The Problem with Netflix's 'Top 10' List

Netflix publishes a "Top 10" list every week. It's based on total hours watched. And it's one of the most misleading guides to quality entertainment on the internet.

Hours Watched ≠ Quality

Netflix's metric is engagement, not satisfaction. A terrible 8-episode series that everyone hate-watches generates more "hours" than a brilliant 90-minute movie that everyone loves.

The result? The Top 10 is dominated by whatever's new, whatever's controversial, and whatever has the most marketing budget — not what's actually best.

The Auto-Play Effect

Netflix auto-plays the next episode. If you fall asleep watching a mediocre series, those hours still count. If you start something out of curiosity and quit after 20 minutes, those 20 minutes still count.

The Top 10 measures time spent, not enjoyment. There's a massive difference.

What Quality Looks Like

A movie that 90% of viewers would rate 8/10 is objectively better content than a show that 50% would rate 5/10 but watched for 8 episodes out of boredom.

GoodScore measures quality by combining what critics and audiences actually think about a piece of content — across four independent rating platforms. No auto-play inflation. No marketing budget bias.

Next time Netflix shows you the Top 10, remember: it's a popularity contest, not a quality ranking. For quality, you need GoodScore.