Published Feb 10, 2026, 3:15 PM EST
Greg is a Lead TV Writer & Critic at Screen Rant who also covers Movies and Music. He's published over 2500 articles at SR, including weekly binge guides and dozens of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. He previously worked in Development at ABC Television & Lawrence Bender Productions.
Greg majored in Film Production at Chapman University's Dodge College. Greg also has years of broadcast TV production experience at major networks such as NBC, TNT, and ESPN. He currently lives in Greater Boston.
A new 6-part spy thriller series on Netflix has surprisingly surged to achieve the streamer's #1 worldwide spot, cementing its must-binge status. This unlikely achievement required surpassing two of Netflix's strongest streaming franchises, Bridgerton and The Lincoln Lawyer.
Netflix releases a fair number of new binge-worthy series per week, and every so often, one of them becomes a viral worldwide phenomenon. Previous series that have become massive hits include The Asset, The Beast in Me, and His & Hers. Today, Netflix can add a new trending series to that category.
Unfamiliar Is Now A Surprise #1 Worldwide Hit On Netflix
Unfamiliar has made a statement this week by claiming Netflix's #1 worldwide viewership spot, surpassing dozens of new February 2026 releases. Released just days ago on Thursday, February 5, this 6-part action crime thriller series is firmly establishing what type of quick-binge series Netflix viewers are currently gravitating towards.
Unfamiliar is also trending in several countries across the globe, including Brazil and several nations in South and Latin America. The German series ranks #4 in the U.S. after peaking at #3 on Monday. Unfamiliar was certainly designed to be an international streaming hit, but hitting Netflix's #1 worldwide spot was never a guarantee. Now, the question is how long the spy thriller can hold onto its top-tier rank.
Unfamiliar features many elements of a dark and tension-filled spy thriller series. Firstly, at just six episodes, it's easy to binge in just one night or over the course of a weekend. What's more, the story has a naturally compelling premise: two ex-spies, Meret and Simon, who become married partners, host a safe house for secret agents in Berlin. When they receive a suspicious operative, they begin to realize their modern family life, including their daughter, could be in danger.
Unfamiliar's Streaming Success Proves It's Worth A Binge Tonight
NetflixUnfamiliar has been tested by Netflix's global audience during its first weekend on the platform and has emerged as a clear winner. Considering that it was one of several new Netflix series perfect for a one-night weekend binge late last week, which also included shows like Cash Queens and Salvador, Unfamiliar had no initial advantage to benefit from. During a weekend of stiff competition on Netflix, Unfamiliar won audiences over through sheer intrigue, quality, and execution.
With spy thriller series becoming a dime-a-dozen nowadays across all streaming platforms, Unfamiliar's international success only reinforces that the niche genre should continue to gain strong viewership throughout the rest of 2026 and into 2027. This is a great sign for upcoming spy thriller releases like Slow Horses season 6, The Day of the Jackal season 2, The Agency season 2, and Netflix's own Black Doves season 2, which is expected to be released later this year.
If you've been on the fence about Unfamiliar or are just hearing about it now, you can now be assured that it's worth your time this week, as it continues to surge on Netflix's global trending charts.
founded January 16, 2007
founders Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph
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