When The Witcher first dropped on Netflix, it quickly became one of the most popular and talked about shows available anywhere, its success leading to an enormous reprinting of the novels after they quickly sold out. And according to data analytics, it’s still not only the most popular show on the streaming service, but also in the world.
A report from Business Insider cites a statement from data firm Parrot Analytics, which has explained that even though the series is beginning to lose traction in the US, the overall global measurement still has the fantasy adaptation come out on top. For those who don’t know, Parrot Analytics measures “demand expressions,” which is a “globally standardized TV measurement unit that reflects a show’s desire, engagement, and viewership, weighted by importance.” Exactly what that means in non-analytical speak is not clarified, but I would hazard a guess that as well as viewing figures, it also takes into account the frequency and intensity of people’s reaction to the show on social media, so as to not solely rely on audience numbers to measure something as nebulously defined as popularity.
When The Witcher first debuted in December, those same analytics put it in third place behind its streaming fellow Stranger Things and Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian, in respectively second and first place. By the end of the month, however, it had ousted Baby Yoda and companions to become the most popular show in the world, and there it’s remained as of a report made less than a week ago.
It’s inevitable that at some point The Witcher will be dethroned as the world’s top series, of course, but even when that happens, it’s only a matter of time before the second season is released, and if its reception is anything like that of the first, the White Wolf of Rivia will be back on top even faster.
