Money Heist, Squid Game, among Netflix's 'most overrated' shows, study finds

Netflix global hits Money Heist, Squid Game and Stranger Things may have won millions of fans worldwide, but a new study suggests they are also among the streaming platform's most overrated original series, according to viewers.

The analysis by online puzzle platform Sudoku Bliss examined 185,114 IMDb user reviews across 250 of Netflix's most-rated original TV series, tracking how often reviewers described a show as "overrated".

The findings reveal that some of Netflix's biggest success stories also attract the highest levels of scepticism from audiences who believe the hype outweighs the quality.

Spanish crime drama Money Heist topped the list, with 4.81 per cent of its 3,884 IMDb reviews containing the word "overrated".

The series, which maintains a strong IMDb rating of 8.2, demonstrates that critical acclaim and audience popularity do not necessarily shield a show from criticism.

Close behind was South Korean survival thriller Squid Game, where 4.60 per cent of the 3,482 reviews analysed described it as overrated. The series, one of Netflix's biggest global phenomena, has amassed more than 767,000 IMDb ratings, making it the most widely rated title among the top three.

Indian crime thriller Sacred Games ranked third after 3.96 per cent of its reviews used the same description, despite boasting an impressive IMDb score of 8.5.

The study found a similar trend across other highly rated productions. Animated series Blue Eye Samurai, which holds an IMDb rating of 8.7, placed fourth with 3.11 per cent of reviews calling it overrated.

Orange Is the New Black completed the top five, followed by Egyptian horror series Paranormal in sixth place.

Despite being one of Netflix's flagship productions, Stranger Things also featured prominently on the list. Although it carries an IMDb rating of 8.6 and has attracted more than 1.7 million user ratings, 2.55 per cent of the written reviews analysed labelled it overrated.

Other titles completing the top 10 include Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, anthology series Black Mirror and Turkish drama Ethos.

According to Sudoku Bliss, the findings highlight the difference between widespread popularity and audience perception.

"Calling a show overrated does not necessarily mean people think it is bad," a Sudoku Bliss spokesperson said.

"Some of the programmes at the top of the ranking have excellent IMDb scores, but they have also attracted huge amounts of attention, which naturally creates bigger expectations."

The spokesperson added that blockbusters generated enormous public discussion, making them more likely to attract viewers who question whether they deserve the acclaim.