Netflix’s The Witcher is drawing in audience numbers large enough to dethrone The Mandalorian as the most in-demand TV series in the world. Via information obtained from data company Parrot Analytics, Business Insider reports that, as of the week of Dec. 22 to Dec. 28, The Witcher is “the top show in the world.” Beyond serving as proof that not everything needs to be about Baby Yoda, the show has also managed to beat out Disney+’s hit in the U.S. with 127 million demand expressions to the Star Wars series’s 115 million. Considering the overwhelming amount of Star Wars content released this year and The Mandalorian receiving high praise from many (including Escapist’s Jesse Lab), it’s safe to say The Witcher has become quite the surprise hit.
However, a serious caveat to remember is that Disney+ is currently only available in six regions, compared to Netflix’s enormous global reach.
Nonetheless, a Parrot Analytics representative elaborated on the fantasy show and the strength of binge-worthy TV:
The Witcher‘s immediate worldwide success highlights the impact that a binge-released series can have on driving audience demand. Its success is also crucial for Netflix heading into the 2020s as the streamer fights off new [subscription video on demand] players and declining global digital original demand share.
The television adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski’s series of fantasy novels debuted on Netflix Dec. 20 to some disappointing critic reviews and tons of praise from viewers. The show’s success has also managed to draw back gamers to the series of video games, with The Witcher 3 suddenly seeing extremely high player numbers in the past week.
With the success of both streaming shows in mind, there is little doubt that Netflix and Disney+ will aim to impress with a second season for each. Both The Mandalorian and The Witcher were confirmed to be coming back for a second season.
Check out The Escapist’s reviews for The Witcher by reading up on our thoughts on episode 4.
