(Credit: Netflix)

In an age of endless new content, it is easy to assume that Netflix viewers are only chasing the latest trending shows. With new things to watch in each genre releasing every day, viewers have can always bank on something to look forward to. However, the platform’s latest engagement report for the first half of 2025 tells a very different story.

While shiny new titles are still dominating headlines and homepages, a massive portion of viewership is quietly and consistently returning to older shows. And not just any old shows. We are talking about the true OGs of Netflix, the shows that helped define streaming itself.

The streamer recently released its official viewing data for January through June 2025, capturing nearly 99% of all watch time during that period. And while the numbers for newer titles like Adolescence, Zero Day, and The Life List were predictably high, one section of the report stood out, which indicated that nearly half of the viewership for Netflix Originals came from titles that debuted in 2023 or earlier.

That is not a small figure. It is a reminder that even in 2025, with its aggressive release schedule and constant content churn, people are still discovering, or rediscovering, the hits that built the platform.

Take Orange Is the New Black, for instance. The prison dramedy wrapped in 2019, but in the first half of 2025 alone, it pulled over 100million hours of watch time. That is not a one-time spike or nostalgia weekend binge. That is significant sustained engagement, years after the final episode aired. It is clear that audiences are still meeting Piper, Red, Taystee, and ‘Crazy Eyes’ for the first time, or going back for a second sentence.

Another heavy-hitter is Ozark. Jason Bateman and Laura Linney’s slow-burning crime drama last aired in 2022, but like Orange Is the New Black, it also logged over 100m hours in just six months. The series has become one of those Netflix staples that viewers recommend, rewatch, and reflect on long after the finale. It has a dark tone and comprises careful storytelling, which makes viewers hit play repeatedly. Another factor is that constant moral unravelling still resonates, especially with new fans who never caught it the first time around.

And of course, there’s Money Heist. The Spanish-language thriller that took the world by storm in the late 2010s continues to pull serious numbers. In the first half of this year alone, it surpassed 100m hours watched, despite having no new season or spinoff released in 2025. It is the kind of global hit that refuses to fade—a reminder that a good heist story never really goes out of style.

It is not just the shows, either. Netflix’s report also highlights older original films that are still finding viewers years after their debut. Red Notice, released in 2021, brought in over 20m views in early 2025. 2020’s We Can Be Heroes and 2023’s Leo did the same. These are titles that audiences are not only rewatching but also discovering anew, sometimes without any marketing push behind them.

So why are people still watching old Netflix Originals?

Part of the answer lies in how the platform works. The interface is designed to surface titles based on viewer preferences, moods, and watch history, and not just new releases. If you enjoyed The Diplomat, you might suddenly be recommended House of Cards. If you binge a newer thriller, you could find Ozark sitting neatly in the “Because you watched…” row.

There is also the power of word-of-mouth. Some of these older shows have become comfort watches or cultural checkpoints. People who missed them during their original run now hear about them through friends, social media clips and reels, or “top shows you missed” lists online. A casual mention of Money Heist or Orange Is the New Black still lights up conversations even in 2025.

And finally, there is the simple fact that good storytelling sticks. These OG Netflix titles were not just popular; they were foundational. They helped define binge-watching, shifting the idea of prestige TV into a digital-first format. So when viewers are faced with a dizzying wall of thumbnails, going back to something proven feels less like a retreat and more like a reliable choice.

The data backs it all up. This is not just about nostalgia. It is about reach, accessibility, and the never-ending relevance. Netflix Originals from five or ten years ago are still holding their own against this year’s biggest releases, and, in some cases, outperforming them.

In a landscape where new content can feel disposable by the end of the week, these older titles are quietly and consistently doing the work. They are proving that discovery does not always mean brand new. Sometimes, it just means finally hitting play on the show that has been sitting in your queue for years.