20 HBO and Max Shows That Warner Bros. Discovery Should License to Netflix | Chart

In an unexpected turn in the streaming sector, Warner Bros. Discovery is reportedly discussing the possibility of licensing some of its original HBO content to competitor Netflix. The strategy diverges from the industry’s recent streaming strategy of hoarding content for their own direct-to-consumer services.

It’s not the first time HBO has explored syndication, with “Curb Your Enthusiasm” airing on TV Guide Network and “Entourage” on Spike. And from 2014 to 2018, HBO licensed shows to Amazon’s Prime Video. Still, it’s been years since an HBO original was available on a service not owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.

The roster of HBO shows potentially heading to Netflix remains undisclosed, but according to recent reports, it includes high-profile titles such as “Insecure.” Until an actual deal is struck, we can only speculate on the HBO shows that align well with Netflix’s content catalog. Data from Parrot Analytics — which takes into account consumer research, streaming, downloads and social media, among other engagement — provides insights into audience overlap between different shows.

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The chart below displays the HBO and Max shows with the most significant audience overlap with Netflix originals, expressed as a shared audience percentage. It reveals that “Tenacious D,” despite concluding in 2000 and not being a blockbuster hit, shares a substantial portion of its viewers with lighthearted Netflix fare such as “Somebody Feed Phil” and “W/ Bob & David.”

The roster of shows with high Netflix affinity also includes recent productions. For instance, Max animated series “Adventure Time: Distant Lands” shares a viewer base with Netflix animated series like “Arcane” and “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.” “Watchmen” parallels Netflix’s superhero titles and dark dramas in terms of audience.

Eight of the top 20 shows with the highest affinity to Netflix are dramas, led by HBO’s massive hit “Game of Thrones” — an unlikely candidate for licensing. The next, though, is “Young Justice,” an animated superhero series that aired its latest season on Max. Warner Bros. Discovery already licenses some DC shows to Netflix, making it a logical candidate.

Comedy is another genre strongly represented among the shows sharing a high affinity with Netflix titles, with six titles. Shows such as “Bored to Death,” “Vice Principals” and “Crashing: US” align well with Netflix’s extensive comedy collection. Finally, two documentaries, “Q: Into the Storm” and “George Carlin’s American Dream,” make the list. These shows would find similar audiences on Netflix, since it’s the most popular outlet for documentary content in the U.S. market.

Daniel Quinaud is a senior data analyst at Parrot Analytics, a WrapPRO partner. For more from Parrot Analytics, visit the Data and Analysis Hub.

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