New Netflix series dubbed “dead on arrival” after shocking viewer numbers

A new Netflix show hasn’t been performing as well as anticipated, leading analysts to call it “dead on arrival” after shocking viewership numbers.

With dramatic juggernaut Baby Reindeer refusing to budge from pole position in the global Netflix top 10 chart, other new releases are struggling to catch up — with one series being dubbed “dead on arrival” after poor viewing figures in its opening week.

Dead Boy Detectives – a spinoff of the popular Sandman series – has logged 22.2 million hours watched and 3.1 million views since its release on April 25, putting it in “limbo” in comparison to how other English-language shows released on a Thursday fared in their first four days, according to What’s On Netflix.

“Dead Boy Detectives may be dead on arrival after a poor start in Netflix top 10s,” reporter Kasey Moore explained. “Young adult fantasy shows at Netflix just can’t catch a break.”

Instead of representing the number of people who have watched a show, the platform gauges viewership and popularity by dividing the number of hours watched in the four-day window by the runtime, which is how the new Netflix series will be judged.

Big 2024 hitters such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Gentlemen, and 3 Body Problem all had a more optimistic four-day opening, while the now-canceled The Brothers Sun floundered in comparison.

However, Dead Boy Detectives came in with an even lower score than the Michelle Yeoh-led drama, so chances are it’s not good news going forward.

“Just like Half Bad, Lockwood & Co, The Irregulars, The Imperfects…. Dead Boy Detectives is another teen fantasy ratings flop. It’s time to stop making these as they never get past Season 1,” one fan weighed in on X/Twitter.

In comparison, parent series The Sandman was renewed by Netflix back in 2022, with new episodes currently in production.

Find even more amazing movies, TV shows, and true crime documentaries to catch on streaming this month.