Netflix has always made it a point to not be transparent about what its subscribers are streaming, and it doesn’t seem like the company will be shifting its policies any time soon. That doesn’t keep third party organizations from poking into their data, though. For the first time ever, a research organization has released findings about the platform’s most popular programs — and the data may not line up with what you'd assume.
San Diego-based Luth Research assembled a panel of 2,500 Netflix subscribers who watch via computer, tablet, or smartphone (viewings on TVs, including Internet-connected sets, streaming media players like Apple TV and Roku, and gaming consoles were not included). According to its data, the most popular show on Netflix this year is Daredevil. An estimated 10.7% of subscribers watched at least an episode during the first 11 days that it was available for viewing. Comparatively, House of Cards was watched by 6.5% of subscribers during its first 30 days of availability. The political drama was even outperformed by Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which was watched by 7.3% of surveyed viewers.
The Luth Research findings definitely come with some caveats: When paired against the nearly 60 million total Netflix subscribers out there, a sample of 2,500 seems hardly representative of overall viewing habits. It’s also important to factor in that Orange Is the New Black doesn’t return until June and therefore wasn’t included in the data. The fact remains, however, that House of Cards — despite all the attention it receives — didn't come out on top. It’s definitely worth noting that sometimes it’s the sleeper hit show that captures an audience’s attention.
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