The blockbuster success of Netflix's Wednesday gets an in-depth look in a new report. Wednesday is a supernatural, coming-of-age series based on The Addams Family franchise. The Netflix show focuses on the morbid happenings of Wednesday, played by Jenna Ortega. Following its release late November 2022, Wednesday became one of the biggest shows of the year, bringing in the largest amount of viewers for a Netflix premiere that year. The show dominated Netflix viewership stats, becoming the most-watched English television series in its first week with 341.2 million hours.
A new report by Samba TV (via Deadline) breaks down Wednesday's record-breaking run. In a truly impressive showing, Wednesday beat HBO's House of the Dragon to score 2022's most-viewed premiere within the allotted 40-day window. According to the report, Wednesday's success can be explained through the demographics of viewers in terms of both age and race, with the series over-indexing among Black and Hispanic households. The report states:
"Wednesday's secret to success was rooted in representative content led by Gen Z breakout star, Jenna Ortega, that attracted younger and more diverse audiences with social-media ready content like the viral dance in the fourth episode that took off on Tik-Tok."
Gen Z Is Behind Wednesday's Success
Social media clearly had an impact on Wednesday. While Gen Z interest impacted the viewership of all top four premieres of the year, which also included Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and The Watcher, Wednesday had the edge. Within days, it inspired numerous viral TikToks and other posts dissecting several aspects of Wednesday, especially the dance scene that exploded online as users recreated Ortega's moves. Wednesday's wardrobe also saw an uptick in popularity online.
Wednesday is also included in the shows that over-indexed in Black and Hispanic households, speaking to the diverse audience it reached. This is likely because viewers are looking for representation, and whether it be through Wednesday's Latino Addams Family or the potential for a queer romance between the eponymous character and her friend Enid, the series has plenty of avenues for diversity. Additionally, as previously mentioned, Ortega is part of Gen Z, so she can attract younger audiences with social media-ready content.
The success of Wednesday is something Netflix likely does not want to let go of. Season 2 was announced on January 6, and given that it overtook Stranger Things season 4 as the most-viewed English language television series premiere, it has been speculated that Wednesday will fill the void when Stranger Things comes to an end. Wednesday season 2 will likely follow Wednesday returning to Nevermore and dealing with the anonymous note telling her she was being watched. It will be exciting to see if Wednesday will maintain its viewership numbers, and if so, if it receives the Stranger Things treatment going forward.
Source: Samba TV (via Deadline)