New Netflix thriller The Watcher has stormed to the number one spot on the streamer’s Top 10 list. The show, co-created by Ryan Murphy, has dethroned Murphy’s other true crime series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer series, which has been breaking records for Netflix.
The Watcher follows the Broaddus family who spend all of their savings moving into their dream home in the New Jersey suburbs. However, things start to go wrong when they’re plagued by ominous letters from someone calling themselves "the Watcher". Things get even worse when their neighbors start acting strangely and creepy happenings begin inside their new house.
The show is currently top in 89 countries around the world, including the UK and the US, and it achieved this all amid some very mixed reviews from critics and viewers alike. The Watcher has a 38 per cent critics score and 43 per cent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes
"You're better off just reading the long-form article about the real story," writes one Rotten Tomatoes audience reviewer. "This is truly unwatchable." Another agreed, adding: "It was a real waste of time. Plodding, nonsensical, and poorly acted it's just bad."
"The Watcher is ridiculously scattered and plays out more like a dark comedy than anything else," says another reviewer. "A significant tonal deviation from the Netflix series' chilling source material."
Some viewers enjoyed it, however, praising how it built tension over its seven episodes. "This tv show drives you crazy," writes one. "I couldn't stop watching, wanting to know the outcome." A second viewer says: "Ryan Murphy knows how to make good TV."
Dahmer has had mixed responses from viewers as well, despite landing a spot in Netflix's list of most-streamed shows of all time. The series is based on the real-life murders of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, focusing on telling the victims' stories.
For what else to stream right now, check out our guides to the best Netflix shows and best Netflix movies.
