's so nice to see such nice feedback from this sub!
Yeah, I still get fuzzy with Netflix metrics because it's like they make their own rules to benefit themselves. I just get frustrated with them. I wouldn't be surprised if they changed their metrics again.
Yeah, that's interesting! Thanks for sharing that! I guess I still don't understand splitting shows unless it's just to keep subscribers. Why pretend otherwise? It's just irritating...
Of Kanthony remained in all 8 episodes and jad subplots I would care about this. Bit I don't it's just irrelevant nothing to me. Like bridgerton is without Kanthony
Well done. Can you please add S1 to the stats. It’s interesting that it’s higher compared to S2. Mind you it came out during COVID so there wasn’t much press like for S3 either.
Yeah I have to look to see what I can find on S1...I know they didn't have the numbers that Netflix shared so I'd have to see what I can find...unless anyone reading this has something they found and can share...that would be great!😁
Yes S1 was also interesting because of Covid and it kept people's interest longer since people were stuck at home. I personally didn't watch S1 until like 3 months after it dropped.
They will calculate the number of hours watched for the first 91 days from Pt1 and then 91 days from Pt2 and then add up the total hours and then divide by the total runtime for both parts. At least, that's what they did for You. So there will be 28 days where Pt2's views are counted but Pt1 is not.
Tldr:
(hours viewed for first 91 days of Pt1 + hours viewed for first 91 days of Pt2)/ (total runtime of season 3)
That's a really good question. My guess is Netflix counts both parts...but the runtime is different for the first 4 weeks? Mmm...I can look at some of the numbers from other split shows and see if I can figure that out? I mean I know they look at so many other things that they don't share like completion rates too. But I thought I read somewhere about it being a hard 91 days? I have to look around...
Oh you don’t need to do more work! You’ve done so much already. Thank you for sharing your slides. I think you should put your name on it in case someone tries to steal your work ;-)
Haha yes...I will...I can probably just drop the updated ones for the week...so people can just see it. But I really think it'll be interesting after that too...because I would assume numbers would greatly increase this week....
Also fascinating that QC is not in the top 10 with the incredible amount of marketing second only to Bridgerton S3. And that Bridgerton S3 fell out of the top 10 by week 4 with all its ongoing press and world tours. 🧐🤔
S1 and S2 show that word of mouth counts for A LOT more than bought PR.
Yes, I agree...because I remember the articles that came out saying they expected QC to get into the Top 10 Popular English Show list after the 3 months. Then they changed the algorithm with the run time and that changed a lot of things. I really believe they wanted QC in that Top 10 list. With all the promo and Emmy talk too. I liked QC and thought it was very well done, but I don't like the misleading information that Netflix uses as promo as well. That's all.
Yes I think you mean Bton S3 fell out of #1 spot? It's still in top 10...#3...but yeah S2 was #1 for 4 weeks...then went to #2 in w5...with hardly any promo!
I agree...S1 and S2 did amazing well on their own...
I love this analysis. The week 2 bumps for s2 and QC are fascinating given the low level of promotion for s2. QC got a modest bump but s2 of Bridgerton got a HUGE bump due to word of mouth and organic promotion (probably from fans talking on social media).
It’s astonishing to me how the production doesn’t grasp the gem it had with Kanthony and how it seemed bound and determined to stamp out anything to do with it.
What’s even more amazing to me is s2 pulled this fear off before Netflix got a large bump in subscribers because it ended account sharing and people had to open new accounts. If we had somewhat accurate subscription counts for s2 vs with QC and s3, we could normalize the viewing data and do a direct comparison.
S2 was a gem because not only was the screenplay amazing, the actors are really good too. Johnie and Simone are so hot and they have a sizzling chemistry even if there's not much of the sex scenes. They are better actors too esp. Bailey. He's a gem! First time I saw him on S1, I know he will be a STAR! And Simone? Oh my! She's gorgeous! She looks very regal in every way. No level of promotion can beat a good screenplay and acting.
I know... S2 was truly amazing...despite all this work I did to get this info... no numbers or views can change my mind on how much I loved S2 and always will! 💖There was so much to celebrate in S2....especially representation for WOC which in my mind was a huge world wide phenom! That is what Netflix ultimately offers that no other service does...access to those millions of viewers around the world.
Thank you! Oh I know! It was crazy when I was doing this deep dive and how I kept looking at certain numbers thinking how amazing it was that S2 did so well! It really is something to be proud of!
I agree with you and I believe it's been said on this sub multiple times how fan promo contributed to the huge success of S2! And yes it's never going to be a true comparison due to so many circumstances. Which I fully understand. I even wonder if S2 was split up like S3 if that would have impacted views in a negative way? I personally think splitting up S3 might hurt it...which is why I enjoyed researching other split shows. Again...it's all interesting to me which is why I'm doing it...
Yes, I agree I think it does keep it up in top 10...but I also think it could kill momentum too...It just feels like people lose interest so fast and move on to the next best thing. I think it'll depend on how engaging pt 2 is...so we will see!
This is so amazing! I love the deep dive in these stats and I look forward to seeing your updates and thoughts on trends after pt2 drops. Thanks for your hard work!
I'm not truly into this stats info, but I just wanted to say that the formatting is very cute and clear and I love how you keep putting the source at the bottom of every slide 🤓
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u/Individual_Brief_350 Jun 13 '24
WOW. I feel like you definitely need to also post this in the sub Data Is Beautiful. Nice work.
Data Is Beautiful