The golden age of television has ushered in both limitless options of what to watch, as well as new and innovative ways of releasing hits. The top streaming shows of 2022 had a variety of release models and with that came very different viewership trajectories. What can we learn from the different distribution models used by streaming platforms during 2022? As seen in the Wall Street Journal, we took a long-tail look at some of the biggest hits of 2022 to provide some insights on the strengths (and pitfalls) of each. 

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Read on for some learnings on which release models worked best to build and retain viewership, and check out the two-sheeter for more information.

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Two release models, two #1 shows

What streaming show from 2022 won the top-watched spot? Well, it depends on how you define it. While House of the Dragon was the most watched show across all of its 10 episodes, Wednesday’s premiere drove higher reach than House of the Dragon’s. With its bulk-release model, Wednesday saw strong buzz right off the bat, generating virality, positive word-of-mouth, and record-breaking publicity (the Wednesday dance has over 50M views on YouTube alone).

Let’s not forget about dragons though. With weekly episodes, House of the Dragon generated new interest each week of its season which ultimately drove to have the highest total household reach.

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Shows with weekly episodes gained more new viewers over time

For streamers looking to maximize total household views, a weekly release schedule could be the best option. House of the Dragon, for example, saw a 96% lift between premiere and total viewership, propelling it to the number one spot based on total views. On the other hand, with its bulk drop Wednesday saw a lift of only 41%. 

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All told, the average lift between premiere and total viewership for the eight weekly release shows within the 20 shows analyzed was a whopping 119%. However, shows that were released in bulk tended to see relatively limited lifts between premiere and lifetime viewership, averaging 45% across the 9 analyzed. 

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Bulk-release shows were more likely to retain viewers throughout the season

For anyone who has watched a full new season in one day, the merits of a bulk-drop are undeniable. Samba TV data shows that the Netflix model of dropping all episodes at once is ideal for streamers looking to maximize initial buzz and keep audiences binging. 

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Although new viewership dropped off quicker for bulk-release shows than those with weekly drops, bulk-release shows were more likely to retain their initial fans. The average retention rate between premiere and finale viewership was 47% across bulk-release shows, compared to 41% across weekly release shows. 

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Looking at the two top shows of 2022, Wednesday saw a 47% retention rate between premiere and finale viewership, while House of the Dragon saw a retention rate of 39%. The show with the highest retention rate was Amazon Prime’s Reacher, which drove a 58% retention rate between premiere and finale.

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We are still in the early innings of the streaming decade and the shifts in both programming and audience engagement have been profound. How we watch, what we watch, and where we watch are all changing. Streamers armed with omniscreen data will be better armed to navigate how to attract and retain viewers amidst this heavy competition.

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