• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, April 9, 2025

Not only has Netflix grown into a streaming powerhouse when it comes to its original content, but it also takes older TV shows -- those starting on legacy TV platforms and elsewhere -- and deliver even higher results, according to Nielsen.

Consider that the show “Suits” -- which ran on USA Network between 2011 and 2019 -- has been estimated to have accumulated 51.1 billion viewing minutes from seasons one through 8.

Then over a seven-month period (from June-December 2023) when Netflix took over, the show grew to a total of 57.7 billion minutes.

Even ongoing network TV shows continue to get a boost -- in terms of promotion. For example, CBS’s “Fire Country” (which also airs on Paramount+) witnessed a big third season premiere on Paramount+ -- largely due to first season airing episodes on Netflix being available.

Viewing minutes for the Season Three premiere rose to 48.9 million -- up from 31.6 million for Season Two.

Looking more broadly, total weekly viewing minutes of the show with Netflix added to Paramount+ and CBS. The series soared to just over 1.2 billion from around less than 50 million.

Netflix did the same for Fox’s “Lucifer.” The first season on Fox took in 7 billion minutes, with 7 billion in its second season, rising to 8.4 billion in the third season. Netflix outdid Fox for seasons one, two and three -- at 8.4 billion, 9.6 billion and 10.6 billion, respectively.

This also is the situation for theatrical movies that then moved to big streaming platforms.

Three months before its debut on Netflix, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (which started in theaters in 2023), on all platforms totaled 2.6 billion. When it shifted to Netflix for the next three months, it more than doubled -- to 7.5 billion.