Unmasking the Netflix Top 10

On February 24, Netflix introduced the Top 10 list. Users can now see the day's most streamed movies and TV shows for the first time in the company's history.

Here is the list for April 5:

New content dominates. Eight of the entries were released or had new episodes released in the past year.

However, recency rarely translates to staying power. Consider another Netflix hit that took the Internet by storm less than 18 months ago:

The likelihood of Tiger King and other trending titles' viral popularity going the way of the dodo bird box is described by the Lindy Effect:

Every year that passes without extinction doubles the additional life expectancy.

At a time when robust, evergreen content is as valuable as ever, it is worth taking a closer look at the current Top 10's more finely aged representatives:

8. The Roommate (2011)

10. The Players Club (1998)

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Neither movie screams “classic”, cult or otherwise. Both debuted on Netflix April 1, but so did dozens of other titles. How does a pair of arguably extinct films come within six feet of this list?

An April 3rd Refinery29 spotlight of The Roommate has zero comments. There is a Netflix watch party for The Players Club on Eventbrite. It is scheduled to happen three days from now.

The Netflix Top 10 demonstrates how unprecedented visibility can actually serve to highlight uncertainty. It is difficult to explain, much less predict, these unlikeliest of events.

And yet:

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