Netflix experienced unforeseen success with its first original series, "House of Cards." The network took a shot in the dark. It had never released a series on its Watch Instantly platform and was unsure of how it would be received. But they hit the nail on the head. The series took off. Between the "watch as you please" format, the stunning work of Kevin Spacey and the gripping politically charged conflicts that move the show forward, there's no surprise it became an instant classic. The sky's the limit, and that's exactly where Netflix hopes to take it.
"Hopefully, by the time we get to season three, four, five, if we're fortunate enough to get there, then we turn it into a Harry Potter-esque global massive phenomena," said Reed Hastings, chief executive for Netflix.
He hopes to have fans anxiously awaiting the show's return season after season, much like they did the releases of J. K. Rowling's smash hit books and films. Fans dressed in Harry Potter attire would line outside bookstores for hours, even days to get their hands on the newest releases. It's a lofty goal for a political drama series, but why not shoot high?
Hastings chose not to reveal viewership numbers for the first season of "House of Cards," but it's safe to say they are a far ways off from matching those of Harry Potter. The film franchise alone drew more than $7 billion in global box office sales. Netflix started booking $1 million in revenue this quarter for all its services. If they hope to achieve even half the success as Harry Potter, especially with a single original series, they've got a long, uphill road ahead of them.
The key to their success is their viewing platform. Instead of airing a season of the course of several months with by one episode per week, Netflix releases the entire season at once, almost like a feature film. Fans can sit and watch at their own pace. The main issue here is advertising. It's difficult to include commercial breaks in what should feel more like a prolonged movie watching experience. In order to hype "House of Cards" up to Harry Potter standards, it takes money, which could take Netflix years and years to attain.
Regardless, "House of Cards" will continue to attract fans and build a name for itself. There's no official release date for its second season, however, it will likely return sometime in early 2014. Stay tuned.