Is Netflix’s Subscriber Jolt a One-Hit Wonder?

The stars aligned for Netflix in its latest quarter, but making sequels to this hit will be a challenge.

The streaming giant said Wednesday that it added about 8.8 million net new paid subscribers during the third quarter. That is the highest number added in a single quarter since early 2020, when interest in TV streaming exploded during the pandemic lockdowns. It was also 45% higher than what Wall Street had expected for subscriber additions. The company said it expects a similar jump in the fourth quarter, which would come in ahead of the 7.7 million that analysts had been predicting.