The ‘Netflix bump’: Emmy-winner Schitt’s Creek, The Walking Dead, The Office, Better Call Saul, Grey’s Anatomy – TV shows that won heaps of fresh viewers after streaming in 2020
How to Get Away with Murder, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Community, Criminal Minds, The Good Place and other series made by other broadcasters all enjoyed a fresh buzz after being picked up by the leading streaming service
Pop TV’s Schitt’s Creek dominated the Emmys on September 20, but it is Netflix that introduced the series to a far wider audience. And it isn’t the first show to experience the “Netflix bump”. Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan has credited Netflix for boosting the show’s ratings. Now, it is helping Gilligan’s follow-up, Better Call Saul, making it among the most popular series this year streaming on Netflix that originated on another network, according to the television-tracking app TV Time.
Schitt’s Creek swept the Emmys on Sunday with seven wins after going unnoticed by the awards in its first four seasons. It was recognised in its fifth series, then suddenly became an awards heavyweight in this year’s sixth and final season.
It largely has Netflix to thank for that, a fact the show’s co-creator and star, Eugene Levy, acknowledged in his acceptance speech after it won best comedy series.
Breaking Bad, another Emmys favourite, saw its ratings rise after streaming on Netflix. Creator Vince Gilligan told reporters in 2013 after it won the best drama Emmy that “Netflix kept us on the air.” Now, Netflix is boosting Better Call Saul, a prequel series starring Bob Odenkirk as the lawyer Jimmy McGill.
TV Time provided Business Insider with the most watched shows on Netflix since January 1 that originated on another network, based on activity from its millions of users (we excluded international shows and shows that Netflix revived as originals, such as Lucifer).
Here are 14 shows that got a viewership bump after becoming available on Netflix, ranked by their popularity with TV Time’s users: