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[Mirta Dozar]

By running through some select executive comments and breaking down the pros, cons and data implications of various release strategies, we can identify how and why a one-size-fits-all approach may not be the best strategy overall.

When we look at the decay rate post-season, the weekly release and the periodic release generated 44 of the 50 best decay rates for a season of TV combined dating back to 2016. In other words, demand was less likely to fall off as quickly for shows released weekly and periodically. For decay rate post-offseason, or the demand change between the post-finale period and the time until a new season begins, weekly and periodic combined for 48 of the top 50 decay rates.

These trends imply more sustained demand and above-average demand for shows released over longer periods of time vs all at once. Sustained demand typically translates to more consistent engagement and lower churn, which means better retention and a lower cost of customer acquisition.

None of this is to say that the binge released series is a failure. Far from it. Grace and Frankie is one of Netlix's longest-running shows. And to be fair, a platform like Netflix, which releases scores of new titles every month, would not be able to effectively schedule such a volume of TV series weekly without cannibalizing viewership.

Yet the questions streaming executives must naturally ask is how much does it cost to provide the required volume of binge release series to A) unearth a rarer long-running success such as Grace and Frankie and B) maintain consumer interest and churn rates while viewers rapidly burn through shows in one weekend? Supplying entire seasons all at once is a costly way of doing business that requires a constant stream of fresh content.

Netflix reality series such as Love is Blind and The Circle are released in periodic batches over several weeks while Too Hot to Handle is split into two binge portions. This has put the most recent seasons more in the demand realm of weekly linear hits 90 Day Fianc and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

In terms of the top 50 most in-demand streaming originals in the US from 2020 to present, the supply share of binge release series has dropped 14% while the demand share has dropped 15%. In that same span, the dips for episodic releases were more muted: a 2% decline in supply share and a 3% decline in demand share. Yet periodic releases, which still often release the majority of its episodes one at a time, rose 16% in supply share and 18% in demand share.

Given the upfront costs required for a binge-heavy library, how significantly weekly and periodic release strategies already dominate the global TV demand leaderboard, and how these tend to maintain more consistent demand over longer periods of time while appealing most to older demographics, you can see the value in its strategic deployment.

A binge release hit compared to a weekly hit exists on a sliding scale, but something as big as Stranger Things seems to boast a higher overall ceiling than recent weekly hits such as The Mandalorian and House of the Dragon. (On the day Stranger Things premiered in 2016, it ranked as the 72nd most in-demand series worldwide; two days later it had broken into the top three). Six of the 15 most in-demand seasons of TV during their active season (i.e. releasing new episodes) since 2016 were binge or partial binges. While weekly and periodic seasons still claimed 41 of the top 50 spots, this underscores how high the binge and partial binge ceiling can be. The same holds true for the 50 highest post-season demand levels (the window immediately following the finale), which are dominated by weekly and periodic releases yet still see binge and partial binge combine for five of the top 10 spots. The top heavy release strategy can offer immense upside.

A binge release season, particularly for a new concept, can help quickly turn a low-profile series into a broader success. The Boys originally debuted as the 57th most in-demand series as a binge release in 2019 before breaking into the top five just two days later. Wednesday may have been a spinoff of the long-running Addams Family franchise, but its rise to the most in-demand series worldwide in just 10 days remains impressive.

As every streaming service attempts to claw out greater profits, flexible release strategies allows for companies to better address a variety of different goals simultaneously. In doing so, platforms can maximize engagement by serving audiences the latest addictive drama via binge before recommending a weekly swashbuckling action and adventure series, or any number of other combinations. This will help improve the perceived value of a service in the eyes of consumers as it offers an eclectic roster of genres and release strategies to choose from. And the stickier subscriptions are, the more pricing power it affords a parent company. Ultimately, the goal with such a versatile lineup is to contribute to a more manageable cost of customer acquisition and steadily increase the lifetime value of a subscriber over the long term.

The big premiere of the week is Sweet Girl, released on Friday 20-Aug. It generated 11 million hours over its opening weekend, which was good for the 22nd biggest opening of 87 releases in my data set.

Is there a difference between anecdote and datecdotes? Anecdata is the plural, meaning an anecdote based on lots of data. Datecdotes are anecdotes based on a single data point. While I throw some shade on anecdata, at least they have lots of data backing them up.

Of course, not all of those new titles are for everyone. There are several international Netflix releases and new documentaries coming next week, for example, that I suspect will have minimal if any appeal here. On the other hand, these are three new Netflix releases that I definitely will be watching next week, starting with one of my favorite TV shows of all time.

You can trace its exponential rise back to 2013 when it began producing "House of Cards," its first prestigious Emmy-winning series with big names behind and in front of the camera that could compete with the best of network and cable dramas. Then came "Orange Is the New Black," "Bloodline," "Narcos," and a host of other high-end offerings. More than 10 years into creating original content, Netflix is now a thriving hub for more than 6,600 movies, series, and specials, from dramas to stand-up to blockbuster movies, many of which feature A-list celebrities and respected auteurs making big swings and taking on dream projects. As of July 2023, more than half of the content on Netflix is originals.

These days, it's hard to break through the clutter, but Netflix's content has repeatedly pulled it off over a variety of genres: dystopian thrillers ("Squid Game"), period dramas ("Bridgerton"), and gripping sci-fi ("Stranger Things), to name a few. And its catalog is only expanding. Stacker compiled a list of the upcoming new releases on Netflix this week, between July 29 to Aug. 4. Take a look at 12 new shows, movies, and specials that could be the streamer's next big hit.

Stacker distribution partners receive a license to all Stacker stories,as well as image rights, data visualizations, forward planning tools,and more. If your organization is interested in becoming a Stackerdistribution partner, email us at[email protected].

There are a lot of choices this week. Netflix adds Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and Wicked Little Letters, Max brings on Knox Goes Away, Hulu serves up Sleeping Dogs, and Humane joins Shudder. Last but not least, MGM+ gains Challengers, the hit sports drama starring Dune: Part Two actress Zendaya.

Nick Perry is a freelance writer who bounced from Hollywood to Silicon Beach to pajama pants. His work has been featured on Digital Trends, Good Morning America, Entrepreneur, Mashable, and more media outlets.

Jason is a writer, editor, and pop culture enthusiast whose love for cinema, television, and cheap comic books has led him to work in the entertainment industry. A proud graduate of both Whitman College (Adam West's alma mater!) and Syracuse University, he has worked at Marvel Entertainment, DC Comics, Warner Bros., and Screen Rant. At Digital Trends, he covers all things film and television, from ranking Alfred Hitchcock's best films to examining the everlasting neuroses of Larry David. When he's not obsessing over the latest Marvel Studios trailer, you can find him either working or surfing the web looking for the perfect fudge brownie recipe.

In the thick of summer, parents can rely on our list of the best kids movies on Netflix right now to help keep youngsters entertained with a classic kids movie or an original choose-your-own-adventure story.

Every month, we go through Netflix's collection to find the best kids movies so you can make sure your kids are watching something that's age-appropriate. This month, we've added a couple of options for very young kids, Paw Patrol: The Movie and Trolls Band Together.

The summer is the best time to take advantage of our list of the best family movies on Netflix. That time when everybody is home is sacred, and you don't want to spend it arguing about what to watch. We scour Netflix's extensive collection of family-friendly movies every month to make sure you can skip the scrolling and go straight to the cream of the crop.

Netflix has focused a lot on its action library over the past year, and thus, this list of the best action movies on Netflix is always a strong one. With great originals and studio classics alike, Netflix's action collection is one of its best.

This July, Netflix releases its Beverly Hills Cop reboot, plus adds a host of action hits from different eras, including Captain Phillips, Spider-Man, Zombieland, and Bad Boys. Read on for the complete list of the best actions movies on Netflix now.

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