The debate over which series distribution strategy is best, the "bulk release" strategy favored by Netflix vs. the weekly release paradigm preferred by traditional media incumbents, remains unsettled.
But Samba TV, which measures smart TV viewership, shed a little light on the subject by comparing viewership for 2022's top shows on subscription video platforms.
As the chart below shows, Netflix generated more U.S. viewership after 50 days by releasing all eight episodes of Wednesday on Nov. 23, but HBO actually garnered more overall watching for House of the Dragon by staggering release of the Game of Thrones prequel's episodes on a weekly basis from August through October.
Of the 20 biggest U.S. series subscription premieres as measured by Samba TV, nine were released all at once, with three shows staggered into two stages of release. Eight shows had traditional weekly releases.
Bulk releasing might deliver a bigger initial viewer turnout, but Samba TV found that the per-episode "tune-in" increased far more over the lifespan of the release window for shows that were trickled out weekly and had time to slowly build a following.
And while traditional one-a-week releasing allows for shows to add more new viewers over time, core viewers that caught the first episode are more likely to stick with a show if it's released all at once.
