Films that hit theaters still generate huge, millions in revenue, but there’s no denying that Netflix has a real impact on the industry. The changes related to the contemporary reception of new productions that we can observe have been given their own name – “The Netflix Effect”.
The “Netflix effect” is when the popularity bars of an unknown series suddenly shoot up after the series premieres on the streaming platform. Currently, the term refers to the increase in popularity of actors, series, or… tourist destinations. This happens as a result of the series being watched continuously by millions of people. Today, it is much easier than ever – viewers can use their accounts on any device, they do not have to watch ads and, above all, they can reach for new productions whenever they want.
The flexibility of using streaming services appealed to millions of users. In Poland, in the second quarter of 2024, Netflix gained over 8 million new subscribers, exceeding analysts’ forecasts, who expected an increase of around 5 million.
We can point out several productions that we might never have heard of if they had not appeared in the Netflix library.
Such productions include the platform’s long-standing hit, the series “You”. When this psychological thriller premiered on Lifetime, critics were delighted. The first season introduced Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley), who plays a disturbing stalker. Unfortunately, viewers were not interested in the production until the series hit Netflix and became a sensation.
The New York Times reported at the time that each episode on Liftime was attracting an audience of 650,000 people, and Netflix boasted that the series had been watched by 40 million viewers in its first four weeks.
Series “Breaking Bad” premiered on AMC in 2008. The series tells the story of Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher. He’s struggling to make ends meet, with his wife pregnant and their teenage son suffering from cerebral palsy. Just when he thinks things can’t get any worse, Walter learns he has cancer. He makes a risky decision to get money for his treatment and secure his family’s future.
Netflix acquired the license for the first three seasons before the fourth season premiered on AMC. The surge in viewership of previous seasons fueled the new season’s even greater success, earning it 16 Primetime Emmy Awards.
“Riverdale” debuted in 2017 on The CW and although it enjoyed interest from viewers, the series reached its real heights only after its premiere on Netflix, and the cast became instant stars. The production intertwines themes of first loves, problems of growing up high school students and dark stories hidden in a small town.
The latest case of the “Netflix effect” that many people have been waiting for is the increase in tourist traffic in Krakow. In the 4th season of the series “Emily in Paris” it turns out that Emily, who wants to hide certain facts from her life, will suggest to her colleagues from work that she is going to the capital of Małopolska for a few days. She will then receive a list of recommendations and charming places to visit from her friends (including Wieliczka), and Krakow itself is called a “hidden diamond” by one of the characters.
Polish viewers have gone crazy, restaurateurs are rubbing their hands with glee — perhaps we will soon see for ourselves the power of the streaming giant.