While Netflix might not like to release ratings, the streaming service does enjoy telling us about our viewing habits. This week, the company said it knows exactly what episode of a show grabs your attention and doesn’t let go.
In other words, it knows when the point-of-no-return is, and once you pass it, your binge-watching marathon isn’t going to end.
Netflix said Wednesday that viewers are rarely - if ever - hooked by a show’s pilot. Most viewers will give a show a second or third chance before giving up. The company said that once a viewer hits a specific “hooked episode,” 70 percent of them will continue watching through the rest of a show’s first season.
“Given the precious nature of primetime slots on traditional TV, a series pilot is arguably the most important point in the life of the show,” Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer for Netflix, said in a statement. “However, in our research of more than 20 shows across 16 markets, we found that no one was ever hooked on the pilot. This gives us confidence that giving our members all episodes at once is more aligned with how fans are made.”
The survey was based on data between January and July 2015 in Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the U.K. and the U.S.; and April to July 2015 for Australia and New Zealand.
Based on the data, here’s how many episodes it takes to get “hooked” on the following 12 shows:
Bates Motel - 2 episodes
Better Call Saul - 4 episodes
Breaking Bad - 2 episodes
Daredevil - 5 episodes
Grace and Frankie - 4 episodes
House of Cards - 3 episodes
How I Met Your Mother - 8 episodes
Mad Men - 6 episodes
Orange is the New Black - 3 episodes
Pretty Little Liars - 4 episodes
The Blacklist - 6 episodes
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - 4 episodes