The most popular Netflix show in the first half of 2023 is not Wednesday as many anticipated. Netflix has released the streamer’s first-ever viewership report, showing how many hours their shows were watched from January to June 2023. The shows are ranked according to the hours viewers invested in watching them and The Night Agent is at No. 1 with 812.1 million hours of views. Created by Shawn Ryan, the show premiered early in 2023 to rave reviews.
The American action political thriller relegated popular fan-favorite shows like Wednesday and Queen Charlotte to the back seat. Aside from the most popular Netflix show of 2023, completing the top three on the hot list are Ginny & Georgia Season 2 at No. 2 with 665.1 million hours and The Glory Season 1 at No. 3 with 622.8 million hours. Wednesday is at No. 4 with 507.7 million hours while Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story takes No. 5 with 503 million hours. The Night Agent is not just the most popular Netflix show but topped the list with an impressive margin. Let’s learn more about the show.
What Is the Night Agent About?
Based on Matthew Quirk‘s novel of the same name, The Night Agent revolves around a low-ranking FBI Agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) who works in the basement of the White House. Manning a phone that never rings seems to be the most boring job for Sutherland until the fateful night the phone rings, propelling him to some thrilling action he never envisioned in his position. As a result, Sutherland is roped into a conspiracy about a mole with every finger pointing toward the Oval Office. He must find the traitor to save the nation while protecting former tech CEO Rose Larkin (Luciane Buchanan) from assassins.
Created by Shawn Ryan, The Night Agent became an instant hit upon its premiere on Netflix on March 23, 2023. However, it didn’t stumble on the success as the show has gone through different stages to get to the top. The Night Agent debuted as the third-most-viewed series on Netflix within the first four days on the platform. In addition to the thrilling plot, the talented cast influences the show’s success.
Who Stars In the Night Agent?
Leading the talented cast of The Night Agent is Gabriel Basso who plays the low-level FBI agent and White House phone operator – Peter Sutherland. New Zealand actress Luciane Buchanan plays Rose Larkin, a tech entrepreneur. Basso and Buchanan were the first to make the cast list on November 22, 2021. Hong Chau portrays the president’s chief-of-staff, Diane Farr. Other stars who make up the main cast are Fola Evans-Akingbola as Chelsea Arrington, Sarah Desjardins as Maddie Redfield, Eve Harlow as Ellen, Phoenix Raei as Dale, Enrique Murciano as Ben Almora, D. B. Woodside as Erik Monks, and Amanda Warren as Catherine Weaver.
Warren was tapped to join other cast members for a regular role on December 8, 2023, and is expected to appear in season 2. Supporting the regulars are recurring stars made up of Andre Anthony as Colin. He also portrays Colin’s identical twin brother Matteo. Other recurring cast members are Christopher Shyer as Vice President Redfield, Toby Levins as Briggs, Ben Cotton as Wick, and Kari Matchett as President Travers.
Are We Getting Season 2 of the Night Agent?
With over 812 million viewing hours on Netflix, has shown great potential on the small screen. The Night Agent was released on Netflix on March 23, 2023, to a thrilled audience. The show received massive love from viewers and critics, leading to high expectations for a second run. As such, Netflix renewed the series for a second season on March 29, 2023. However, The Night Agent season 2 has no release date yet and lots of details about the show are still under wraps. The only certainty is that a second season is in the pipeline.
What to Expect in Season 2?
With The Night Agent green-lit for a second season, fans wonder what the plot will be about and if it will be based on another book by Quirk. Although no concrete details have been confirmed, showrunner Shawn Ryan has hinted that The Night Agent season 2 will focus on new characters, locations, and a fresh storyline. Nevertheless, some of the old stars will return but in smaller roles. While season 1 characters like Peter Sutherland, Rose Larkin, and Chelsea Arrington are likely to make a comeback, Hong Chau’s character Diane Farr is not expected to return. Farr’s storyline reached a natural end in the first season. Additionally, taking the No. 1 spot as the most popular Netflix show in the first half of 2023 makes the anticipation more exciting.
Follow Us
