From Red Envelopes to Red Notice: The Netflix Revolution

When Netflix launched as a scrappy startup in 1997, few would have predicted that 25 years later, the company would compete with long-established Hollywood film studios and networks in dominating original content and revolutionize the way that people watch shows by introducing the concept of "binge-watching." The then-radical format has transformed popular culture and become the de facto way that the new generation consumes content.

Gone are the days of weekly watercooler chats about that cliffhanger episode; now, people watch an entire season and flood Twitter and Reddit to discuss every single episode. If you don't immediately bingewatch that popular show the first weekend, you're SOL on avoiding spoilers. It wouldn't be hyperbole to state that Netflix has dramatically reshaped the entertainment industry as we know it.

While Netflix's first original show debuted in 2012 (the Stevie Van Zandt-starring Lilyhammer), its next original show in 2013, the highly pedigreed House of Cards, made everyone sit up and take notice. Then in 2016, Sessions first began working with Netflix for a nostalgic show from first-time creators called Stranger Things. The show exploded into a pop culture juggernaut. Since then, Sessions has worked on numerous Netflix originals including Hustle, #BlackAF, Purple Hearts, Day Shift, and the upcoming Me Time. We look back at our relationship with Netflix and these five pivotal titles that turned the tide for the streaming service.

If you hadn't heard of the Duffer Brothers (Matt and Ross) before Stranger Things, you weren't alone. The North Carolina-born twins took the entertainment industry by surprise with their confident, ambitious and sure-handed writing and directing skills. After being rejected by 12 networks, the Duffer Brothers landed a pitch with Netflix. Their pitch was so compelling that the brothers even teach a Masterclass based on it.

Drenched in nostalgia, the 80s-era Stranger Things featured shockingly talented newcomers alongside Winona Ryder, making a much-deserved comeback, and the underrated David Harbour. Now approaching its fifth and final season, Stranger Things has set numerous records and milestones for Netflix and remains critically adored with multiple Emmy nominations this year.

The Brothers are currently finishing writing the fifth season and we cannot wait to see how it all ends. 

While Netflix was churning out popular original show after popular original show, their original films were still a work in progress. But big budgets attracted big talent, and in 2019, Netflix landed the biggest talent of all: Martin Scorsese. Unencumbered by creative or financial restrictions, the $150mm+ budget was Scorsese's biggest of his storied career. Much of it was spent on digital de-aging of screen legends Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci. The critically-acclaimed epic topped numerous critics' year-end lists and received 10 Academy Award nominations. The Irishman also reinforced to filmmakers that Netflix was a great home for their vision - after all, if it's good enough for Scorsese, it's good enough for just about any director. 

Speaking of big budgets, Netflix went all out with its biggest budget original film to date, 2021's Red Notice. The $200mm budget was largely spent on the salaries for megastars Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds, as well as hit director Rawson Marshall Thurber (Central Intelligence). The action film quickly became Netflix's most watched original movie of all time and a sequel is in the works. 

The executives at Netflix surely have a crystal ball because their uncanny ability to predict trends makes every company jealous. Witnessing the increased popularity of K-Dramas, Netflix took a gamble and produced its first original Korean drama in 2019. Combining the crowd-pleasing zombie genre of a Walking Dead with the historical soap opera theatrics of a Game of Thrones, Kingdom felt both familiar and fresh. Netflix viewers weary of subtitles overcame the "one-inch-tall barrier" (as famously stated by Bong Joon-ho) to take in the lush epic co-starring Bae Doona, who also graced the streaming service's cult hit Sense8. The show became an immediate hit and ushered in a new era of international productions for Netflix, leading to another recent Korean production, Squid Game.

Crowned with the title of being Netflix's longest-running original series to date, surpassing Orange is the New Black by three episodes, Grace and Frankie was quietly groundbreaking for its gracious portrayal of senior citizens. Granted, those senior citizens were played by icons Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin (with supporting roles filled by Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston), but it's still rare to find content centering older protagonists that isn't played for cheap laughs. Tackling heavy themes like mortality, the loss of bodily autonomy, and confronting past trauma with a light touch, the funny, poignant show featured people who were flawed yet unafraid to pursue their best lives - something that we can all relate to, at any age.