Between August 30 and September 5, 2024, some major shifts happened in the world of streaming. The title for original TV shows was taken by Netflix’s Worst Ex Ever, while Lee Daniels’ The Deliverance took the top in original movies. Worst Ex Ever, being a four-episode horror docuseries, splashed the chart-toppers.
This outdid The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power performance on Amazon Prime Video. More so, considering all the hype it received but couldn’t maintain in its new season.
This was one of those changing-of-the-guard kinds of weeks in terms of what audiences are into, with horror and true crime leading the charge as summer streaming vibes come in.
Netflix’s Worst Ex-Ever dominates streaming TV
Worst Ex Ever topped the charts in TV series, garnering a whopping 939.1 million minutes from August 30 to September 5. This Blumhouse Television horror docuseries blew the competition out of the water.
This includes the likes of Amazon Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which chalked up 827.9 million minutes of watch time for its latest season, per Variety. This is in addition to a continuing swell of readers and viewers going deeper into true crime and horror, most of which have only taken off on streaming services recently.
Conversely, The Rings of Power got a little rocky in its second season, which dropped on August 29, 2024. With all the hype, even the big name J.R.R. Tolkien attached to it, the show didn’t hit viewership numbers as big as they hoped.
The first three episodes of its return accumulated 764.7 million minutes of watch time, a bit lower than what the show kicked off its first season with. The silver lining is that the new season brought back interest in the first season, jumping it back into the top 10 with 229.2 million minutes viewed, Variety reports.
The Deliverance tops original movies
Lee Daniels’ The Deliverance was well and honestly talked about once it hit Netflix on August 30, 2024. It jumped right to the top of the steamer’s weekly charts, with 8.3 million views and 930.8 million minutes watched, per Netflix.
Most of this success must, of course, be credited to the acting by Glenn Close as Alberta. This role put her in most people’s minds. The Deliverance concerns a family in crisis and unnerving events in their house. It is based on a true story. Close was particularly noted for bringing pathos to Alberta.
She aced her role in the movie, especially with the change in her character’s look and behavior, which many people say made the movie thrive. Director Lee Daniels pointed out how exceptional Close’s performance is. He said the performance leaves its mark on the genre while projecting characters we rarely see on screen, according to Deadline.
If you’re looking for shows and movies to watch, Worst Ex Ever and The Deliverance can be streamed on Netflix.
If you enjoy The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, a series currently airing on Amazon Prime Video, you could go back and rewatch the first season or catch up with the newest episodes of the second season.