Entertainment: A New Netflix Movie “So Bad It Hurts” Is Having a 'Bad Influence' on the Streaming Chart
- InsightTrendsWorld
- a few seconds ago
- 10 min read
Why it is the topic trending:
"So Bad It's Good" Phenomenon: The film's popularity despite overwhelmingly negative reviews highlights the "so bad it's good" phenomenon in entertainment consumption.
Netflix Chart Topping: The fact that this poorly reviewed movie is topping Netflix's global charts and ranking high in the US is surprising and newsworthy.
Wattpad Origins: The movie's connection to a popular online storytelling platform raises questions about the relationship between online popularity and mainstream media success.
Criticism of Netflix Content Strategy: The article directly questions Netflix's approach to producing content based on online trends.
Broader Discussion on Entertainment Quality: The reviews and commentary touch upon the perceived "TikTokification of cinema" and the overall quality of some streaming content.
Overview:
The article discusses the surprising popularity of the new Netflix movie "Bad Influence," which is currently topping Netflix's global streaming charts and ranking high in the US despite receiving scathing reviews from both critics and audiences. The film, based on a highly popular Wattpad novel, is being cited as an example of content that resonates with viewers despite its perceived poor quality, raising questions about the relationship between online popularity and mainstream media success, as well as Netflix's content strategy.
Detailed Findings:
"Bad Influence" is topping the global Netflix chart and is number 3 on the U.S. chart.
The movie is described as being "exactly as bad as it sounds," with a plot about an ex-con hired to protect a wealthy heiress.
"Bad Influence" originated as a Wattpad novel written by an anonymous teen author and has been read over 50 million times online.
The movie has received overwhelmingly negative reviews, with critics calling it "scathing," "brutal," and a "strange misfire."
Audience reviews are even harsher, with comments like "so bad that it hurts" and "the worst movie I've ever seen."
One critic referred to the phenomenon as the "TikTokification of cinema," suggesting a decline in entertainment quality.
The article questions why Netflix continues to produce content based on popular Wattpad novels if the quality is often poor.
The popularity of "Bad Influence" suggests that viewers are still watching this type of content despite negative reviews.
Key Takeaway:
The unexpected popularity of "Bad Influence" on Netflix, in spite of its overwhelmingly negative reception, highlights a disconnect between critical assessment and audience consumption habits, suggesting the enduring appeal of certain types of narratives or the power of pre-existing online popularity in driving viewership, even for content deemed to be of low quality.
Main Trend:
Trend Name: The Chart-Topping Paradox of Poorly Reviewed Content
Description of the trend:
The Chart-Topping Paradox of Poorly Reviewed Content describes the increasing phenomenon where movies and television shows garner significant popularity and reach the top of streaming charts despite receiving overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics and often from audiences as well. This trend challenges traditional metrics of success and suggests that factors beyond conventional quality assessment are driving viewership and chart performance in the streaming era.
What is consumer motivation (detailed description):
Curiosity and "Rubbernecking" Effect: The very fact that a show or movie is receiving terrible reviews can sometimes pique curiosity, leading people to watch it simply to see how bad it is. This is similar to the "rubbernecking" effect.
Pre-existing Fanbase: In the case of "Bad Influence," the massive readership of the Wattpad novel likely translated into initial viewership on Netflix, regardless of the quality of the adaptation.
Easy Entertainment and Escapism: Some viewers might be looking for undemanding entertainment that doesn't require much thought or critical engagement, and even poorly made content can fulfill this need for some.
"So Bad It's Good" Appeal: As mentioned earlier, some content is enjoyed precisely because of its flaws, offering a source of unintentional humor and entertainment.
Trending and Social Media Influence: If a show or movie is widely discussed online, even negatively, it can drive viewership as people want to be part of the conversation.
What is driving trend (detailed description):
Algorithm-Driven Visibility: Streaming platforms' algorithms prioritize viewership and engagement, so even content with negative reviews can be heavily promoted if it's being watched by a significant number of people.
Focus on Quantity Over Quality by Platforms: The pressure to constantly release new content to keep subscribers engaged might lead to platforms prioritizing quantity over the critical quality of some productions.
Accessibility and Low Barrier to Entry: For subscribers who are already paying for a streaming service, there's a low barrier to entry for trying out even poorly reviewed content.
Power of Online Communities: Platforms like Wattpad can cultivate massive online communities that will support adaptations of their favorite stories, irrespective of critical reception.
Changing Definition of "Quality" Entertainment: What constitutes "good" entertainment can be subjective and vary greatly between critics and general audiences, with some viewers prioritizing different aspects like escapism or melodrama over traditional filmmaking quality.
What is motivation beyond the trend (detailed description):
Guilty Pleasures: Some viewers might secretly enjoy content that is widely considered bad but provides them with personal amusement or satisfaction.
Social Bonding Through Shared Disdain: Watching a terrible movie with friends and collectively making fun of it can be a social bonding experience.
Description of consumers article is referring to:
Age: The Wattpad readership is mentioned as being primarily teens, suggesting that a significant portion of the initial viewership for "Bad Influence" likely falls into the teen and young adult demographic. However, its position on the global and US charts indicates broader appeal.
Gender: Not specified in the article.
Income: Not specified, but access to a Netflix subscription is necessary.
Lifestyle: Includes individuals who are active on online storytelling platforms like Wattpad, subscribers to Netflix seeking new content, and those who might enjoy melodramatic or escapist entertainment regardless of critical acclaim.
Conclusions:
The popularity of "Bad Influence" exemplifies the growing trend where content can achieve significant viewership on streaming platforms despite overwhelmingly negative reviews, driven by a complex mix of curiosity, pre-existing online fandoms, algorithmic promotion, and the subjective nature of entertainment preferences.
Implications for brands:
Consider Untraditional Content Sources: Brands might look to popular online platforms like Wattpad for potential content tie-ins, even if the critical reception is uncertain.
Focus on Engagement Metrics: In the streaming age, viewership numbers and engagement might be more important than critical acclaim for certain marketing purposes.
Implication for society:
Potential Impact on Content Quality: If poorly reviewed content continues to dominate charts, it could signal a shift in what types of projects get greenlit.
Changing Role of Critics: The disconnect between reviews and popularity might question the influence of traditional critics on mainstream audiences in the streaming era.
Implications for consumers:
Vast Amount of Content to Choose From: Streaming offers a plethora of options, allowing viewers to decide for themselves what they enjoy, regardless of reviews.
Potential for More Content Tailored to Specific Online Communities.
Implication for Future:
Continued Stream of Content from Online Platforms: Expect to see more adaptations of popular online novels and stories on streaming services.
Evolution of Success Metrics for Entertainment: Streaming numbers might become increasingly important compared to traditional box office or critical scores.
Consumer Trend (name, detailed description):
Trend Name: The Triumph of Engagement Over Acclaim
Detailed Description: This trend highlights a scenario where high levels of viewership and engagement on streaming platforms can outweigh negative critical reception in determining the perceived success and continued production of certain types of content.
Consumer Sub Trend (name, detailed description):
Sub Trend Name: Wattpad to Screen Pipeline
Detailed Description: The increasing adaptation of popular stories from online platforms like Wattpad into movies and TV shows for streaming services indicates a growing pipeline of content sourced directly from online fan communities.
Big Social Trend (name, detailed description):
Trend Name: The Democratization of Content Consumption and Validation
Detailed Description: Streaming platforms have empowered audiences to decide what content is "successful" based on their viewing habits, potentially diminishing the traditional influence of critics and established media gatekeepers.
Worldwide Social Trend (name, detailed description):
Trend Name: Global Appetite for Escapist Entertainment
Detailed Description: Across the globe, there is a significant demand for entertainment that provides escapism and satisfies certain genre preferences, and sometimes traditional quality standards take a backseat to this desire.
Social Drive (name, detailed description):
Drive Name: Seeking Low-Stakes Entertainment and Community Connection
Detailed Description: Some viewers are primarily looking for easy-to-watch entertainment, and the popularity of adaptations from online platforms can also be driven by the desire to connect with the online community surrounding those stories.
Learnings for brands to use in 2025 (bullets, detailed description):
Popularity on online platforms can translate to streaming viewership, even with negative reviews.
Engagement metrics are crucial in the streaming landscape.
Don't underestimate the power of dedicated online fanbases.
Strategy Recommendations for brands to follow in 2025 (bullets, detail description):
Explore partnerships with popular online storytelling platforms for potential content adaptation opportunities.
Focus on driving initial viewership and engagement on streaming releases, even if critical acclaim is uncertain.
Consider the potential for "so bad it's good" marketing if a project receives negative reviews but attracts an audience.
Final sentence (key concept) describing main trend from article:
The surprising chart dominance of the poorly reviewed Netflix movie "Bad Influence" illustrates The Chart-Topping Paradox of Poorly Reviewed Content in the streaming era.
What brands & companies should do in 2025 to benefit from trend and how to do it:
In 2025, brands and companies in the entertainment industry should acknowledge the Chart-Topping Paradox of Poorly Reviewed Content trend by:
For streaming platforms, considering content based on its potential for high engagement and viewership, even if traditional quality metrics are questionable, as this can still drive subscriber numbers and retention, as demonstrated by the popularity of "Bad Influence."
For production companies, exploring opportunities to adapt content with large online fanbases, such as popular Wattpad novels, recognizing that this pre-existing audience can provide a significant initial viewership boost on streaming services, regardless of critical reception.
For marketing teams, being prepared to adapt their strategies based on the type of content and its reception, understanding that for some projects, focusing on the established online fanbase and generating social media buzz might be more effective than pursuing traditional critical acclaim.
Final Note:
Core Trend: The Chart-Topping Paradox of Poorly Reviewed Content
Detailed Description: Movies and shows can become highly popular on streaming despite negative reviews, driven by engagement and pre-existing fanbases.
Core Strategy: Prioritize Engagement and Online Popularity
Detailed Description: Streaming platforms and content creators should consider the potential for high viewership based on online buzz and fan communities.
Core Industry Trend: Shifting Metrics of Success in Streaming
Detailed Description: Streaming success is increasingly measured by viewership and engagement rather than solely by critical acclaim.
Core Consumer Motivation: Seeking Easy Entertainment and Community Connection
Detailed Description: Viewers are sometimes motivated by the desire for undemanding entertainment and to connect with online communities surrounding certain content.
Final Conclusion: The case of "Bad Influence" underscores the evolving dynamics of content consumption in the streaming age, where popularity and chart performance can be decoupled from traditional measures of quality, highlighting the need for the industry to understand and adapt to these new metrics of success. <ctrl95>Core Trend Detailed (name): description, Key Characteristics of the Trend (summary), Market and Cultural Signals Supporting the Trend (summary), How the Trend Is Changing Consumer Behavior (summary), Implications Across the Ecosystem (For Brands and CPGs, For Retailers, For Consumers, summary)), Strategic Forecast, Final Thought
Core Trend Detailed (The Chart-Topping Paradox of Poorly Reviewed Content)
Description: The Chart-Topping Paradox of Poorly Reviewed Content describes the increasingly common occurrence where movies and television shows achieve significant popularity and reach the top rankings on streaming platforms despite receiving overwhelmingly negative reviews from professional critics and often lukewarm or even scathing reactions from general audiences. This trend challenges the traditional correlation between critical acclaim and commercial success, suggesting that factors such as pre-existing online popularity, algorithmic visibility, and the specific entertainment preferences of certain viewer segments can drive content to the top of streaming charts, even when it is widely considered to be of low quality by conventional standards.
Key Characteristics of the Trend (summary):
High Viewership Despite Negative Reviews: Content becomes popular on streaming platforms regardless of critical or audience scores.
Reliance on Online Popularity: Often fueled by pre-existing fanbases from online platforms like Wattpad or social media trends.
Algorithmic Amplification: Streaming platform algorithms can boost the visibility of poorly reviewed but highly watched content.
"So Bad It's Good" Appeal: Some viewers are drawn to content precisely because of its perceived flaws, finding entertainment in its unintentional humor or melodrama.
Disconnect Between Critical and Popular Taste: Highlights a divergence between the preferences of professional critics and a segment of the general audience.
Market and Cultural Signals Supporting the Trend (summary):
"Bad Influence" Example: The Netflix movie topping charts globally despite brutal reviews.
Wattpad Adaptations: Popularity of adaptations from online platforms with large existing readerships, even if critically panned.
TikTok Influence: Rise of content driven by viral trends and short-form video popularity, sometimes prioritizing engagement over traditional quality.
Focus on Engagement Metrics by Platforms: Streaming services prioritize viewership and completion rates over critical acclaim in their promotion strategies.
Subjectivity of Entertainment: Demonstrates that "quality" is a subjective measure and different audiences have varying entertainment thresholds and preferences.
How the Trend Is Changing Consumer Behavior (summary):
Trusting Personal Taste Over Critics: Viewers may be less reliant on professional reviews when deciding what to watch on streaming services.
Exploring Content Based on Online Buzz: Popularity on platforms like TikTok or Reddit can drive viewership, regardless of reviews.
Embracing "Guilty Pleasures": Viewers are more openly consuming and even enjoying content that is widely considered to be of poor quality.
Contributing to the "So Bad It's Good" Phenomenon: Actively seeking out or engaging with content for its unintentional comedic value.
Influencing Content Demand: High viewership of certain types of poorly reviewed content may signal to streaming platforms what kind of projects to greenlight in the future.
Implications Across the Ecosystem (summary):
For Brands and CPGs: Opportunities to partner with popular, even if poorly reviewed, content that has high viewership, potentially reaching large and engaged audiences.
For Retailers: Merchandise or products related to trending streaming content might see sales boosts, regardless of critical reception.
For Consumers: Access to a wide range of content, catering to diverse tastes, but potentially leading to a saturation of lower-quality productions if viewership consistently prioritizes engagement over traditional quality.
Strategic Forecast: The Chart-Topping Paradox of Poorly Reviewed Content is likely to persist and possibly become even more pronounced in the streaming landscape. As platforms continue to prioritize subscriber engagement and algorithm-driven content promotion, and as online communities wield increasing influence over viewing habits, we can expect to see more content that resonates with large audiences despite lacking critical acclaim. This trend may also lead to a further blurring of lines between traditionally defined "good" and "bad" entertainment, as viewership becomes a primary metric of success for many streaming services.
Final Thought: The phenomenon of poorly reviewed content dominating streaming charts underscores the evolving nature of entertainment consumption in the digital age. It highlights the power of online communities, the influence of platform algorithms, and the diverse and often unpredictable tastes of modern audiences, suggesting a potential shift in how "success" is defined in the streaming era, where engagement can sometimes triumph over traditional measures of quality.
