Some of the Most Popular Shows and Movies on Netflix

Netflix has always been pretty secretive about sharing actual numbers of how many members watch certain shows or movies. But recently they have started providing a bit more information on viewer habits.  So, if you’re curious to see what shows are really popular on Netflix, check out some of the lists below. 

Most popular shows on Netflix

Some interesting ones on this list. We all know Squid Game is now the most popular Netflix show of all time, but check out some of the other shows on the top 20 list. Maybe a few in there you might want to add to your watch list. Quick note: this data is based on how many user accounts watched at least the first 2 minutes of a show in the first 28 days after it is released. So, it doesn’t include people who watched a show later or anyone who just started it but bailed out before 2 minutes.  This also may or may not include every show that would fit into this lest.  But, these are the top 20, based on the numbers Netflix has released. 

1. Squid Game (season 1):  a dark South Korean thriller -- 142 million accounts.
2. Bridgerton (season 1): a period romance -- 82 million accounts. 
3. Lupin (part 1), a French heist series -- 76 million accounts. 
4. The Witcher (season 1): a fantasy series based on the series of books and video games -- 76 million accounts. 
5. Sex/Life (season 1): a slightly risque drama about a love triangle  -- 67 million accounts. 
6. Stranger Things (season 3): 1980s style sci-fi series -- 67 million accounts. 
7. La Casa de Papel (part 4) (aka Money Heist): a Spanish-language heist thriller series -- 65 million accounts.
8. Tiger King: a viral ‘reality’ documentary --64 million households. 
9. The Queen's Gambit: a limited series about a chess prodigy -- 62 million accounts. 
10. Sweet Tooth (season 1): a fantasy series based on a DC comic -- 60 million accounts. 
11. Emily in Paris (season 1): a comedy series -- 58 million accounts. 
12. Fate: The Winx Saga (season 1): a teen urban fantasy drama -- 57 million accounts.
13. Shadow and Bone (season 1): a fantasy series from a series of books -- more than 55 million accounts. 
14. Who Killed Sara? (season 1): a Mexican series about a brother's hunt for revenge -- 55 million accounts projected.
15. You (season 2): a psychological thriller series -- 54 million accounts projected.
16. Lupin (part 2): the second season of the French heist series -- 54 million accounts. 
17. Ginny & Georgia (season 1): a drama/comedy about a young mother and her kids seeking a fresh start  -- 52 million accounts.
18. Cobra Kai (seasons 1 and 2, released on Netflix simultaneously): a reboot series of 1980s film The Karate Kid -- 50 million accounts.
19. Firefly Lane (season 1): a drama chronicling the friendship of two women over decades -- 49 million accounts.
20. Ratched (season 1): a psychological thriller series -- 48 million accounts.

Most popular movies on Netflix

Here is the list of the most popular movies on Netflix, with the same stipulations as the list of popular shows above. 

1. Extraction: an action flick starring Chris Hemsworth -- 99 million accounts.
2. Bird Box: a post-apocalyptic movie starring Sandra Bullock -- more than 89 million accounts.
3. Spenser Confidential: an action-comedy movie starring Mark Wahlberg -- 85 million accounts.
4. 6 Underground: an action film starring Ryan Reynolds -- 83 million accounts.
5. The Old Guard: a sci-fi action-thriller movie with Charlize Theron -- 78 million accounts.
6. Enola Holmes: a period film about the famous detective’s younger sister -- 77 million accounts projected.
7. Project Power: a dark superhero-style movie -- 75 million accounts.
8. Army of the Dead: a hybrid heist-zombie flick with Dave Bautista -- 75 million accounts.
9. Fatherhood: a drama-comedy film starring Kevin Hart -- 74 million accounts projected. 
10. Murder Mystery: a comedy starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston -- 73 million accounts.
11. The Midnight Sky: a sci-fi movie directed and starring George Clooney -- 72 million accounts projected.
12. The Guilty: a crime thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal -- 69 million accounts projected. 
13. Holidate: a Christmas-themed romantic comedy -- 68 million accounts.
14. Kissing Booth 2: a teen romantic-comedy -- 66 million accounts.
15. Outside the Wire: a sci-fi action movie starring Anthony Mackie as an android super-soldier -- 66 million accounts. 
16. The Irishman: a period epic about the Mafia from Martin Scorsese -- 64 million accounts.
17. Triple Frontier: an action/heist movie starring Ben Affleck -- 63 million accounts.
18. Yes Day: a family film about kids being in charge -- 62 million accounts. 
19. The Christmas Chronicles-Part Two: a sequel Santa Claus adventure movie --  61 million accounts.
20. The Wrong Missy: a romantic-comedy starring David Spade and Lauren Lapkus -- 59 million accounts.

Add some of these shows and movies to your Netflix watchlist this holiday season!