MUMBAI: Girls rule the roost! Well, at least that’s what the latest report from US-based information, data and market measurement firm Nielsen seems to suggest. The top three most watched acquired titles on OTT platforms – Good Girls, Ginny & Georgia and I Care A Lot – are all female-driven shows. But that’s where the similarity ends. While all three are to be found on popular streaming platform Netflix, their content involves very different storylines.
Good Girls is an American crime comedy-drama television series created by Jenna Bans that premiered on NBC on 26 February 2018. The series showcases the story of sisters Beth and Annie and their best friend Ruby, who become fed up with playing by the rules and not getting the respect they deserve. They band together to take control of their lives and go on to hold up a local grocery store.
Ginny & Georgia is an American dramedy streaming television series created by Sarah Lampert that was released on Netflix on 24 February 24 this year. It’s a tale about free-spirited Georgia and her two kids, Ginny and Austin, who move north in search of a fresh start but find that the road to new beginnings can be bumpy.
I Care a Lot is a 2020 American black comedy film starring Gone Girl actor Rosamund Pike. If you come to watch this movie going by its deceptive title, expecting a feel‑good story of a female protagonist with a heart of gold who can do no wrong and that shines as a beacon of moral goodness untainted by the big bad world, then you are in for several shocks. The film is about a court-appointed legal guardian who defrauds her older clients and traps them under her care. Also, this title came up tops in the Top Ten Movies list too.
If we switch over to original content on streaming platforms, it’s the same story. So let’s tune in for a more detailed insight on the top ranked subscription video on demand (SVoD) programs. The Nielsen data curated is from the end of February (Week of 21 February 2021 - 28 February 2021).
The top three programs are Ginny & Georgia, WandaVision and Behind Her Eyes, with the just released Ginny & Georgia once again topping this list too. Again, all three are women-dominated stories set in completely different backdrops.
WandaVision again remains the only non-Netflix show in the top Ten. The American television miniseries created by Jac Schaeffer based on the Marvel Comics characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision can be found on the streaming service Disney+.
Behind Her Eyes is a British supernatural psychological thriller web series created by Steve Lightfoot, based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Sarah Pinborough, that premiered on Netflix on 17 February 2021. It depicts the story of a single mother, who enters a world of twisted mind games when she begins an affair with her psychiatrist boss while secretly befriending his mysterious wife.
The next in line, Firefly Lane, also revolves around two women – Tully and Kate, who meet as young girls on Firefly Lane and become inseparable friends throughout 30 years of ups and downs. This American streaming television series was created by Maggie Friedman for Netflix and is based on the novel of the same name.
Bridgerton – the period drama set in the world of Regency era London, produced by Shonda Rhimes for Netflix rounds up the top five under originals. Together, the girl power seems to have dethroned royal drama The Crown from its top spot in the rankings.
Amongst the most watched acquired shows, long running American television productions like Criminal Minds and Grey's Anatomy have managed to hold the fort this week too. In fact, Grey's Anatomy, an American medical drama television series that premiered in 2005, is the longest-running scripted primetime series carried by ABC. The fictional series focuses on the lives of surgical interns and residents as they develop into seasoned doctors while balancing personal and professional relationships. The series was most recently renewed for its seventeenth season.
Criminal Minds is an American police procedural crime drama television series which also premiered in 2005 on CBS, and concluded in 2020. It follows a group of criminal profilers who work for the FBI as members of its Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) and tells the story of the team as they work various cases, and tackle their personal struggles.
Schitt’s Creek, the Canadian television sitcom created by father and son Eugene and Dan Levy and aired on CBC Television, is the fourth contender on the top ten. The hilarious but heart-warming tale of the stinking rich family of four, who suddenly find themselves bankrupt left with an ugly small town named Schitt's Creek as their only remaining asset has found many takers, not to mention awards. The series has been raking in awards in the comedy category ever since its finale season six was aired in April 2020 on Netflix .
Together, these top ranked shows comprise an eclectic mix of originals and acquired programs, encompassing dramas, reality shows, sitcoms, movies and psychological thrillers. Something to chew on as you breeze through your weekend. Cheers!
