Top 10 Most-Watched Netflix Original Series of 2017
Whether you’re a pro or relatively new to the streaming game, you know Netflix is the holy grail for people who are sick of cable and annoying TV ads. And as if it wasn’t already a force to be reckoned with, Netflix decided to up the ante and release “original” content. Their first ever original series started streaming back in 2013, and was extremely well-received by the audience.
Between then and now, Netflix has only gotten better and continues to enjoy major wins. We’re talking Orange is the New Black type of wins!
Since the company is also known for fiercely guarding their secrets, Reelgood analyzed its own viewership data to give you this list of the top 10 *most-watched Netflix Originals the streaming gods have blessed us with this year.
From the creator of “The Accountant”, the show stars Jason Bateman as Marty, a financial planner who moves his family to a community in the Ozarks. When a money-laundering scheme goes wrong, he’s forced to pay off a huge debt to a Mexican drug lord in order to keep his wife and kids safe. Bateman really is outstanding in this series, his acting gets major props especially considering his roles prior to Ozark were largely comedic in nature.
Fifteen years after surviving a mysterious plane crash which led him to the city of K’un-Lun to train as a warrior, Danny Rand comes home to New York where he plans to reconnect with his past and restore his family legacy by taking down the people who threaten it.
3. GLOW
Alison Brie is Ruth Wilder, an out-of-work actress in the ’80s braving the streets of Los Angeles where women’s wrestling presents a chance for Ruth to grapple her way to stardom. Along with 12 other Hollywood misfits, Wilder meets a washed-up “B” movie director who tries to lead the group of women to fame. One of the show’s executive producers is Jenji Kohan, which might explain the subtle strains of Orange is the New Black we see in GLOW.
This controversial series based on the novel of the same name by Jay Asher explores the life of a teenager, Hannah Baker (played by Katherine Langford), before she decided that suicide was her only way out. As the title suggests, she exposes all thirteen reasons which led to her ending her life. Although the show drew both positive and negative reviews, we can’t deny the depth of emotion Langford brought to the role.
5. Riverdale
Even though the show is supposedly spearheaded by Archie Andrews, it can be argued (mostly by their fans) that the characters who really brought Riverdale to life were Betty and Jughead. The series is full of intrigue from the beginning, with the murder of Jason Blossom immediately at the forefront. From there, the water only gets murkier.
If you’ve been waiting for a TV version of The Avengers, keep waiting. This show has roughly the same premise as the hit film series, but the superheroes in The Defenders make it feel unique and brand new. Since they do have the same goal, it only seems logical for Matt Murdock aka the Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Danny Rand (Iron Fist) to team up to save the Big Apple from all enemies — foreign and supernatural.
Zombie smoothies, finger food, and other parts of the human anatomy are what’s cooking in Santa Clarita Diet with Drew Barrymore. Joel, Sheila, and their kids are your typical American family until, for reasons unknown, Sheila suddenly becomes infected with a zombie virus and starts hacking up people to satisfy her beyond weird cravings. If nothing else, this show should give you a respite from the intense goings-on in the other zombie series, The Walking Dead.
Twenty years after graduating from Harvard, a group of friends reunite and muddle through old and complicated romantic connections. As they try to get their lives in order, the characters explore old bonds in this comedic and nostalgic series.
9. Atypical
18-year old Sam is a teenager on the autism spectrum. He decides he’s ready to go out there and start dating to, hopefully, find love and romance. To do that, he will need to become more independent, which in turn throws his mother on her own life-changing journey. This heartfelt comedy sees Sam and his entire family adjusting to change and exploring just what being “normal” means.
10. A Series of Unfortunate Events
Based on Lemony Snicket’s best-selling novels, A Series of Unfortunate Events tells the tragic tale of orphans Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire. The three are investigating their parents’ mysterious death when they are placed under the care of the wicked Count Olaf who is willing to do whatever it takes to steal the Baudelaires’ inheritance. Violet and her siblings must do their best to get the better of Olaf and foil his devious plans and disguises at every turn.
*most-watched on Reelgood
