News Trek Netflix viewership data

[donners22]

Netflix has just published a detailed viewership report for the first time - What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report - About Netflix.

I thought it'd be interesting to go through all the Trek series on there to see how they performed. It's a bit limited because it doesn't have the recent series and some countries don't have Trek on there at all (plus of course many people still rewatch using discs), but it's the only objective data we have.

There are some surprising results! In order of hours viewed from Jan-Jun 2023:

Star Trek: Enterprise: Season 1 - 7,200,000
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 1 - 7,200,000
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 3 - 6,000,000
Star Trek: Voyager: Season 4 - 5,900,000
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 4 - 5,800,000
Star Trek: Voyager: Season 2 - 5,700,000
Star Trek: Voyager: Season 5 - 5,600,000
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 5 - 5,400,000
Star Trek: Voyager: Season 3 - 5,400,000
Star Trek: Enterprise: Season 2 - 5,300,000
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 2 - 5,200,000
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 6 - 5,200,000
Star Trek: Season 1 - 5,100,000
Star Trek: Voyager: Season 6 - 5,000,000
Star Trek: Voyager: Season 7 - 5,000,000
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 7 - 4,900,000
Star Trek: Voyager: Season 1 - 4,700,000
Star Trek: Enterprise: Season 3 - 4,500,000
Star Trek: Enterprise: Season 4 - 3,900,000
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 2 - 3,600,000
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 1 - 3,500,000
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 3 - 3,500,000
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 4 - 3,400,000
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 5 - 3,400,000
Star Trek: Season 2 - 3,300,000
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 6 - 3,300,000
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 7 - 3,100,000
Star Trek: Season 3 - 2,600,000
Star Trek Beyond - 1,400,000
Star Trek Into Darkness - 300,000
Star Trek: The Animated Series: Season 1 - 200,000
Star Trek (2009) - 100,000
Star Trek: The Animated Series: Season 2 - 100,000

 

[USS Pertinax]

Did Netflix exit Russia.I cannot imagine why else would VOY be that high unless they left Russia.
Are these American or Global numbers?

 

[F. King Daniel]

The drop off on every series is savage! Half the people who started TNG finished it.

 

[Michael]

The biggest surprise for me is how low the numbers for Deep Space Nine are, maybe the classic Trek series that caters to modern viewing conventions the most with its later serialized storytelling. Interestingly, Deep Space Nine seems to be the show with the most consistent numbers, so people who start the show seem to watch the entire thing, whereas with the other shows there is a noticeable drop-off.

I’m pleasantly surprised to see Enterprise enjoying these high numbers, even if people apparently seem to bail in season two. Perhaps not surprisingly so. That was the moment when I stopped watching during its original run as well.

It’s a shame that The Next Generation is such a slow burner, which many people don't seem to realize, looking at the strong numbers for its first season. Maybe there should be something like a short primer in front of the pilot episode, quickly explaining that what most people consider “classic TNG” starts off with season three or four.

Not the least bit surprised about Voyager's healthy viewership numbers, especially season four, with the addition of Seven of Nine many people consider it “the moment the show got good”.

But I'm genuinely surprised barely anyone seems to watch the first reboot movie. What’s up with that?

 

[drt]

But I'm genuinely surprised barely anyone seems to watch the first reboot movie. What’s up with that?

The problem with all of these numbers is that we don't know the regions or for how long a program was available. I assume most of the TV series are relatively similar, i.e. everyplace that doesn't have P+, and for the entire six months, but even then we can't be sure. However, the movies jump around different services -- shoot, none of the TOS ones seemed to be available at all to Netflix over that period.

 

[F. King Daniel]

But I'm genuinely surprised barely anyone seems to watch the first reboot movie. What’s up with that?

Might be everyone interested has seen it. It was #6 best selling bluray of all time for some time. That's before the home media market crashed in the 2010's.

 

[Lord Garth]

Things like this are probably why Picard followed up on TNG and VOY a lot more than DS9. It explains why Lower Decks looks like a TNG-style show and why Prodigy follows up on VOY.

It's also probably one of the factors that led them to decide to take Discovery out of the TOS Era.

These viewership numbers also show why they felt the TOS Era needed to be updated. Understandably, a show from that far back isn't going to get as many views.

I also think Bajoran politics and religion are what scared people away from DS9. Besides the whole "But it's on a space station!!!!" If anyone tells them, "It gets good in Season 3!" or "It gets good in Season 4!", you have to think about people who skip straight to it. DS9 refers heavily back to its previous episodes and seasons, so someone watching could feel totally lost. Then they're like, "Nah. I don't want to watch this!" Just offering speculation.

Season 1s always get the most views... which is why it's always good to have a good Season 1. OTOH, I've been watching Star Trek YouTube Reactions. And, for TNG at least, they seem to like TNG Season 1. Target Audience, Gallifrey Gals, and Jen Murray all seem to prove this. TOS Season 1 is no surprise but, yeah, they regard TNG Season 1 better than most Trekkies do. I can relate, because I agree with them in part and because I feel the same way about Discovery. It's not so bad to have an opinion that's different from what "everyone else!!!!" thinks.

 

[USS Pertinax]

The drop off on every series is savage! Half the people who started TNG finished it.

Why would that surprise anyone? First couple of seasons are really goofy. That is not how most current tv shows go about things today.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

The biggest surprise for me is how low the numbers for Deep Space Nine are, maybe the classic Trek series that caters to modern viewing conventions the most with its later serialized storytelling. Interestingly, Deep Space Nine seems to be the show with the most consistent numbers, so people who start the show seem to watch the entire thing, whereas with the other shows there is a noticeable drop-off.

I'm not surprised at all. The newer shows have generally had more direct contributions from the talent of TNG and Voyager.

 

[donners22]

I think Trek fans tend to underestimate Voyager’s enduring popularity.

Back in 2017 Netflix named the most rewatched Trek episodes - which were six from Voyager and four from TNG. https://www.startrek.com/en-un/news/netflixs-top-10-most-re-watched-trek-episodes

Enterprise was the much bigger surprise in this list for me.

 

[SCE2Aux]

Enterprise was the much bigger surprise in this list for me.

A nice surprise for me too, but perhaps it shouldn't have been - the Star Trek subreddit is positively littered with "Hey, I think Enterprise is pretty good actually" topics hehe

 

[JoseNoodles]

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 2 - 3,600,000
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 1 - 3,500,000
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 3 - 3,500,000
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 4 - 3,400,000
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 5 - 3,400,000
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 6 - 3,300,000
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 7 - 3,100,000

Uncultured philistines!

 

[1001001]

Voyager Rules!

And Enterprise is pretty good too.

 

[Tuskin38]

I cannot imagine why else would VOY be that high unless they left Russia.

Why?

 

[F. King Daniel]

I'd love to see a Paramount+ version of this, but I doubt they want to share.

I guess we should expect an ENT sequel series soonish...

 

[Tuskin38]

Are these American or Global numbers?

IIRC Star Trek hasn't been on American netflix for a while.

 

[JoseNoodles]

Well I don't expect Star Trek to get a fourth season.

 

[StalwartUK]

With shows like TNG and VOY it's much easier to dip in and out and watch whatever episode whenever wheras DS9 has more serialized elements, I imagine people are more likely to watch that one from beginning to end.

You can see though why it was a no brainer for Netflix to pick up the rights for Prodigy when they could.

If Paramount+ or Star Trek is ever up for sale I'm sure Netflix will be putting a bid in.

I'd love to see a Paramount+ version of this, but I doubt they want to share.

I guess we should expect an ENT sequel series soonish...

I'm sort of surprised we haven't seen more ENT references actually. Since 2017 it's been TNG, VOY, TOS, some DS9 and the odd movie reference here and there (including Kelvin timeline). Maybe the studio still turns their nose up at it since it was unlike the other shows "cancelled".

I doubt Prodigy will get much love in the future either for similar reasons.

 

[drt]

I also think Bajoran politics and religion are what scared people away from DS9. Besides the whole "But it's on a space station!!!!" If anyone tells them, "It gets good in Season 3!" or "It gets good in Season 4!", you have to think about people who skip straight to it. DS9 refers heavily back to its previous episodes and seasons, so someone watching could feel totally lost. Then they're like, "Nah. I don't want to watch this!" Just offering speculation.

I don't think this is too far off the mark. Not only was it semi-serialized from the beginning with all of the Bajoran political stuff but the seasons were long -- those two factors may make it seem more difficult to get into cold. While most of the Bajoran stuff was new to DS9, I could also see how the uninitiated might think that there's necessary background material in TNG that they need to watch first.

 

[USS Pertinax]

Why?

Voyager was big in Russia.