Netflix (NFLX)’s big budget and starry original series understandably soak up the majority of headlines. But without attractive licensed programming from outside sources that keep viewers on the hook for hours on end, Netflix wouldn’t be the dominant entertainment company it is today. In recent months, the streaming service has received a massive infusion of interest thanks to Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender (which arrived on the platform in May) and Avatar: The Legend of Korra (August 16). The popular shows have driven renewed interest into both properties while lining Netflix’s pockets with additional viewership.
How do we know that both series have been hits for Netflix? Data firm Parrot Analytics tracks TV popularity through social media, fan ratings, and piracy to figure who’s watching what. According to their data, The Last Airbender is Netflix’s third most in-demand series over the last 60 days while The Legend of Korra is the streamer’s eighth over the last 30 days. But we can dig a little deeper and add a bit more context.
Over the last 30 days, Avatar: The Last Airbender has moved up 9 spots in its worldwide ranking of digital series to claim the No. 64 overall slot. In just two weeks since arriving on Netflix, The Legend of Korra has seen its worldwide demand ranking surge 42 spots to 111 (and rising). Demand for Avatar: The Last Airbender is 31.83 times the demand for the average show worldwide in the month. Only 2.7% of all shows in the market have this level of demand, putting it in the 98th percentile. Demand for The Legend Of Korra is 24.94 times the demand for the average show worldwide in the Last 30 Days. Both series are among the most popular available in the time frames since their arrivals on Netflix.
All of this is a fancy way of saying that Airbender has sustained a monumental level of interest while Korra is enjoying a rapid and impressive surge since landing on Netflix August 16. Diving deeper into the nitty gritty details, The Legend Of Korra ranks in the 96.72th percentile within the Action genre during that time. This means The Legend Of Korra has higher demand than 96.72% of all Action titles worldwide. Airbender ranks slightly higher in the 97.33th percentile within the action genre. Both are among the top tier selections in this lane.
Despite the popularity of the franchise, Netflix and original Avatar: The Last Airbender creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko recently parted ways over creative differences concerning the streamer’s live-action adaptation of Aang’s adventures.
