Netflix's new series Floor Is Lava found unexpected success when it earned the number one spot on the Netflix chart in the US, Canada, and the UK. The new show is just the latest in a long line of successful reality TV series for the streaming service.
In recent months, Netflix has dived wholeheartedly into the reality TV space. They first found success with The Circle, which captured viewers' attention around the globe. The series was so popular that Netflix expanded to different countries, eventually releasing The Circle Brazil and The Circle France. Next, Netflix gave The Bachelor franchise a run for its money by releasing Love Is Blind. The dating series was a massive success, garnering even more viewers than The Bachelor itself. Most recently, Netflix released Too Hot to Handle. While it wasn't as buzzworthy as the shows that came before it, it cemented Netflix as a new leader in reality TV content.
Now, Netflix is trying their hand at another new series entitled Floor Is Lava. The competition series forces different players to engage in a more complex version of the game we all played as children. The competitors have to navigate a room without falling into thousands of gallons of bright red, bubbling water. If a player does fall, they are completely submerged by the fake "lava" and eliminated from the game. Each episode in the series has a different theme, but it follows the same structure—three teams of three people must make it across the room without falling into the lava. If the team is successful, they win $10,000.
Simple as the concept sounds, viewers are enamored with the show. In fact, the series earned the number one spot in Netflix's top ten in the US, UK, and Canada (via Forbes). The unscripted show is so popular that it left other well-liked scripted series like 13 Reasons Why, Space Force, and The Order in the dust. While other reality series have earned that top slot, Floor Is Lava is the first game show to capture so much attention.
Considering the popularity of Floor Is Lava, it seems Netflix might start trying their hand at game shows next. The streaming series is constantly releasing new content, ensuring that it maintains its large audience. Floor Is Lava opens up a new genre for Netflix to explore, hopefully earning game shows more attention in the future. However, it's still yet to be determined if Floor Is Lava's popularity is just a fluke, or if it's exactly the entertainment people are looking for.
Source: Forbes