Netflix Review: Still the Best Streaming Service

Netflix Review: Still the Best Streaming Service

When you think of streaming TV shows and movies, there's a good chance that Netflix is comes to mind first. Though competition from rivals like HBO Max and Disney Plus is fierce, it's still the best choice for streaming entertainment, period. 

Netflix includes a wide variety of familiar network shows and more original series, films, documentaries and specials than any of its myriad competitors. Despite challenges with retaining subscribers and a price bump, the world's first major streaming service remains our favorite choice thanks to its huge library of constantly refreshed content and its easy accessibility across different devices. In 2021, Netflix won 44 Emmys, making history and racking up more than the next two media companies combined. If you're looking for something new to watch, Netflix should be your top choice.  

Like

• Strong recommendation engine
• Easy to use across different devices
• Offline downloads available
• Extensive list of movies and shows
• Massive selection of original programs
• No commercials

Don't Like

• Cost for premium plans is on the higher end
• Can't watch shows as they air on other networks

Depending on the plan you choose, Netflix costs between $10 and $20 per month, which is at the higher end for a streaming service, as you can see in the chart below. Its recent price increase shook up the streaming world and moved Netflix closer to HBO Max in terms of cost. However, the pricier package lets you watch up to four screens at once, and create different user profiles, so in theory, you could split it among friends to lower the price. Thanks to its sheer variety and number of new things to watch, Netflix also gives you the most bang for your buck.

Streaming Services Compared

	Netflix	Peacock	HBO Max	Disney Plus	Apple TV Plus	Amazon Prime Video	Hulu
Monthly price	Starts at $9.99	Basic free with ads, ad-free for $5	$9.99 for basic with ads, $14.99 for ad-free	$7.99	$4.99	$8.99 (or included with $140/year Prime membership)	Basic $6.99 with ads, ad-free Premium for $12.99, Live TV for $70
Ads	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes
Top titles	Stranger Things, Squid Game, Bridgerton, Ozark, Money Heist	The Office, 30 Rock, Bel-Air, early access to Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon	Game of Thrones, Dune, Euphoria, DC titles	The Mandalorian, Loki, Encanto, Obi-Wan Kenobi	Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, CODA, Severance	Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Boys, Reacher, The Wheel of Time	Handmaid's Tale, Pen15, The Great, Bob's Burgers
Mobile downloads	Yes	Yes (Premium Plus plan)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
4K HDR available	Yes (on Premium plan)	No	Yes (limited titles)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Number of streams:	1 (2 for Standard, 4 on Premium)	3	3	4	6	2	2 (Unlimited with Live TV $9.99 add-on)

How Netflix started vs. how it's going

Between 2012-2013, Netflix premiered its first original TV shows, including Lilyhammer, House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black. Today, it has a catalog of more than 1,500 original TV shows and movies, including global hits like Stranger Things, Emmy winners such as Bridgerton, The Queen's Gambit and The Crown, as well as Oscar-nominated movies such as The Power of the Dog, Tick, Tick… Boom! and The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Though the company's been known for its commercial-free streaming experience since its inception, there are plans to introduce an ad-supported tier before 2022 ends. Additionally, Netflix aims to crackdown on password sharing by charging a fee for extra users on an account. The program is still in the pilot phase, but the days of crowdfunding your Netflix subscription may soon be over. 

As of 2022, Netflix has more than 220 million paid subscribers across 190 countries, after seeing a major spike in users during the pandemic. A dent in its subscriber base caused numbers to drop by 200,000, but there are still reasons to keep the service, with the main draw being its content.  

What shows and movies does Netflix have?

Netflix may have had the first-to-market advantage in the world of streaming services, but it's kept its momentum with its increasing number of original shows and movies -- many of which have won critical acclaim and major awards and nominations.   

Compared to other streaming platforms, you can't beat Netflix's slate of original TV shows that are now considered among the best of the modern era of television, including those mentioned above plus many more, such as Squid Game, Ozark, Never Have I Ever, Money Heist and Cobra Kai.

Read more:  Netflix: The 49 Absolute Best TV Shows to Watch

Outside of TV shows, Netflix's original programs include a wide range of comedies, dramas, foreign films and shows, documentary series, anime, stand-up comedy specials and reality dating and competition shows. Not all of them are runaway hits, but many of them are, and there's enough to explore interesting shows that may not have found a home on traditional network TV. And at a time when going to the movies is more fraught than it once was, Netflix offers a place to find new films: In 2022 alone, Netflix is set to release over 100 new movies, at least one per week. The selection spans across genres and geography, and includes K-dramas, animated features, and fantasy book adaptations.

Stranger Things is one of Netflix's powerhouse originals. 

Netflix

Netflix typically adds shows a full season at a time, though not while a show is airing on network TV -- so if you don't have cable or another platform like Hulu, you'll have to wait to watch for a few months to watch seasons in full. 

One complaint: Netflix content sometimes can come and go without warning. The only way to tell if something is leaving the service in the next 30 days is if you happen to tap on the details page for the given show or movie -- or search online for everything coming and going in a given month.

Another potential content issue to flag: In recent years Netflix has lost some of its most popular content (such as The Office, which moved to NBC's Peacock, Daredevil, which moved to Disney Plus and Friends, which moved to HBO Max) as other networks created their own streaming services. While it started as an online video store that was trying to offer every movie and TV series online, it may be slowly becoming more akin to the old HBO -- mostly featuring its own original programming, complemented with some things it licenses from other companies.

What's it like to use Netflix? 

I first subscribed to Netflix back in the first streaming days of 2007, so using the platform feels like second nature at this point. Even if you're new to it, it's pretty user-friendly: Open the app and tap on your profile (if you have one set up), and you'll see a homepage. You'll see Popular on Netflix, Continue Watching, Trending Now, Top Picks for you and a number of (sometimes oddly specific) other categories based on shows you've watched before. Mine include Critically-acclaimed Witty TV Comedies and Suburban-dysfunction TV Comedies, for example. 

Netflix's design encourages scrolling -- there are so many different categories to look through, and then shows and movies within those categories to continue scrolling into. You can create a watch list to help you cut down on this, but the vast, colorful library makes it easy to spend more time looking through options than actually watching a show, so be careful.

The Netflix app operates similarly across various devices. My home page on the web browser is nearly identical to that on my Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV Stick, both in content and layout. It's more condensed on the smaller iPhone and Android phone screens, but still follows the same format, and has a clear "Downloads" tab to find content to save to watch offline on your device. 

Rows and rows of content on Netflix can keep you busy.

James Martin/CNET

One difference between devices is voice commands: You might find it more or less difficult to fire up a Netflix show from your device's home screen depending on which voice-capable device you're using.

For example, when you say, "Watch Stranger Things" on the Apple TV and the iOS app on iPhone, it will first have you click which specific show (Stranger Things or Beyond Stranger Things), and then will take you to an Apple TV page for the show, and there it will give you the option to open Netflix and start episode 1. On Amazon Fire TV Stick, you can say, "Watch Stranger Things," and it will open Netflix automatically if you're logged into the app. On the Roku 4K stick, if you say, "Watch Stranger Things," it will take you right to the first episode in the app. Those are more hardware-side concerns, but interesting to note. 

Once you're in the Netflix app, though, voice commands work the same across devices: Go to the Search tab, hold the microphone button to dictate, and say the name of the show you're looking for. 

When you select a show or movie to watch, you have the option to fast-forward, rewind, add subtitles and change your audio settings. If you have a Premium account and a big enough 4K TV, watching in Ultra HD makes for a very cinematic experience. The show or movie you choose will also show up in your "Continue watching" section at the top of your homepage for easier access. 

How much does Netflix cost? 

Netflix offers three pricing plans: Basic, Standard and Premium. Here is how the costs and features break down:

Netflix plans

	Basic	Standard	Premium
Monthly price	$10	$15.50	$20
Number of screens you can watch on at the same time	1	2	4
Number of phones or tablets you can have downloads on	1	2	4
HD available	No	Yes	Yes
Ultra HD available	No	No	Yes

All plans include the ability to watch on any device, and the full, unlimited collection of movies and TV shows. All allow cancellation at any time. Netflix also offers a one-month free trial. 

Netflix's Basic plan costs more than Prime Video ($9 per month), more than Hulu's ad-based plan ($7 per month) but less than its more comparable no-ads plan ($13 per month). If you're on a shared Netflix account with family, chances are it's a Premium one ($20 per month) -- if you're actually splitting it between four people, that's only $5 per month each, and a strong value for all of the original content available, including some in 4K Ultra HD. Plus: No commercials on any plan. 

What features do you get on Netflix? 

Outside of general streaming, if you have the Standard or Premium plan, you can create different profiles for different users, and find your own list of personalized recommendations. 

Netflix's recommendation game is strong, from "Because you watched" carousels that have been improved by the new "two thumbs up" feature, to the option to remove content from your home page, to its "Play Something" shuffle feature for when you're unsure what to stream.

The platform also has a particularly appealing kid's section, with a solid catalog of content including CoComelon, Pokemon: Master Journeys and Trolls: The Beat Goes On! and a much more kid-friendly user interface – including the mystery box feature added earlier this year.

If you subscribe to the Premium plan, you can watch certain shows and movies in 4K Ultra HD on 4K TVs. You'll need a steady internet connection speed of at least 25 megabits per second, and streaming quality set to Auto or High. 

Netflix has more 4K content than just about any other streaming service, and a lot of its 4K shows and movies are also available in HDR. High dynamic range provides an even bigger improvement in image quality than 4K according to CNET's tests, with better contrast and color, and the difference is especially apparent on large, higher-end televisions. Netflix supports the two major HDR formats, generic HDR (aka HDR-10) as well as Dolby Vision. If you have a device that handles Dolby Vision, Netflix will play content (if available) in that format by default.

You can search for a selection of 4K TV shows and movies on the service with the Premium plan.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Data usage varies by format, ranging from about 1GB per hour for the standard-definition video to up to 7GB per hour for the highest-quality 4K streams. Downloading and streaming take up a similar amount of data, according to Netflix. If you want to avoid having Netflix eat up all of your data, you can take certain steps laid out on Netflix's website to adjust your data usage settings. 

All subscribers can download TV shows and movies on the Netflix app on mobile devices for offline viewing, though certain titles aren't available to download. 

Read more: 9 Handy Netflix Tricks That Can Help Make Streaming Better

Should you get it? 

Netflix remains my favorite streaming platform of the increasingly large bunch. It has a huge selection of movies and TV shows old and new, tons of high-quality original programs, and an easy-to-navigate interface. 

Even though it no longer offers a free trial, it's worth trying Netflix for a month if you want something new to watch.

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The Best Netflix Documentaries You Absolutely Need to Watch

The Best Netflix Documentaries You Absolutely Need to Watch

Netflix has the best documentaries in the business. Hands down. It might be the best part of the service. But the choice is almost overwhelming. That's why we've made this list: our picks for the best documentaries on Netflix.

Here's how we're breaking things down. We're starting with the latest and best up top, then the rest listed by genre. 

Good luck and happy watching!

The Best Documentaries on Netflix

Netflix

Trainwreck: Woodstock '99

Following in the very promising footsteps of Netflix documentaries being leaner, tighter and... better, Trainwreck: Woodstock '99 is a truly horrifying look at what really went on at the notorious Woodstock '99 festival. Quick content warning: Expect to see some truly grotesque discussion of human behavior including rape, looting and arson. This is a truly terrifying watch.

Netflix

Untold (2021)

Untold is the latest from the folks behind Wild Wild Country.

It's a sports documentary series, with each episode going in-depth on controversial sports topics. The first episode focuses on Malice at the Palace, the notorious basketball match where Ron Artest waded into the crowd and wailed on fans back in 2004.

Untold is now in its second season and it is absolute must watch stuff. The new episodes are arguably better than the stellar first season. Maybe the best sports documentary series on Netflix

Netflix

The Most Hated Man on the Internet

Netflix has been on fire with its documentaries lately, and The Most Hated Man on the Internet is the latest. From the producers of Tinder Swindler and Dont F**k with Cats, it's a three-part documentary that tells the story of Hunter Moore, one of the most notorious purveyors of "revenge porn." Definitely worth watching this one. 

Netflix

The Girl in the Picture

The Girl in the Picture is the latest true crime documentary from Netflix. It's up there with the service's absolute best work.

It feels like, after a period of needlessly bloated multiepisode documentaries, Netflix has started trimming the fat, releasing lean, incredibly compelling documentaries again. First Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey and Our Father, now this.

The Girl in the Picture tells the story of a young girl, murdered at age 20. To say too much would spoil the impact, but this is a layered, brutal documentary with endless twists. It needs to be seen to be believed.

Netflix

Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey

There are a lot of Netflix documentaries about cults gone mad, but Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey might be the most disturbing of the lot. Unlike Murder Among the Mormons, which almost treated its topic like a screwball comedy, Keep Sweet is a very grim story about a grim human being in Warren Jeffs. It's a fantastic documentary, and among the best Netflix has produced, but it comes with a very hefty content warning.

Netflix

Our Father

As good as Netflix documentaries are, there's been a tendency to drag out true crime into these bloated multiepisode series. Thankfully Our Father is the opposite of that. It's a lean, perfectly executed documentary focused on Donald Cline, an Indiana fertility doctor who used his own sperm to inseminate a ridiculous number of women against their will.

This is an incredible piece, one of those stories that just escalates and escalates to the point where your jaw drops in disbelief. 

Netflix

The Staircase (2018)

The true crime documentary genre is utterly saturated at this point, but The Staircase stands out. 

Focusing on Michael Peterson and the death of his wife Kathleen, The Staircase is more than just a murder mystery. It's a drawn-out epic that takes place over literal decades, a documentary that follows Peterson and examines his every move, but somehow still remains objective. 

It's a good time to watch or revisit this one, since HBO Max has just launched a drama miniseries based on it.

Netflix

Formula 1: Drive to Survive

The absolute gold standard for long-running sports documentaries. Drive to Survive is so good, and so popular, that it's inspired a whole new level of interest in Formula 1, especially in the US. This show is great at elevating the characters that occupy the sport. More shows like this, please.

Netflix

Icarus (2017)

This Oscar-winning documentary is an absolute belter. 

Icarus starts out as an expose on the impact performance-enhancing drugs have on sports performance, but a sequence of events drags director Bryan Fogel into a web of geopolitics and conspiracies. To say more would spoil it, but Fogel ultimately has created a documentary that had a very real impact on our perception of sports as a whole. In that respect, Icarus is a literal game changer.

Netflix

Who Killed Little Gregory (2019)

Who Killed Little Gregory is a documentary focused on the horrific murder of Grégory Villemin. It's arguably the best true crime documentary on Netflix. It's about a murder, and attempts to solve that murder, but it's also a lesson in media representation and the horrific sexism Grégory's mother had to face in the wake of her son's murder. 

Netflix

The Last Dance (2020)

In 2020, in the midst of a pandemic, Netflix dropped this piece of sports doc perfection. 

The Last Dance focuses on the Chicago Bulls during their '97-'98 NBA title-winning season, but really it's a jumping off point for a documentary that tells the life story of its central star, Michael Jordan. 

As a result, many criticized it for being a little too Jordan-focused, but The Last Dance was an event documentary that lived up to the hype. 

True crime

Netflix

The Keepers (2017)

I've watched plenty of true crime documentaries on Netflix, but nothing has come close to The Keepers. A staggering story, told across generations, that's respectful of the victims, yet compelling throughout.

It's a story about the unsolved murder of Catherine Cesnik, a nun who taught at a Catholic school in Baltimore, but The Keepers goes further than you might expect and exposes a potential coverup of sex abuse allegations.

Michael Putland/Getty Images

Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story

It's almost impossible to overstate how famous Jimmy Savile was in the UK -- particularly in the 1980s. He was beyond a household name, in many ways he felt like an eccentric uncle to the nation.

Which made revelations that he had sexually assaulted hundreds of underage girls and boys all the more horrific. This was a person the whole of Britain had invited into their homes. 

Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story does a great job of going through the archives, combining footage that is utterly bizarre in hindsight, and adding fantastic interviews with some of the major players in British TV during Savile's heyday. A fascinating, albeit disturbing documentary. Be warned: This is a difficult watch. 

Netflix

The Tinder Swindler (2022)

A documentary focused on Shimon Hayut, aka the "Tinder Swindler," a conman who used dating apps to defraud multiple women across Europe to fund a lavish lifestyle.

A slightly different topic compared to most true crime documentaries on Netflix. Definitely worth a gander.

Netflix

House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths (2021)

One of the more recent true crime documentaries from Netflix, this is a good one.

Focusing on the bizarre deaths of 11 family members in one house in Burari, Delhi, India in 2018, House of Secrets delves into the theories behind of the strangest suicide/murder cases in recent memory. Unmissable stuff. 

Netflix

This Is a Robbery (2021)

This Is a Robbery is about Netflix as it gets. A four-part series focusing on the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, this is essentially a documentary about an art heist. Remember Evil Genius? (Which is also on this list.) This Is a Robbery is very much in that style. The first episode takes a while to get going, but be patient -- this one has a payoff.

Netflix

Murder Among the Mormons (2021)

Some of Netflix's more recent true crime documentaries have been a bit bloated and... sorta bad?

Thankfully Murder Among the Mormons is a return to form. Definitely watch this one. 

Netflix

American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)

There are a lot of true crime documentaries out there (and on this list) but American Murder: The Family Next Door sticks out. 

It tells the story of Chris Watts, a seemingly regular guy who murdered his wife and children. The access to footage is staggering and it's edited and produced in a unique way, using text messages and social media posts to tell the story. It's a horrific reminder of the banal, incredibly common existence of domestic violence.

Netflix

Making a Murderer (2015-2018)

With the swath of true crime documentaries and podcasts that came in its wake, it's easy to forget that the world once lost its collective mind over Making a Murderer. In a lot of ways it created the template that many Netflix documentaries now follow. A real original.

Sports 

Netflix

Athlete A (2020)

Athlete A is a great feature length expose on Larry Nassar, the team doctor of USA Gymnastics, who had been sexually abusing female athletes for decades.

Be warned: This one is harrowing.

Netflix

14 Peaks (2021)

14 Peaks tells the story of the Nepalese mountaineer Nimsdai Purja and his goal of climbing all 14 mountains above the height of 8,000 meters (26,000 feet) in one year. It's incredible. Must-watch stuff.

Netflix

Bad Sport (2021)

Netflix might have burned the true crime documentary into the ground, but it's on fire when it comes to sports. Bad Sport is the latest entry into this burgeoning subcategory, and it's awesome. Focusing on strange controversies in sports history, Bad Sport is less about major players doing major things, it's about what happens when sport goes bad, gets down in the dirt. All of these episodes are great. Hoping for a season 2. 

Netflix

The River Runner (2021)

The River Runner is sorta like Free Solo for kayaking. Consider that a compliment.

Focusing on Scott Lindgren, a kayaking legend who was a pioneer of the sport, this is a traditional story of an extreme sports star overcoming odds, but it runs a little deeper than that. Fighting against a brain tumor and his own personal demons, Lindgren is a compelling case study. Must watch stuff.

Netflix

Naomi Osaka (2021)

Naomi Osaka has become one of the most famous and talked-about athletes on the planet. This fascinating documentary explores different phases of her career and offers incredible access into the life of a young woman struggling with the pressures of sport and fame. A must-watch.

Netflix

The Speed Cubers (2020)

If you're looking for a slightly more uplifting documentary, you could do far worse than The Speed Cubers, a look at the world of competitive... Rubik's Cubers? It's short, but packs an incredible emotional punch. Prepare yourself, this one might break you.

Nature/science

Netflix

Seaspiracy (2021)

Seaspiracy follows in the footsteps of multiple documentaries focused on the impact of meat eating on the environment. This time the global fishing industry is in the crosshairs. As expected this one has stirred up a bit of controversy from all stakeholders -- PETA, Greenpeace and conservation groups can't seem to agree if Seaspiracy is accurate or fair. Watch it and make up your own mind.

Netflix

My Octopus Teacher (2020)

My Octopus Teacher follows Craig Foster, a filmmaker who spent a year snorkeling and interacting with an octopus off the coast of South Africa. It's a nature film, sure, but it's simultaneously a documentary designed to inspire awe in the viewer. In short, octopuses are incredible. Little aliens on Earth, essentially. This is the story of a relationship between humans and nature, but it's also an inspiring call to action: Don't ignore the wonder that exists all around you.

Netflix

Our Great National Parks

Barack Obama is making a beeline for David Attenborough's job. And we don't hate the idea!

Our Great National Parks is a world-class nature documentary in the style of great BBC shows like Planet Earth. They've nailed it here. If you're a fan of that type of show, this is completely unmissable.

Netflix

Our Planet (2019)

David Attenborough nature documentaries are so pervasive, they're vulnerable to self parody, but Our Planet is -- I believe -- the high watermark. Only Planet Earth, another Attenborough doc, comes close. But I prefer this one.

Netflix

Tiger King (2020-21)

Time may dull its impact, but when Tiger King was first released on Netflix, the entire world couldn't stop talking about it. 

Tiger King explores the strange underbelly of big cat breeding, focusing on a cast of unforgettable (and ultimately dangerous) characters. It drags its audience to weird places. Season 2 is now available and while the show has lost a lot of its bite, it's intriguing to catch up with this cast of wild human beings doing wild, completely outlandish things. 

Politics/history 

Netflix

13th (2016)

13th by Ava Duvernay is a staggering documentary that tells the story of American slavery and its long-lasting impacts, many of which still resonate today. 

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, this should be mandatory viewing.

Netflix

The Great Hack (2019)

In the wake of the Capitol siege, the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica controversy almost feels like ancient history, but that doesn't make this documentary any less important. If you haven't seen it, then watch it.

Netflix

Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal (2021)

Recently released, Operations Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal has a name as long as some of Netflix's recent documentaries. Thankfully, this isn't as bloated as, say, the recent Cecil Hotel doc, but it could still use some trimming. 

Operation Varsity Blues focused on the FBI investigation into college admissions that put actress Felicity Huffman into jail. Its director, Chris Smith, previously worked on the Fyre Festival documentary. This isn't quite as compelling, but is still well worth watching. 

Sundance

Knock Down the House (2019)

Regardless of your views on Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Knock Down the House is an incredible underdog story that cannot be missed. Focusing on progressive female candidates during the 2018 congressional primary campaigns, it's an insightful look at the democratic process. It's an inspiring reminder that we need to fight in order to make the voices of ordinary people count.

Netflix

What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)

Not gonna say much here. Nina Simone is a legend and this is maybe one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. 

Netflix

Wild Wild Country (2018)

Overlong and bloated, Wild Wild Country is nevertheless one of the most fascinating documentaries I've ever watched on Netflix. 

It tells the story of Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, who attempted to build a gigantic sprawling commune, for what was essentially a sex cult, in the United States. It's a strange story that somehow becomes stranger with age. Much like Tiger King, the story plumbs depths you won't believe. At times it's a slog, but Wild Wild Country is absolutely worthwhile.

Netflix

Five Came Back (2017)

I absolutely adore this documentary. Five current acclaimed directors (including Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola) help tell the story of five famous movie directors from the '30s and '40s who did frontline work during the Second World War. It wraps their legacies alongside the impact of the war itself into a truly compelling story of Hollywood's golden age.

Netflix

American Factory (2019)

An Oscar winner for Netflix, this documentary is the first produced by Barack and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Productions team. 

American Factory tells the story of Fuyao, a Chinese company that built a factory in Ohio that inhabits a now-closed General Motors plant. You have to watch this movie.

Netflix

Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich (2020)

By this point we all have some sort of understanding of Jeffrey Epstein's story but Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich does itself a great service by focusing on the stories of the survivors of his abuse. 

The Cinemart/Hulu

Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (2019)

Hulu also has a great Fyre festival documentary, but I prefer this Netflix one. Unlike many Netflix documentaries, which are stretched and bloated into multipart episodes, this documentary is sharp, direct and solid gold the entire way through.

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'Stranger Things' Will Be Netflix's Biggest Hit Yet. How? Netflix Changed its Rules

'Stranger Things' Will Be Netflix's Biggest Hit Yet. How? Netflix Changed its Rules

What's happening

Netflix ranks the popularity of its originals with all-time Most Popular charts, but last month it quietly changed the way it measures the watch time for some shows. The stats for those shows inflated dramatically.

Why it matters

For Netflix to launch a cheaper tier with ads, it must win over advertisers, and its measurement takes on new significance when advertisers become part of the equation.

What's next

Stranger Things, which released seven episodes last week and will drop two more July 1, is all but certain to be ranked as Netflix's biggest hit yet thanks to this rule change that works in the show's favor.

Stranger Things returned Friday with season 4. By the end of the summer, Netflix will almost certainly proclaim the retro sci-fi series' latest season its biggest hit yet. But Stranger Things 4's viewership victory, set to trump the likes of Bridgerton and Squid Game, was assured weeks before a single subscriber streamed a second of it, when Netflix quietly tweaked its own popularity rules.

The change last month has already inflated the stats for shows like Ozark and Money Heist. Stranger Things 4 is next.  

Stranger Things 4's first volume of episodes hit Friday. The season's final two episodes, running nearly four hours combined, will land July 1.

Netflix

When the final numbers are in, Stranger Things 4 will likely eclipse Bridgerton and Squid Game in Netflix's all-time Most Popular rankings based on total hours watched. These are charts that Netflix updates weekly at Netflix Top 10. All three shows are colossally well-watched worldwide. But among them, only Stranger Things will enjoy Netflix counting its "watch time" for twice as long. Instead of tallying up viewing hours in its first 28 days of release, as Netflix did for Bridgerton and Squid Game, Netflix will be racking up Stranger Things 4's views over 56 days total thanks to its two-part release schedule. 

While these charts can be dismissed as pageantry without much consequence, they're still the most direct data available pointing people -- whether it's Wall Street suits, Hollywood insiders or viewers like you -- to the biggest titles on the world's largest streaming service. They give investors a gauge for Netflix's competitiveness, they can help Netflix recruit talent, and they stoke buzz that may nudge you to watch something you otherwise wouldn't. 

But Netflix measurement is about to take on much greater consequence, as the service launches advertising. For Netflix to be able to offer you a cheaper tier with ads, it will need to broaden its measurement beyond watch time and get more transparent in order to win over advertisers, experts say. 

Netflix has gotten by this far releasing whatever data it wants on its own terms, said Dallas Lawrence, the head of communications and brand for Samba TV, a television researcher and ad measurement firm. That will change when Netflix must sell itself to advertisers too. 

"The buyers will not allow Netflix to grade its own homework," Lawrence said. 

Watch time turned upside down 

When Netflix launched its Top 10 rankings website in November, it unlocked an unprecedented trove of viewing data. The site details the service's most-watched titles of the previous week and how many hours they were viewed, both globally and in more than 90 individual countries. For its most voraciously viewed titles, Netflix updates a set of Most Popular charts, which rank its most watched originals of all time. 

And for a show or movie to make it on the all-time Most Popular rankings, Netflix looks at the 28 days from its premiere to rack up watch hours. 

The latest season of Bridgerton, for example, is Netflix's most watched show in English at 656.3 million hours. Squid Game, the breakout South Korean dystopian thriller, is Netflix's most-watched show in any language, at 1.65 billion hours watched in the 28-day window. 

Squid Game is Netflix's most watched title so far. 

Netflix

That 28-day shot clock was the same for every movie and TV season, until May 10. Then Netflix quietly tweaked the rules to give some shows 56 days -- twice as long -- to amass views. For any series that releases its season in two "volumes" on different dates, the shot clock runs for 28 days after its first batch of episodes, then it resumes again for an additional 28 days after the second batch. Netflix counts the viewing of a volume's episodes only during that volume's first 28 days.

But shows like Stranger Things 4, with seven episodes out now and another two coming July 1, still get 56 days to generate viewing hours toward their ranking. And because the release of a second volume can come soon after the first, the first 28-day window can potentially include rewatch views of the first batch as fans catch up as the second approaches. In the case of Stranger Things 4, fans who immediately binge-watched volume one could revisit these episodes to refresh in anticipation of volume two. And any of that rewatching before June 23 would count.

Shows like Bridgerton and Squid Game, which followed the Netflix convention of releasing a full season at once, are still stuck with their count over 28 days.

Netflix disclosed this change by, essentially, updating its fine print. Judging by archived screenshots of the Top 10 website, Netflix added two sentences to its methodology statement on May 10. Netflix didn't otherwise disclose that it had altered its methodology for the Most Popular rankings.

When reached for comment on this article, Netflix referred to the methodology stated on its site.

Stranger Things 4 was already sure to be a smash by Netflix's standards. Its last season is among Netflix's most watched programs ever, even though it came out when Netflix had two-thirds the subscribers it does now. A three-year hiatus has built up fan demand, and this season's runtime is much longer than the rest. (Its runtime is also much longer than that of Squid Game or Bridgerton. Its first volume of episodes runs an hour longer than the entirety of Squid Game or Bridgerton's whole last season, and Stranger Things 4 still has nearly four hours coming July 1.)

But May's methodology change stacked the deck in favor of Stranger Things. It has already generated 286.8 million hours in the first three days of availability. With 53 more days on its shot clock, it needs to generate less than a tenth of that daily to accumulate enough watch time to become No. 1. 

Overnight sensations

The rule change has wildly inflated the watch time for several other shows already. Multiple programs suddenly appeared in Netflix's top 10 charts or shot to a much higher ranking, with hundreds of millions of hours suddenly added to their counts. 

Money Heist, which released its final season in two volumes, saw its watch-time ranking jump seemingly overnight after Netflix changed its popularity rules. 

Netflix

Money Heist is a hit Spanish thriller series also known as La Casa de Papel. Its final season was released in two volumes, with five episodes landing on Sept. 1 and the last five episodes arriving Dec. 1. After the methodology change in May, its watch time more than doubled. Money Heist is now positioned as Netflix's No. 2 most watched show of all time regardless of language, right after Squid Game. Before the rule change, it didn't even make the top 10. 

Other shows have gotten big bumps too. Fantasy police procedural Lucifer released half its fifth season in 2020 and the other half nearly a year later. Lucifer had been absent from Netflix's Most Popular rankings since they launched, but in May, it suddenly appeared as Netflix's No. 7 most-watched program in any language. The latest season of the drama Ozark, released partly on Jan. 21 and partly on April 29, needed three extra weeks of streaming after its original 28-day window to make the English language top 10. 

Netflix's Top 10 website still characterizes the watch time of all these shows as hours viewed in their "first 28 days on Netflix."

To bolster the credibility of its stats, Netflix recruited accounting firm EY -- formerly known as Ernst & Young, one of the world's biggest accounting companies -- to vet its data. But EY finished its first Netflix report in February, long before Netflix revised its methodology. And EY's report was a light-touch vetting called a review, which essentially accepts the measurement criteria as Netflix defines them and then verifies that the data abide by those rules. Netflix has no existing plans for another accounting review.

Grading its own homework

Netflix was notoriously tight-lipped about its viewership for years. Beau Willimon -- creator of House of Cards, which put Netflix's original programming on the map -- once said the company wouldn't even share audience metrics with him. But since 2018, Netflix has grown more open about the popularity of its shows and movies, culminating with its Top 10 website. 

During Stranger Things' three-year hiatus, Bridgerton became Netflix's most-watched show in English. 

Netflix

For Netflix to start offering you a cheaper tier with ads, it needs to actually win advertisers -- and advertisers won't go by Netflix's numbers. Because TV advertising is so expensive, brands and agencies want measurements comparable across services, so they can know what they're getting at Netflix versus Paramount Plus versus Disney Plus, said Needham senior analyst Laura Martin.

Netflix "can do weird things, like introduce new measurement," added Martin, who has called for Netflix to add advertising for years. "But it would slow adoption by advertisers."

Traditionally, advertisers evaluated TV programs by how many people tuned in. "As we enter this new phase, transparency around viewership data is going to be essential, especially on 'closed' platforms" like Netflix, said Anjali Midha, co-founder and CEO of Diesel Labs, a media intelligence firm. Viewership will naturally remain important, she added, but so will demographics, psychographics and other metrics of watching behavior.

But Netflix's own reputation as the gold standard of streaming TV will work in its favor, Lawrence said.

"Streaming has historically been rife with a myriad … sites that still seem like the Wild West, fraught with risky content," he said. 

Advertisers may come to welcome Netflix's safety and scope, even if its own measurement rules still shoot from the hip. 

Correction, 6:07 a.m. PT June 2: An earlier version of this story suggested Netflix may count viewing of all episodes from split-season shows over a full 56 days. Netflix counts the viewing of episodes only within 28 days of their release, but split-season shows get two 28-day periods -- 56 days total -- to amass watch time. 

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The Absolute Best Anime Shows on Netflix

The Absolute Best Anime Shows on Netflix

Netflix  has a surprisingly definitive library of anime, featuring everything from classics like Cowboy Bebop and Naruto to the latest and greatest shows like Demon Slayer and Attack on Titan. 

There's so much to watch. If you're looking for more niche stuff, Netflix also has shows like Beastars and Record of Ragnarok to check out. Get stuck in!

The best anime shows on Netflix

Viz Media

Demon Slayer (2019-)

Shonen's most recent darling, Demon Slayer is a standout hit that breaks with many of the well-worn cliches in action anime. The story follows Tanjiro Kamado, who joins the ranks of the demon slayers following the murder of his family by a demon. Only Nezuko Kamado, Tanjiro's younger sister, survived the onslaught — but she was turned into a demon. Tanjiro travels Taisho-era Japan with Nezuko in search of a cure and joins the Demon Slayer Corps, seeking to confront the original demon, Muzan Kibutsuji, who killed his family. 

The animation and action are breathtaking, the characters are compelling and vibrant, the music is stellar and the dialogue is memorable. We couldn't recommend this anime more. Season one is streaming on Netflix, but there's another season out there, if you're craving more.

Viz Media

Naruto (2002-2007)

"Believe it" (as Naruto Uzumaki would say), you can't have a best anime list without this show. This classic, well-loved anime follows Naruto, a young ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village who dreams of becoming the leader of his village. Beware: Naruto is a very long anime. So long that once you get through all nine seasons on Netflix (220 episodes total), which covers Naruto's preteen years, you'll still have another 500 episodes to cover in Naruto: Shippuden, which picks up two and a half years after the show's original run. There are also a handful of Naruto movies available on the streaming service right now. Make sure to skip the filler episodes, unless you're really desperate for something to watch.

Funimation

Attack on Titan (2013-2023)

Attack on Titan is without a doubt one of the most popular anime right now. And for good reason. With spectacular animation, political intrigue, a compelling cast of characters and bigger-than-life battles, this is one show you'll want to check out. Yes, the titans -- the gigantic, humanoid, human-eating monsters that force humanity to live behind towering castle walls -- are unnerving and might freak you out. But that's half the fun, especially when we see our heroes take them down. Netflix only has Attack on Titan's first season in its catalog, but those 25 episodes are enough to get you started.

Sunrise

Cowboy Bebop (1998-1999)

Another anime classic, Cowboy Bebop was originally broadcast in 1998 and, well, it never lost its appeal. The show brilliantly melded a variety of genres – primarily science fiction and Western (think space cowboys) – to create something completely novel and compelling. Set in 2071, the series is about a group of traveling bounty hunters aboard their ship, Bebop. Netflix recently made a live-action version of the show, though it didn't receive the same critical acclaim as the anime. 

Viz Media

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (2012-)

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure follows generations of the Joestar family, from the 19th century to modern times, through decades of, you guessed it, bizarre adventures. Each member of the family carries the same name – Jojo – and each is imbued with great superhuman powers. The battles are as psychic and supernatural as the narrative is adventurous. Good thing all five seasons are streaming on Netflix. 

VIZ Media

Hunter x Hunter (2011-2014)

Hunter x Hunter remains an unfinished story, having been abruptly paused after season 6. The manga's author, Yoshihiro Togashi, stopped writing, leaving Hunter x Hunter on hiatus. New chapters, Togashi recently announced, are incoming. This anime starts with protagonist Gon Freecss, who leaves home in search of his father, but the show quickly branches out of that simple narrative. The series is beloved for its world-building and emotional investment across its diverse cast of characters.

Viz Media

Death Note (2006)

A gripping game of cat and mouse for the ages, Death Note follows Light Yagami, a genius high schooler who finds a mysterious notebook (the titular "Death Note") that gives its owner the ability to kill anyone whose name is written within it. Hellbent on creating a new world free of crime, Light carries out a massacre, killing off criminals and those Light deems morally unworthy. But the world's greatest detective is on the case. Can Light get away with it?

Yen Press

Kakegurui (2017-2019)

You'll be hooked after the first few episodes of this popular anime, trust us. This show isn't your typical action anime – but that doesn't make it less enthralling. In fact, the opposite is true. Kakegurui is set in an academy where the measure of a student is based on their gambling prowess, whether that's at the roulette table or playing blackjack. It's part psychological thriller, part drama, and the stakes get higher as the show progresses. 

Netflix

Castlevania (2017-)

A Netflix original inspired by the classic video games of the same name, Castlevania follows the last member of the disgraced Belmont family, Trevor Belmont. This dark medieval fantasy is full of gore, gothic horror and grotesque monsters. Trevor -- and friends made along the way -- venture out to defeat none other than Dracula himself, whose anger and grief over the unjust death of his love overruns Eastern Europe in the 1400s. You don't want to miss this one.

Viz Media

Record of Ragnarok (2021-)

Ever wanted to see a brawl between a Norse god and an ancient Chinese warrior? Or watch a Greek god duke it out with one of the best swordsmen in Japan's history? Me neither, but now I'm sure glad I have.

Record of Ragnarok's premise is simple: Through 13 one-on-one battles to the death, humanity must prove itself worthy to avoid annihilation by the gods. The first to seven victories wins. This anime is imaginative, entertaining and chock-full of human history, so you'll learn some new stuff along the way. It's also cool to see legends from all corners of the globe coinciding in one mythos. Only the first 12-episode season is out, making this a perfect anime to binge on your next couch session.

Viz Media

One Piece (1999-)

If you thought Naruto was long, think again. One Piece is the longest-running anime to date, spanning more than 1,000 episodes across 23 years of broadcasting. The show follows Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates. They're in search of the ultimate treasure known as One Piece. Netflix recently expanded its four-season collection of One Piece to 13 seasons, giving you plenty to sink your teeth into. If you ever hope to catch up, best get to it!

Netflix

Devilman Crybaby (2018)

In a world where demons resurface, Akira Fudo unites with a demon, at the behest of his friend, to become a devilman, in order to wage a brutal war against the demons that now plague the earth. 

Devilman Crybaby is based on the manga written by Go Nagai, which was originally adapted as an anime back in the '70s. This newer series moves the time setting from the 1970s to modern times and goes hardcore on mature themes and violent sequences. It's rated TV-MA, so this isn't one for the children. 

Devilman Crybaby debuted to great acclaim in 2018, and so far it's just 10 episodes compiled under one season. 

Netflix

Beastars (2019-)

Beastars is set in a world of anthropomorphic animals. These characters have jobs and go to school, reminiscent of Disney's Zootopia. But while Beastars and Zootopia both tackle similar themes – predator versus prey, prejudice and discrimination versus compassion and inclusivity – Beastars is definitely the emotionally heavier show. In fact, because of some of the sexual themes and violence in the show, it's best to steer children away from this one. If you're into melodramas that are heavy-handed on philosophizing, this may be the best show for you yet.

Viz Media

One Punch Man (2015-2019)

How would you feel if you were so strong that you could defeat any foe with just one punch? Triumphant? Bored? Lonely? This is the central question One Punch Man grapples with. The show follows hero Saitama, who has trained so hard that all his hair fell out. By the end of his training, he's able to defeat any enemy with one punch. The show is a satire of shonen manga and anime, subverting the common tropes found in those stories. If you're looking for a different spin on the modern superhero story, this might be your cup of tea.

Netflix

Pokemon Journeys (2019-)

Netflix has a robust library of past Pokemon anime, and the newest series in the franchise is being produced by Netflix itself. The story follows our favorite forever-10-year-old, Ash Ketchum (go figure), as he continues his Pokemon journey. The show also introduces a host of new characters, including Goh and Chloe, and takes audiences to multiple regions of the Pokemon world, including the most recent, the Galar region. If you're a fan of Pokemon, or have children, this is a great anime to watch.

Nickelodeon

Honorable mention: Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)

OK, Avatar: The Last Airbender isn't technically anime, but it draws so heavily from the art form, and is so perfect, that it would be madness not to mention it here. I missed out on this show when it was still airing on Nickelodeon, and when it resurfaced on Netflix, I dismissed it as solely nostalgic hype. Boy, was I wrong. This show handles complex themes of war propaganda, genocide, duty and honor, all while remaining a lighthearted and upbeat epic tale. Oh, and it also has one of the best character redemption arcs in TV history, period. 

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