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Library/Series/Breaking Bad's Netflix effect
Grade B22 sourcesHIS-01340

Breaking Bad's Netflix effect

Series · 2008 · Niche

35Editable slideCertificate

Netflix catch-up viewing preceded a Breaking Bad finale watched by 10.3 million.

Trailer · Sony Pics at Home UK on YouTube
Clip · Screen Junkies on YouTube
Walter White and Jesse Pinkman in yellow hazmat suits
CNN
Seasons 1–5 trailer quoting a brilliant and offbeat review
Sony Pics at Home UK on YouTube
Walter White holds up a blue crystal
Variety
Walt in his underwear beside the RV, from the pilot
Variety
Walt and Jesse in the New Mexico desert
TheWrap

Spread Score

How it works
ReachNo data yetContagion35Breadth60Velocity0LongevityNo data yet35

Numbers

Seed to observed peak
5.7 years
Jan 20 ’08 to Sep 29 ’13
Platforms
7
Started on TV
Origin
Mixed
Entertainment

Mechanics

  • Platform jumpPrimary
  • Press loop
  • Mystery & lore
  • Controversy
  • Underdog

How it spread

Trace the origin

Breaking Bad premiered on AMC. Netflix offered earlier seasons for catch-up viewing. The finale set the original run's TV audience record at 10.3 million, alongside a Twitter record and demand for props and box sets.

Observed peak within the documented measurement window; not an all-time maximum.

Google searchesOct ’07Feb ’08May ’09Aug ’10Oct ’11Jun ’12DecAug ’13SepOctDecObserved peakTVOpen webYouTubeRetailPressFacebookX
TVOpen webYouTubeRetailPressFacebookX

13 more events on this chart

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Timeline (16)

  1. January 2008

    AMC precursor · Jan 7 ’08

    AMC announced TV, outdoor, print, radio and online promotion for the series premiere.[1]

    Open the first post ↗

  2. AMC / Vince Gilligan seed · Jan 20 ’08

    AMC premiered Breaking Bad without commercials after The Matrix.[1][2]

  3. August 2011

    AMC / Sony Pictures Television owner response · Aug 14 ’11

    AMC renewed the series for a final order of 16 episodes after negotiations with Sony.[3]

  1. commercial · Jul 15 ’12

  2. owner response · Jul 26 ’13

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Why it worked

Do this

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3

Pro opens the playbook, all 14 sourced numbers and 22 sources. Start with a free account.

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Origin
Mixed
Sector
Entertainment
Region
US
Reported figure
—
Evidence
Grade B

Spread the same way

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$334.9M on a $17M budget

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New cases, every week

How the next thing spread, the week it does.