Netflix has produced some incredible series this year. Their original content is continuing to impress, and their backlog of programming from other platforms is always improving. 2019 was, therefore, a big year for television.
Thanks to Netflix releasing their yearly statistics, we know the 10 most-watched TV series on the streaming platform this year. We’ve ranked them from worst to best and will let you know where they fell in the race to be the most-watched series.
13 Reasons Why
The 9th most-watched series on Netflix wasn’t exactly one of the best shows to date. The first series of this groundbreaking project made headlines and continued the conversation we’re currently having as a society surrounding mental health.
However, the quality of the series has dipped each year, and the ‘who killed Bryce’ storyline seems to have lead to critical panning. However, fans are clearly still invested in this series as the show has a strong viewership despite its flaws.
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The second season has only just released, and yet the show has become the 5th most-watched program of the year. The original series surrounded a couple that had plenty of secrets; most importantly, though, a dangerous boyfriend stalking his ‘love.’
This thrilling tale of obsession and lust certainly drew audiences into its first season, and although the concept has been covered before, it has managed to bring a fresh twist to the show. The quality of the other shows is the only thing holding it back on this list.
Dead to Me
The comedic and quirky series about a woman who loses her husband and befriends a crazy criminal, is certainly a new concept for Netflix. However, it delivers on laughs, heart and turns out to be one of the most surprising additions to this list.
It ranks as the 4th most-watched series of the year, and this is perhaps due to the word of mouth that the show garnered. Audiences seemed to thoroughly enjoy this story of grief being told in a really unexpected way.
The Witcher
The first genre piece on this list certainly delivered, although perhaps wasn’t quite what some fans were expecting. The fantasy epic took lots of inspiration from both the video games and the books and has resulted in a really interesting show.
It’s not quite comparable to the other massive fantasy shows we’ve had over the last decade, but will be a strong franchise moving forward through the 2020s. The 2nd most-watched show can certainly owe some of this to Henry Cavill’s masterful performance. Bring on season 2!
Raising Dion
Michael B. Jordon is proving that he can also produce as well as the other talents he’s been gifted with. This show about a young man that must be brought up by a single mother, after the mysterious death of her husband.
It’s exciting, tense, and full of heart. It also contains superpowers and a number of other elements that could bring it into the sci-fi and fantasy drama. It ranks as the 10th most watch series of the year but number 6 on our list.
The Umbrella Academy
Was it really surprising that this comic book series would be in the top 5 shows on this list in terms of quality and views? The 3rd most-watched show on Netflix in 2019 caught everyone by surprise and brought a lot of new fans to this property.
This perhaps wasn’t the most obvious comic to adapt to the small screen, and yet it worked tremendously. Fans have quickly gravitated towards the bizarre characters that the show has produced and have been gripped by these high stakes adventures.
Unbelievable
This is the 7th most-watched series on Netflix and has been produced at an important time in our society. As we see the rise of movements such as #MeToo, Netflix has produced a series that looks back at historical cases that have been overlooked.
The story of a rape that was said to be false grabbed news headlines, when it was revealed a series of parallel crimes had happened across America. This show follows the police trying to piece together these completely separate despicable acts and bring justice to these women.
When They See Us
Another very political addition to this list looks at the real-life story of the Central Park 5. This is the 6th most-watched show on the streaming platform and says a lot about racial discrimination in America.
The show follows these five young men as they battle the institutional racism of the justice system after being wrongly committed of a rape in Central Park. It’s powerful and emotional and represents the unjust and horrible abuse, that viewers are clearly still reflecting on.
Sex Education
The rather groundbreaking series was the 8th most-watched show of the year, although seems to be growing in popularity with each passing day. The concept of sex and sexuality amongst teenagers has never been explored in this way.
This is representative, reflective, and most importantly, hilarious. It’s extremely true to life in a way that no other show has managed to capture and has a vast array of characters that are equally as interesting as the others.
Stranger Things
It’s no surprise that the most-watched show on Netflix, as well as the top show on this list is Stranger Things. It is a franchise that has gone from strength to strength and is widely considered to have turned in its best season to date with an even bigger and diverse cast.
The gang is back fighting off the creatures from a parallel dimension, as the retro references, fantasy themes, and science fiction elements all come together in a fun summer spectacle that everyone has been thoroughly enjoying.
