Netflix released some big new shows in January, with Lupin and Fate: The Winx Saga debuting this month and Bridgerton premiering at the end of December. These new shows were all among the 10 most-watched shows in the world on the streamer this month according to its own global viewing charts. On those top 10 charts, they were also joined by some big returning shows like Matt Groening animation Disenchantment, the long-awaited Season 3 of Cobra Kai and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which came to an end in January.
Read on to see which one of those shows was the most-watched, and to also see which shows were huge global hits this month.
The 10 most-watched TV shows on Netflix in January
10. The Uncanny Counter
South Korean Netflix shows do not get much of a breakthrough on U.S. Netflix, but series, like It's Okay to Not Be Okay, have become huge hits around the world. So it is with The Uncanny Counter, the story of teen demon hunters that has become a global streaming hit.
9. Yo soy Betty la fea
Despite the fact that it ended in 2001, the Spanish telenovela (which inspired the U.S. TV show Ugly Betty) remains as popular as ever. Long considered one of the most famous telenovela ever made, the story of a poor woman who is a secretary to a playboy clothing manufacturer is finding an even wider audience on Netflix, on which it was the 11th most-watched show in 2020.
8. Disenchantment
Though it has not had the global success of previous Matt Groening shows like Futurama and The Simpsons, Disenchantment has been an under-the-radar hit for Netflix. This success continued with the third part of the animated fantasy comedy, released in January.
7. Fate: The Winx Saga
Though it came to Netflix with negative reviews and criticisms of whitewashing, this has not deterred viewers of the reboot of the Nickelodeon fairy show Winx Club. The show is one of only four shows to reach the number one spot in the U.S. Netflix charts, and has had similar success across the world.
6. Vikings
Though the violent History drama is on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S. and U.K., Netflix is the home of Vikings in over 30 countries, where viewers have been savoring every blood-spattered battle of Season 6.
5. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
January 2021 saw Chilling Adventures of Sabrina become the latest Netflix show to be canceled, with many feeling that the Riverdale spin-off was ending too soon. Viewers, however, were there to see it end, with fans across the world watching as Sabrina fought the forces of evil one last time.
4. The Queen's Gambit
The most-watched TV show of 2020 on Netflix, and the most-watched limited series are on the service, The Queen's Gambit was watched by over 60 million households in 2020 according to Netflix. Amazingly, however, there still seem to be some subscribers who have not seen the Anya Taylor-Joy chess drama, which is entering its third month on charts.
3. Cobra Kai
Cobra Kai Season 3 was the first season of the Karate Kid spin-off to air exclusively on Netflix after two seasons that debuted on YouTube. The new episodes did not disappoint fans, with some familiar faces returning and more high-kicking action than ever.
2. Lupin
January saw Netflix experimenting with shorter seasons, with shows like Fate arriving with just over a handful of episodes. This strategy clearly worked for French heist drama Lupin, which managed to totally engross viewers across the world with just five episodes.
1. Bridgerton
In early 2021, Netflix revealed that 63 million households had 'watched' (that is, watched at least two minutes of) Bridgerton, making it their fifth-biggest show ever behind megahits like Stranger Things, Money Heist and The Witcher. This success has clearly continued throughout the month, leading to the show getting an early renewal by the streamer.
