Between January and June 2025, Netflix viewers logged over 95 billion hours of global stream time, according to its official What We Watched report—covering roughly 99% of all viewing activity. This mid‑year snapshot highlights ten standout series that captured audience attention globally, across genres and languages. Here's a deep dive into each title, why it resonated, and what set it apart:
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1. Adolescence (UK Crime Drama)
- Viewership: ~145 million views
- Premiere: March 13, 2025
- Why It Stood Out: Directed in one continuous take per episode, Adolescence shocks and mesmerizes with raw psychological drama around a school murder. It dominated weekly charts across 93 countries and earned 13 Emmy nominations—including Outstanding Limited Series.
2. Squid Game – Season 2 (South Korea)
- Viewership: ~117 million views
- Release: December 26, 2024
- Why It Stood Out: Riding global hype, Season 2 shattered premiere records—68 million views in four days—and remained a cultural phenomenon into 2025. It ranked #2 globally in Netflix’s 2025 mid-year list.
3. Squid Game – Season 3 (South Korea)
- Viewership: ~72 million views
- Release: June 27, 2025
- Why It Stood Out: Launched late in the first half, yet soared to deliver blockbuster stream numbers almost immediately—a testament to Netflix’s blockbuster franchise power.
4. Zero Day (Thriller Drama)
- Viewership: ~61 million views
- Genre: U.S. political thriller with high stakes
- Why It Stood Out: A tense, serialized drama with international conspiracy and modern profiling, Zero Day tapped into appetite for globe-spanning suspense.
5. Missing You (South Korean Drama)
- Viewership: ~58 million views
- Why It Stood Out: Emotional storytelling and strong leads made this drama a sleeper hit, ranking among the top non-English-language titles of the first half.
6. American Murder: The Gabby Petito Story (Documentary Limited Series)
- Viewership: ~56 million views
- Why It Stood Out: Real-life true-crime continues to engage viewers. The documentary’s exploration of media dynamics and justice in a tragic high-profile case resonated globally.
7. Ms Rachel (Children/Educational Series)
- Viewership: ~53 million views
- Why It Stood Out: With mass streaming hours by toddlers and parents alike, Ms Rachel emerged as the top family/children’s hit—universally popular across regions.
8. Sirens (UK Drama)
- Viewership: ~53 million views
- Why It Stood Out: A fresh British drama series exploring complex interpersonal and social themes, Sirens balanced critical acclaim with widespread viewership.
9. The Night Agent – Season 2 (U.S. Political Thriller)
- Viewership: ~53 million views
- Why It Stood Out: Peter Sutherland’s FBI suspense sequel outperformed the first season, proving Netflix’s appetite for polished American spy drama.
10. Ginny & Georgia – Season 3 (U.S. Dramedy)
- Viewership: ~48 million views
- Why It Stood Out: Layered generational storytelling and teen drama propelled Ginny & Georgia back into the top 10, extending its youthful appeal.
🎯 At a Glance: Top 10 Summary
| Rank | Show Title | Origin/Country | Approx. Views (Millions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adolescence | UK | 145 |
| 2 | Squid Game – Season 2 | South Korea | 117 |
| 3 | Squid Game – Season 3 | South Korea | 72 |
| 4 | Zero Day | U.S. | 61 |
| 5 | Missing You | South Korea | 58 |
| 6 | American Murder (Petito Story) | U.S. | 56 |
| 7 | Ms Rachel | U.S. (Kids/Edu) | 53 |
| 8 | Sirens | UK | 53 |
| 9 | The Night Agent – Season 2 | U.S. | 53 |
| 10 | Ginny & Georgia – Season 3 | U.S. | 48 |
🌍 Key Takeaways
Diverse Linguistic Reach
Roughly one-third of all streams came from non-English language shows—and 10 of the top 25 most-watched series were non-English. UK crime dramas and South Korean programs dominated, showing Netflix’s success as a truly global platform.
Enduring Originals
Long-running library titles remained massively watched: Orange Is the New Black, Ozark, and Money Heist each exceeded 100 million viewing hours in the same period.
Genre Variety
The top shows span true crime, teen psychological thrillers, children’s educational content, spy drama, and dramedy—testament to Netflix’s multi-genre strength.
Anime Still Rising in Popularity
Though not in the top 10, Netflix reported a surge in anime viewership—roughly 4.4 billion hours streamed in the first half of 2025. Classic series like Naruto: Shippuden (45M views), Demon Slayer (23M), and Attack on Titan (15M) led the category.
🔮 Why These Shows Resonated
- Adolescence shone creatively with its one-take cinematography and shocking storyline.
- Squid Game capitalized on franchise momentum and global hype.
- Zero Day and Night Agent 2 rode the modern spy-thriller wave.
- Missing You showcased evocative storytelling from South Korea’s K-drama golden era.
- Ms Rachel represents family viewing’s centrality to Netflix’s model.
- Shows like American Murder prove true crime’s persistent pull.
- Ginny & Georgia balances teen angst with parent‑child drama in a saucy Californian package.
✅ Final Thoughts
Netflix’s mid‑2025 snapshot shows a platform at its most eclectic: half a dozen compelling crime dramas; breakout limited series; beloved documentary true crime; and family‑oriented originals. With U.S., UK, South Korean, and children’s content all represented, the service continues to deliver cultural hits around the globe. And anime’s surprising surge signals future shifts in genre dominance.
For viewers, these titles showcase why Netflix remains the streaming giant—rooted in powerful storytelling, global reach, and a programming mix that spans generations and genres.