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People are watching an insane amount of Spanish-language content on Netflix

Updated Dec 22nd, 2022 3:51PM EST
a boy with his arm around a girl taking a photo
Image: Mayra Ortiz/Netflix

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One of the best things about having a Netflix subscription, in my opinion, is the one-click access you get to all sorts of great content from around the world. Putting Netflix Spanish-language series like Money Heist and, to a lesser extent, Narcos (which has a fair amount of English speakers in it) on par with the never-ending stream of shows emanating from Netflix’s home country. It’s this kind of thing, alone, that makes Netflix’s extremely modest price increases more than worth it. At least, as far as I’m concerned.

Whether you appreciate it or not, though, the fact of the matter is that there’s a massive global audience that devours Netflix content. So much so, that the latest most-watched data the streamer put out on Tuesday shows Spanish-language TV shows utterly dominating one of Netflix’s new Top 10 lists for the week.

Netflix Spanish and other international series

A scene from the Netflix series Queen of Flow
A scene from the Netflix series “Queen of Flow.” Image source: Netflix

Of the 10 most-watched Netflix shows globally, according to the streamer’s newly released Top 10 data? Four of the 10 shows on the non-English chart were Spanish-language titles. And altogether, they accounted for a staggering 159.8 million hours viewed around the world.

It’s a reminder that there’s an extra benefit from streamers investing in localized and non-English language content around the world. Not only do local audiences want to enjoy authentic programming grounded in places and stories that they know. But these kinds of shows are also quite often universal in their applicability. To say nothing of the fact that, regarding all the Netflix Spanish series, there are millions of Spanish speakers globally. Across scores of countries.

Most-watched Netflix shows (non-English)

two dark haired women with guns
A scene is shown from “Money Heist” Season 5 on Netflix. Image source: Tamara Arranz/Netflix

Netflix publishes four Top 10 lists each week, breaking down global data and trends from its subscribers. The four lists include the top English TV shows and movies. And then two more lists for the top non-English TV shows and movies. The most-watched Spanish-language series on Netflix’s Top 10 non-English ranking this week include the four we list below.

Their show descriptions, along with the total time viewed over the 7-day period that ended January 16, are as follows:

  • Cafe con aroma de mujer, season one (98.8 million hours) — A remake of the classic 1994 telenovela, this is the love story between Gaviota, an agricultural worker, and Sebastián, the scion of coffee aristocracy.
  • The Queen of Flow, season two (24.2 million hours) — Seventeen years after being wrongly imprisoned, a talented songwriter seeks justice against the men who caused her downfall and killed her family.
  • Rebelde, season one (23.8 million hours) — As Elite Way School starts a new term, a familiar enemy — a secret society called the Lodge — threatens to crash the musical hopes of the first-years.
  • Money Heist, part five (13 million hours) — The gang has been shut in the Bank of Spain for over 100 hours. They have managed to rescue Lisbon, but their darkest moment is upon them after losing one of their own.
Andy Meek Trending News Editor

Andy Meek is a reporter based in Memphis who has covered media, entertainment, and culture for over 20 years. His work has appeared in outlets including The Guardian, Forbes, and The Financial Times, and he’s written for BGR since 2015. Andy's coverage includes technology and entertainment, and he has a particular interest in all things streaming.

Over the years, he’s interviewed legendary figures in entertainment and tech that range from Stan Lee to John McAfee, Peter Thiel, and Reed Hastings.