LD+R a Netflix Top Ten Show
Posted on May 16, 2021 Posted by John Scalzi 22 Comments
And actually, top 5, as it was nestled in at number five when I checked, and of course I checked, because I was curious. This is a pretty good showing for its debut weekend and I’m unsurprisingly pleased about it. “Top 5 Netflix Show” is a nice thing to be able to add to one’s resume. Mind you, I’m just one among many who get to say “their” show is a top 5 Netflix show, but I will still take it. Me and lots of other people get to have this moment. We’re a hit!
Thank you for watching if you did watch — and if you’re going to watch it but just haven’t, thank you too. It’s nice when people watch (and hopefully enjoy!), one’s work.
— JS
And of course, I am as always excited to learn from my detractors how this is actually evidence that my career has in fact gone swirling. I can’t wait to find out how I’m failing now!
Yes, Mr. Scalzi. Your career is swirling like a hawk caught in a thermal and, like Icarus, your rise shall inevitably become your failure! Actual evidence! Real Fax!
(In other news: Thanks for watching? Nah, thanks for writing! That was fun! While I liked the written version better on the grounds that the “transcript of one side of a phone interaction” conceit really appealed to me, I enjoyed the animated version plenty.)
(In other other news: Ooooh, and a Paolo Bacigalupi work made it in too! Extra happy me!)
I can only afford one streaming service (fixed income and book not selling), but as soon as the Expanse is finished, I will switch to Netflix and watch LD&R
Failing? I don’t think so. I haven’t watched the new season with your contribution yet but I did watch the lengthy first season. I loved the CG stuff, in which the human characters appear to be almost real, but I’m not one who cares much for the cartoon style animation. Still, the stories are excellent so there’s that. Black Mirror for kids?
Successful, Mr. Scalzi? I think you’ll find, if you examine the evidence closely, that this success had nothing to do with you; in fact, your episode, whichever one it was, was the only terrible one in the bunch, the millstone around the neck of the albatross attempting to grind the wheat of the other episodes into chaff.
Upon further reflection, we may assume that the only reason Netflix did not throw your script into the trash as it so richly deserved was, of course, to let your name in the credits act as a siren song upon the ears of the “SJW”s, who would then watch the show not because they have taste, for of course they do not, but instead for the social media cred of having seen something by the arch-beta male himself, Scalzi.
QED, the success of this show, therefore, solely serves to cast into stark relief the utter lack of success of your own output. Checkmate.
(giant /s)
serious whiney-babying over the shortness of the new series–we burned through them in three sittings and if we were more dedicated consumers of video we coulda done it in one.
Obviously yours was the best, and even the more puzzling ones were beautiful to look at.
Congratulations on your new screenwriting credit.
The art style for the humans in ACS took a minute to get used to but I really enjoyed the episode! And I love that pupper! My daughter and I were gushing over how cute it was!
re: puppers
As Scalzi pointed out in his Fuzzy Nation bit below, a dog just makes a story better.
Even Harlan Ellison knows this – read the classic “A Boy and His Dog” for the warm fuzzy scene at the end, when the faithful dog is saved.
I recently read the Top Ten they post is not entirely based strictly on viewership. It will give a different Top Ten to each viewer based on their viewing habits. LD& R probably isn’t going to show up in the list of someone that watches rom-coms or horror flix. As your household probably watches some SF it would appear on your list.
Not trying to slight you or the show. People are watching it and I enjoyed it. But my sister who is a fan of yours had never heard of it.
Rob Beilke, Netflix claims the top-ten list is just that, a top-ten of the most popular programs on the service. Where the list appears in your feed may vary based on the relevance of the top-ten content to you, but it is supposed to be the same for everyone.
If you look at https://decider.com/list/netflix-top-10-movies-and-shows/ it does list LD&R in the #5 slot (5/16). I would assume they would not base this on one person’s subscription.
https://www.tvguide.com/news/what-to-watch-on-netflix-top-10-rankings-on-may-17/ has it at #4 right now (5/17) and my top ten exactly matches the one they are publishing today.
Ron Beilke:
In this case, it’s for all subscribers in the United States, not a personalized list. Netflix does do personalized recommendations, however.
Also, it’s moved up a notch to #4!
Great second season. Only watched first half, the first night. I didn’t want the binge to be too fast. great new format and I really hope you guys just keep pumping this.
Watched it all already. Decent episodes, though I think first season was better. Your episode was the best of the bunch, I think. Really liked the animation. Burned through the whole thing in one sitting, no self control haha.
I do wish they would get rid of the start graphic where they flash the seizure inducing whit screen. I can’t imagine that’s good for anyone with epilepsy or other condition. I basically close my eyes for the start of every episode.
Have only watched 1st 3 episodes so far, but one of the best things out there. Your episode of course but the following 2 are, although a different vibe, are thought provoking and so very well done. Can’t wait to watch the rest.
Really enjoyed your episode, now I am giving my Roomba the side-eye. Your work here is done!
Three good episodes from me, ACS, the Christmas one, and Snow in the Desert. Didn’t think this season was as strong overall as the first one, but I’m not sure if that’s due to being shorter so the hit rate feels lower. Fewer paint by numbers MilSF this time though, which is a good thing for me.
Pop squad felt super preachy, Giant just felt self indulgent.
I do like the anthology format, and the differing animation styles – I liked the style in the tall grass, though the story not so much.
Just plowed through all of them today. Really enjoyed them and I hope they have as many seasons as The Simpsons. My only complaint is just a personal pet peeve. It’s probably just me but it seems like there is more smoking in media now than there was a decade ago.
Currently number 3 in the UK :-)
Congrats!
Please just tell me you didn’t write “All Through the House”? Because while I don’t know you, you don’t come across as that disturbed.
Michael Kelley:
I did not write that one but I LOVE it. It’s my favorite of the new episodes, including my own.
Loved ACS (and pop squad), looking forward to the rest.
But “Jupiter’s Legacy “? Oh dear. Oh deary me.
Purely subjective: yours tied with Snow for second best. Yours was heaps of fun and Snow hit me in the feels.
But All Through the House is a new Christmas classic, IMO. Made my wife (who hates both sci-fi and animation) sit through ALL FIVE MINUTES of it! Yes, terror upon terror! Just for that last line! Brilliant!
Cannot wait to show it to my granddaughter. Papa said be good for a reason! ( Poor traumatized little darling…)
Good job by all!