Netflix simply did the unthinkable: It launched viewership numbers. After years of withholding data on what number of hours subscribers spent watching its exhibits and flicks, on Tuesday the streaming big launched an enormous trove of information. It covers 18,000 titles, breaking all of them down by what number of hours viewers have watched of every throughout the interval of January to June 2023. The winner, with 812 million hours considered? The Night Agent.

This bodes effectively for The Night Agent and possibly much less good for individuals drawn to Netflix’s extra esoteric fare. Because whereas the primary season of Sex/Life—a steamy, soapy present about hooking up with a sizzling former lover—scored 126 million hours considered, the primary season of Sex Education—a heat, humorous present about youngsters studying about intimacy and bounds—landed simply south of 28 million. The streaming big was quick to point out that “success on Netflix comes in all shapes and sizes” and isn’t decided by this stat alone. Although, on a name saying the numbers co-CEO Ted Sarandos put it considerably otherwise: “This is the data we use to run the business.”

Netflix, then, is having it each methods—saying that numbers assist it resolve what exhibits to make, whereas additionally saying stats don’t imply all the pieces. Two issues can all the time be true without delay, however it’s onerous to think about Netflix, popping out of Hot Strike Summer and dealing with a rising variety of opponents, not wanting to maintain pouring assets into positive issues.

Not to say that extra of The Night Agent is a foul factor. If you’re not one of many obvious tens of millions of people that’ve watched it, then you definately’ve most likely heard somebody let you know, “Oh yeah, it’s … fine?” whereas copping to having watched a complete season in a weekend. It’s what my colleague Jason Parham likes to name “just OK TV”—neither offensive, nor boundary-pushing, simply there.

This period of Just OK additionally comes as Netflix captures the King of Reality TV throne. Shows like Love Is Blind and Selling Sunset have gotten cultural juggernauts, and the streamer exhibits no signal of slowing down, particularly now that the Squid Game spinoff, Squid Game: The Challenge, is getting main traction. (The present got here out after the time interval tracked for Netflix’s newest report, however its early viewer numbers have been quite good.)

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