In 2016, Netflix looked a lot different from what it looks like today. House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black dominated the conversation, while new shows like Sense8 and Bojack Horseman were gaining steam. At that point, Netflix was still a new player in the Wild West of streaming, and anything seemed possible. At the time, the notion of Netflix was still partly connected to waiting for DVDs in the mail in a little red envelope.
And, there was one thing missing from its original streaming offerings: A show with a big concept, which could, in theory, attract tweens or teens who love horror and sci-fi. Because Netflix was exempt from the Standards and Practices rules of broadcast TV, it had an advantage with adult-focused programming, but those projects don’t leave a lasting legacy like a show that grows up with its audience. Before 2016, it wasn’t building a new audience of younger viewers. After July of 2016, that changed.
