Netflix study reveals customers’ habits

Wake up to comedies, doze off to true stories

Are you binge- watching before you have your morning coffee? Do you like to squeeze in an episode on your lunch break? Or are you more interested in something just before bed? No matter when you watch, you’re not alone.

New global Netflix data released exclusively to USA TODAY show that users prefer certain genres of television at different times of the day. Viewers are more likely, for instance, to watch comedy in the morning, and are more likely to watch documentaries between midnight and 6 a. m. than at other times. The habits change around the world — in Spain and Portugal, for example, horror viewing is up between 2 p. m. and 4 p. m., but in the U. S., the genre peaks around 9 p. m.

“For years our lives had to fit around television; now it’s the other way around,” said Cindy Holland, vice president of Original Content, said in a statement. “We’ve given consumers control, and it’s interesting to see the behaviors that emerge when viewers aren’t tied to a schedule; and even more so to see that these routines are replicated by millions the world over.”

Here’s what genres ( and when) Netflix viewers are binge- watching during their days. LAUGHTER IS ( ALMOST) AS GOOD AS COFFEE If you like easy, funny viewing as a side to your cereal, you’re not alone. At 6 a. m., viewers are 34% more likely to watch comedies such as Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt or Fuller House than during the rest of the day. SAVE THE DRAMA FOR THE LUNCH HOUR Though you might expect viewership of dramas Orange Is the New Black or Grey’s Anatomy to peak at night, they in fact do well midday. Globally, drama makes up 47% of viewing between noon and 2 p. m., an increase of 5% compared with the rest of the day. EVENINGS ARE FOR THRILLS AND GIGGLES Thrillers such as The Walking Dead and Stranger Things see a viewing increase of 27% around 9 p. m. globally. But closer to bedtime, viewers are more frequently into comedic shows such as Parks and Recreation and Master of None. AFTER MIDNIGHT, TRUE STORIES REIGN The hours between midnight and 6 a. m., when there’s less competition from live TV, account for 15% of Netflix streaming, and the favorites are a little more intellectual than you may have guessed. Documentaries are up 24% during these hours.

NETFLIX Orange Is the New Black