Netflix's new seasons boost viewing for older seasons by 86%

Netflix’s latest wave of global viewing data for H2 2023 showed an average 86% increase in viewing hours compared to H1 2023 for older seasons when a new season is released, according to a recent research from Ampere Analysis. In comparison, TV season viewing for titles with no 2023 releases declined by 46% on average over the same period

New releases are hugely impactful and draw the largest viewership for Netflix. 2023 releases accounted for over one quarter (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.

Original French Crime & Thriller series “Lupin” – which released Part 3 in October 2023 – saw the most significant increase. Viewing hours for Part 1 and Part 2 soared from 33 million in H1 2023 to 165 million in H2 2023, a five-fold increase.

Scripted series were the main beneficiaries of this trend. The average returning series saw past seasons' viewing hours double in the second half of the year. On the other hand, unscripted series – while still positively impacted by the arrival of new seasons – do not benefit as much as scripted series. The average unscripted show with a new season saw a 7% decline in viewing compared to H1 2023. This is relative to a baseline fall in viewing for unscripted shows with no 2023 release of 63% in H2 compared to H1. So while new releases may not be able to uplift unscripted titles’ viewing as strongly as scripted, they can still slow the natural decline in series viewing over time.

The boost from new releases also extends to related titles. Animated series “One Piece” saw a viewing uplift of 67% in H2 2023 with the release of Netflix’s live-action series of the same name. “Squid Game” recorded a 32% increase for H2 2023 with the release of the Reality spin-off “Squid Game: The Challenge.”

Joe Hall, Senior Analyst at Ampere Analysis said: “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.”