The importance of streaming services came into sharp relief in 2020 as stay at home orders were handed down by governments around the world.

South Africa was no different and if you’re like us, there’s a good chance you’ve binge watched everything there is to watch on Netflix.

According to Netflix, South Africans doubled the amount of time we spent on the platform this year compared to 2020. The most popular genres in 2020 were kids, drama and stand-up comedy, but fantasy, Korean dramas and anime saw the biggest growth in viewing hours this year.

As for specific titles, many of these titles won’t be a surprise, but if you spot something you haven’t seen, you might still be able to find it on Netflix.

Before we list the most popular titles we should note that these are not listed in any particular order. If you don’t spot a popular title (such as The Witcher) that’s because these lists only take into account releases that happened between January and November of this year.

Most popular titles for 2020

• Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness
• Blood & Water
• Money Heist
• Modern Family
• Love is Blind
• Sex Education
• The Queen’s Gambit
• Lucifer
• Emily in Paris
• The Stranger
• Ozark
• Umbrella Academy
• Spencer Confidential
• Dynasty
• Family Feud South Africa

Most popular action

• Warrior Nun: Season 1
• The Old Guard
• Extraction
• Bloodshot
• Project Power
• The Losers
• Bad Boys for Life
• Spider Man: Far From Home
• Charlie’s Angels
• Lost Bullet

Most popular comedy

• Space Force: Season 1
• Hubie Halloween
• Holidate
• Work It
• The Sleepover
• Emily in Paris: Season 1
• The Wrong Missy
• Coffee & Kareem
• Love Wedding Repeat
• Desperados

Most popular documentaries

• Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness
• The Social Dilemma,
• Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich
• American Murder: The Family Next Door
• Coronavirus Explained
• Unsolved Mysteries: Volume 1
• David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
• Down to Earth with Zac Efron: Season 1
• World’s Most Wanted: Season 1
• My Octopus Teacher

Most popular drama

• A Fall From Grace,
• Blood & Water: Season 1
• Ratched:Season1
• The Queen’s Gambit: Limited Series
• Enola Holmes
• Rebecca
• Lucifer: Season 5
• Barbarians: Season 1
• The Last Thing He Wanted

Most popular fantasy

• Locke & Key: Season 1
• Jumanji: The Next Level
• Cursed: Season 1
• The Letter for the King: Season 1
• Always a Witch: Season 2
• A Choo
• The School Nurse Files: Season 1
• The Protector: Season 3
• The King: Eternal Monarch: Season 1
• The Protector: Season 4

Most popular anime

• Castlevania: Season 3
• Altered Carbon: Resleeved
• Parasyte: The Maxim: Season 1
• Blood of Zeus: Season 1
• Pokémon: Mewtew Strikes Back – Evolution
• Yu-Gi-Oh!: Season 1
• Dragon’s Dogma: Season 1
• The Seven Deadly Sins: Imperial Wrath of the Gods
• Transformers: War for Cybertron: Siege
• BAKI: The Great Raitai Tournament Saga

Most popular kids content

• Feel The Beat
• The Angry Birds Movie 2
• The Willoughbys
• The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run
• Over the Moon
• Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous: Season 1
• Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
• Malibu Rescue: The Next Wave
• The Big Show Show: Part 1
• Latte and the Magic Waterstone

Most popular romance

• The Kissing Booth 2
• Seriously Single; Love, Guaranteed
• Operation Christmas Drop
• To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You
• The Princess Switch: Switched Again
• Christmas Made To Order
• Dash & Lily: Season 1
• Christmas Under Wraps
• Always A Bridesmaid

Most popular horror

• Dracula: Season 1
• Escape Room
• The Haunting of Bly Manor
• A Quiet Place
• The Babysitter: Killer Queen
• Don’t Listen
• The Purge: Anarchy
• Brightburn
• Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare: Extended Director’s Cut
• #Alive

Most popular thrillers

• Fatal Affair
• Spenser Confidential
• Cypher: Season 1
• Money Heist: Part 4
• Dangerous Lies; The Last Days of American Crime
• Rogue City
• 8
• Dark Desire: Season 1
• Night Hunter

Most popular sci-fi

• Snowpiercer: Season 1
• Code 8
• Into The Night: Season 1
• Men In Black: International
• Biohackers: Season 1
• The 6th Day
• Altered Carbon: Season 2
• Star Trek: Discovery: Season 3
• Godzilla
• Colony: Season 3

Most popular reality

• Love is Blind: Season 1
• Family Feud South Africa: Season 1
• Dream Home Makeover: Season 1
• Too Hot To Handle: Season 1
• Floor is Lava: Season 1
• Crazy Delicious: Season 1
• Get Organized with The Home Edit: Season 1
• Million Dollar Beach House: Season 1
• The Titan Games: Season 1
• The American Barbeque Showdown: Season 1

Most popular Korean drama

• Kingdom: Season 2
• The World of the Married: Season 1
• My Secret Romance: Season 1
• The King: Eternal Monarch: Season 1
• The Uncanny Counter: Season 1
• It’s Okay to Not Be Okay: Season 1
• Guardian: The Lonely and Great God: Season 1
• The School Nurse Files: Season 1