New research from Ampere Analysis highlights how new season releases dramatically boost the viewing of older seasons. The company analysed Netflix global viewing data for a basket of shows for H2 2023. This showed an average 86% increase in viewing hours compared to H1 2023 for older seasons when a new season is released. In comparison, TV season viewing for titles with no 2023 releases declined by 46% on average over the same period.
In the case of the French Crime & Thriller Original series ‘Lupin’, there was a five-fold increase in viewing hours for Part 1 and Part 2 after Part 3 was released in October 2023. Scripted series were the main beneficiaries of the trend. The average returning series meant viewing hours doubled for past seasons in the second half of the year. The average unscripted show with a new season saw a 7% decline in viewing compared to H1 2023, but this compares to a 63% fall where there was no new season.
Ampere Analysis found that new releases are hugely impactful and draw the largest viewership for Netflix. “2023 releases accounted for 26% of TV season viewing hours that year. However, new seasons also add value to older seasons by attracting first-time viewers and encouraging repeat viewing from existing fans,” the company confirms.
Joe Hall, Senior Analyst at Ampere Analysis says: “Although new releases draw the largest viewership for Netflix, continuing series also reignite interest in older content from existing and new fans. With streaming business models increasingly focused on ad-supported tiers, viewing volumes are crucial for attracting advertisers and generating ad revenue. This makes returning series an attractive prospect to these companies, as they can help sustain engagement for older seasons long after release.”
