Image: Shōgun, FX
In this article we look at the top breakout shows of the past month. Breakout shows are the most in-demand series that have premiered in the past 100 days.
February's breakout shows offer a fascinating mix of returning champions, remakes, and several new shows. Maintaining its position at the top with a phenomenal 92.1x the average series demand, is Amazon Prime Video's Hazbin Hotel. The adult animated dark comedy saw a staggering 73.98% increase in demand compared to January, further solidifying the growing popularity of the genre. Just like last month, it remained leagues ahead of the other shows in the ranking.
Remakes made up the remaining top two positions in the ranking for February. Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender soared to second place with 21.3x demand, fueled by a 93% increase. While it may have had mixed reviews from critics, fans of the franchise have more reason to celebrate, considering that Netflix announced the renewal of the show for another two seasons just a few days after season one aired.
FX’s historical drama remake Shōgun took third place with 14.2x the average series demand for the month of February, a remarkable 146% leap. The series has been doing exceptionally well since its debut and has also received largely positive reviews. The fact that it took third place for the month despite premiering at the end on February 27, and that it’s set to air episodes until mid-April, makes it more than likely that the show will hold on to its position in the ranking; possibly unseating Avatar to take second place next month. The presence of both these remakes, especially in second and third place in the ranking, demonstrates the enduring power of nostalgia and the ability of streaming services to tap into it.
After roughly a decade in development, Apple TV+’s Masters of the Air debuted on January 26 and promptly shot up the rankings to take fourth place with 14.1x the average series demand. The series had a 31% increase in demand this month, a figure that is expected to be higher next month considering that the finale will be airing soon on March 15. The third instalment in the franchise, an analysis of global demand data revealed that Masters of the Air significantly boosted demand for its predecessors - Band of Brothers and The Pacific. This interesting development highlights the complex interplay between new content, legacy franchises, and the strategic reach of different streaming services.
AMC is back in the ranking with another ‘Walking Dead’ spin-off this month. The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live took fifth place in the ranking with 13.9x the average series demand, a 71% increase in demand since its debut on February 25. Hot on its heels was Adult Swim’s Ninja Kamui with 13.8x the average demand. The anime series has been steadily growing in demand and is expected to climb higher up the ranking as it continues airing its episodes till the end of March. In seventh place, we see Nickelodeon’s new animated comedy series Rock, Paper, Scissors with 13.5x the average series demand. The show premiered on February 11, airing after the network's alternate broadcast of Super Bowl LVIII, and had a 91% increase in demand for the month. It was followed by another remake, Disney+’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians which saw a 24% decline in demand, likely because it ended a month ago.
Rounding out the breakout shows ranking, in ninth and tenth place we see CBS’ After Midnight and Netflix’s Griselda both with 12.6x the average series demand; the latter had an incredible 123% increase compared to the former, which saw a 21% spike. The difference in genres and release strategies can explain these numbers though. After Midnight is a game show inspired by the Emmy Award-winning series @midnight and has been releasing episodes from Tuesday to Friday every week, keeping audiences consistently engaged. On the other hand, Griselda is Netflix’s latest foray into the biographical crime drama genre and follows the journey of Griselda Blanco as she became “the Godmother” of the Miami drug scene. The show aired all six episodes on January 25, and received generally positive reviews from critics.
All in all, February’s breakout shows ranking underscores the enduring appeal of established franchises, the ever-evolving preferences of audiences, and the power of animation, both classic and new.
