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The #1 Netflix show in the world right now should come as no surprise

Published May 10th, 2022 7:12PM EDT
Laura Linney and jason bateman inside a car
Image: Netflix

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The long-awaited final episodes of Netflix’s crime drama Ozark, which debuted on the streamer a few weeks ago now, definitely produced one of the most divisive TV endings in recent memory. I was pretty unimpressed with the show’s ending (*spoilers ahead*, so stop right here if you’re not caught up) which sees the Byrdes pretty much get away with everything. Oh, and Ruth Langmore dies, gunned down by Camila Navarro, the sister of cartel leader Omar Navarro.

You’d have thought I got caught kicking a puppy or something, based on some of the responses I got to my previous criticism of the ending. I was far from alone, though — something we’ll get into more of in a moment. But what’s not in dispute right now is the fact that Ozark has earned itself a well-deserved distinction. We all wanted to see how things ended, which is probably why the show is currently #1 in the world on Netflix’s new top-ranked English-language shows listing.

Ozark Season 4, Part 2

Ozark Season 4 was the #1 Netflix English-language show globally for the 7-day period through May 8. Moreover, it wasn’t even close. It garnered a staggering amount of viewing hours — more than 102 million from Netflix subscribers. The #2 show over the same period, meanwhile? A little over 23 million hours.

That many people watching something, of course, is bound to lead to differences of opinion. Like this one from the San Francisco Chronicle: “Yes, I watched the second half of the Netflix hit series’ final season, and no, it wasn’t good. And I say this as someone who used to like the show.” And this one from The Hollywood Reporter, which tries to land a pun based on the new Paramount Plus series The Offer:

“The concluding seven episodes of Ozark are similarly dominated by characters attempting to frame 44 episodes of Netflix misbehavior as being all about family and the American Dream. I’d glibly call it The Awful, but that would overplay my series-long ambivalence toward Ozark.”


The Top 10 Netflix shows

All that said, you can check out the full list of Netflix’s Top 10 shows for the week below.

The streamer, by the way, publishes four Top 10 charts once a week. And they always provide a pretty comprehensive look at what’s most popular globally among Netflix users. Two of the charts rank English-language shows and movies, and the other two do the same for non-English titles.

Below, you’ll find the most-watched English-language Netflix shows worldwide for May 2-8.

netflix top 10 showsImage source: Netflix

For a detailed look at the breakdown of how many hours of viewing time each show garnered, head over to Netflix’s Top 10 data site. You can access it, with all of the latest charts, right here.

One fun additional fact about Ozark:

Over that same time span, the 7-day period that ended May 8? The show was also a Top 10 TV show for Netflix in a staggering 81 countries around the world.


More Netflix coverage: For more Netflix news, check out our coverage of the latest new Netflix movies and series to watch.

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.