Netflix’s cinematic performance in 2018 began with a dud in The Cloverfield Paradox. The ratings were decent; the reviews, less so. Things got even more grim with Mute, which isn’t appearing on nearly “worst movies of the year” lists. But the streaming service recovered with a string of romantic comedies and movies catered towards teens, including Set It Up, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (starring Lana Condor and heartthrob Noah Centineo), and especially The Kissing Booth, which was the most re-watched movie on Netflix in 2018.
More than 50 percent of viewers watched The Kissing Booth and To All the Boys more than once; the only other film that elicited impressive repeat numbers was Roxanne Roxanne, a biopic about rapper Roxanne Shanté. Netflix also calculated “The Stars We Fell in Love with This Year,” a.k.a. the talent in its original productions with the highest increase of Instagram followers, led by Queer Eye‘s Fab Five, Condor, The Kissing Booth‘s Joel Courtney, and Miguel Herrán and Jaime Lorente Lopez from teen drama sensation Elite. Surprisingly, Centineo is only seventh, right above Joey King and Hannah Gadsby. For shows, Netflix released the most binged original series, or as the press release notes, what “kept us glued to our seats and screens this year.”
1. On My Block
2. Making a Murderer: Part 2
3. 13 Reasons Why: Season 2
4. Last Chance U: INDY
5. Bodyguard
6. Fastest Car
7. The Haunting of Hill House
8. Anne with an E: Season 2
9. Insatiable
10. Orange Is the New Black: Season 6
There’s no GLOW, or Big Mouth, or BoJack Horseman (all of which appeared on our best shows of 2018 list). Instead, it’s an interesting, if baffling mix of old favorites (Orange), buzzy titles (Bodyguard, On My Block, The Haunting of Hill House), and surprise picks (disappointing sophomore seasons from Making a Murderer and 13 Reasons Why, and the much-derided Insatiable).
Anyway, with all this teen talk, all I can say is: How do you do, fellow kids?
(Via Netflix)
