Netflix has been good to us this year. It’s been our constant friend during all the ups and downs, from the first few carefree months of the year, through the first wave of the pandemic and lockdown, then the second wave, and the third… you get the point. In a world that’s always changing, we can all count on Netflix to be our constant when it comes to providing entertainment as a much-needed break from real life.
This year has brought about a lot of Netflix favorites. We were sucked into the underground world of exotic cat trading in Tiger King, laughed and cried along with the Roses in Schitt’s Creek, categorized ourselves into Pogues and Kooks this summer with Outerbanks, and most recently felt inspired by The Queen’s Gambit to dust off the old chessboard.
Netflix consistently ranks its daily top 10, but what about the top 10 of the year? Thankfully, that question doesn’t have to be left unanswered since Reelgood compiled the data for us. To see what the top 10 most popular TV shows were this year, Reelgood looked at 1.) every title’s total number of appearances on Netflix’s daily lists since the streamer started them on Feb 27 through Dec 9, and 2.) their place on the list each time.
The findings report that out of the 190 different TV shows that made it into the daily top 10, The Office won in popularity by a landslide, making it into the top 10 178 times. (Note: The Office will be leaving Netflix at the end of December.) It was followed by Cocomelon which was featured 104 times, and Ozark with 57. Both The Office and Cocomelon are licensed titles. It can be assumed The Office made the list as a fan favorite with a mass following. It’s both binge-able AND rewatchable with a total of 201 episodes over nine seasons. Cocomelon was no doubt on repeat by little viewers who love the likable characters and catchy songs derived from one of the most popular YouTube channels in the world. And with working from home the new normal this year, parents likely were grateful for the distraction.
Here are the top 10 Netflix shows this year based on daily top 10 appearances:
- The Office
- Cocomelon
- Ozark
- Schitt’s Creek
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Tiger King
- The Queen’s Gambit
- Outer Banks
- The Umbrella Academy
- Unsolved Mysteries
Next, we look at the top 10 shows based on a points system, where their place in Netflix’s Daily Top 10 comes into play. This list was created by incorporating each title’s ranking every single time they made it to Netflix’s daily top 10. Every time a title went to #1, Reelgood gave it 10 points. Nine points if it made it to #2, eight for #3, seven for #4, and so on.
The Office and Cocomelon remained the reigning champs, only switching places. Cocomelon scored 572 points in this rating system with The Office trailing behind with 438 points. Third place goes to The Queen’s Gambit which scored 431 points.
Schitt’s Creek and Avatar: The Last Airbender are noticeably missing from this list, with the addition of Cobra Kai and Love is Blind.
Here are the top 10 Netflix shows this year based on their ranking in each daily top 10 appearance
- Cocomelon
- The Office
- The Queen’s Gambit
- Tiger King
- Ozark
- Outer Banks
- The Umbrella Academy
- Unsolved Mysteries
- Cobra Kai
- Love is Blind
Now that the year is over, it’s time to look forward to 2021, a year promised to be full of new releases and favorite TV shows to fall in love with. We’ll no doubt be back here catching up this time next year.