With social isolation being the predominant theme of 2020, there was a concurrent spike in demand for streaming services. As a bit of festive fun from BLAKE & WANG P.A Entertainment Lawyer Los Angeles, we’re taking a look at what shows trended when during this tumultuous year of lockdowns, restrictions, and more- and what it says about ourselves as a whole, too.
Firstly, and as a positive, Netflix would see a boom in foreign-language dramas throughout the year as it opened itself to a wider subscriber base. This was accessed by viewers willing to use subtitles as well as native speakers. Romance and action would also remain key parts of the 2020 landscape no matter what happened- indicative, perhaps, of an urge to escape a lonely year with something escapist.
A very surprising boom would come at the start, however- baking shows! Perhaps accompanying the social media ‘banana bread’ challenge (or causing it), many anchor programs revolving around the soothing art of creating comfort food would see an uptick- well over 50% extra demand!
The euphoria would not last long, however. As lockdown stretched into April and beyond, we would instead see a 30% uptick in demand for sad content and tearjerkers, alongside a greater interest in true crime documentaries and, of course, the phenomenon that was Tiger King. Alongside it would come a demand for stand-up comedy in all its forms. Dating shows and other ‘fluffy’ unscripted reality would also stay strong throughout the year.
In a move that can be seen as positive for humanity as a whole, in the three weeks following the controversial murder of Geroge Floyd, there was a peak in demand for content focusing on the experiences of people of color. This would be the push behind Netflix’s launch of their Black Lives Matter collection.
All in all, it’s a telling look into the mood of a year that’s been like no other, especially for the entertainment industry. The trends we see here will doubtless shape the 2021 orders Netflix places, which means it could also be an interesting knock-on effect for the industry as a whole. BLAKE & WANG P.A will continue to watch (pun intended) with interest.
Film and Television 