Netflix has released its latest “What We Watched” report, covering viewing habits across the platform from January to June 2026. The streamer confirmed that members clocked up more than 97 billion hours of viewing in the period, making it the biggest half-year total the company has recorded so far.
The report is the last of its kind in its current form. Netflix noted that from the first quarter of 2027, it will shift from publishing these figures twice a year to releasing a single annual snapshot instead.
New Shows Are Winning Big
Half of the ten most-watched shows on the platform were brand new releases this year. Korean drama I Will Find You pulled in 64 million views, while fellow Korean title Teach You a Lesson notched up 48 million, with both cracking the global top ten within weeks of debuting.
The biggest series of the half overall was His & Hers, which topped the list with 104 million views. Other new titles that performed strongly included Run Away (50 million) and the first season of Nemesis (33 million), which has already been renewed.
Returning Seasons Boost Older Episodes
New seasons continue to send viewers back to catch up on earlier instalments. The fourth season of Bridgerton, which pulled in 100 million views, nearly tripled interest in the franchise’s back catalogue compared with the second half of 2025 – across the whole Bridgerton universe, total viewing reached 180 million for the half.
Other long-running favourites also saw renewed interest across their full runs, including ONE PIECE (69 million), The Night Agent (63 million), The Lincoln Lawyer (59 million) and Virgin River (54 million).
Films Draw Crowds Across Genres
Action was a strong performer, led by War Machine (147 million), The Rip (136 million), Apex (129 million) and Thrash (100 million). Animation is also proving a bigger draw than before, with Swapped racking up 131 million views and closing in on KPop Demon Hunters (130 million) as Netflix’s most-watched original animated film.
Book adaptations found large audiences too, among them People We Meet on Vacation (78 million) and Remarkably Bright Creatures (51 million), while romantic comedies Office Romance (58 million) and Voicemails for Isabelle (53 million) also proved popular.
Non-English Titles Keep Growing
Titles in languages other than English now make up more than a third of all Netflix viewing. South Korea remained a major contributor with titles like Can This Love Be Translated?, The Art of Sarah and a second season of Bloodhounds, while Japan continued building its slate with Straight to Hell and Sins of Kujo.
Spain had a strong half too, led by Firebreak and the Money Heist spin-off Berlín and the Lady with an Ermine. India recorded its best half yet for viewing, headlined by Dhurandhar, which became Netflix’s most-watched non-English film in the report. South Africa also broke through internationally with the film 180 and the series The Polygamist.
Other locally-rooted titles that travelled well globally included Colors of Evil: Black (Poland), Radioactive Emergency (Brazil), A Father’s Miracle (Mexico), Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole (Norway), My Dearest Assassin (Thailand), The Big Fake (Italy) and The Chestnut Man: Hide and Seek (Denmark).
Netlix offers a Broad Mix Of Content
Live events drew big audiences, from The Roast of Kevin Hart to Alex Honnold’s Skyscraper Live climb and the BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE concert film. Anime also continues to grow its footprint, with Netflix noting that more than half of its members have now watched at least one anime title.
Documentaries had a strong half as well, spanning true crime with The Crash, pop culture nostalgia with Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, and natural history with The Dinosaurs. Kids and family content also performed well, led by Ms. Rachel as the platform’s most-watched kids title with 69 million views across two seasons.
Netflix has made its full report, including the complete top 10 list, available for download on its newsroom site.
You can download it HERE.
Watch this space for updates in the Streaming category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
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