If you’re anything like us, the last several weeks have been tinged with political intrigue, Robin Wright, and a massive helping of Freddy’s BBQ as Netflix’s “House of Cards” laid out its first season. Of course, the Kevin Spacey-led series snagged a boatload of publicity upon release, but whether that would turn into viewers proved another question entirely, and luckily the initial outlook is positive.
The good news come via investment firm Cowen and Co., who last week conducted a survey stating that 86% of Netflix subscribers are less likely to cut ties with the streaming service after seeing “House of Cards.” Additionally, 36% percent called the series “exceptional,” while 43% deemed it “good.” Moreover, 1 in every 10 users have watched an episode.
While an enormous response for a gamble viewed with hesitance, keep in mind that the sample size is also tremendously small: Of the 1,229 U.S. consumers surveyed over two days in February, only 346 confirmed themselves as Netflix subscribers. 226 others did classify themselves as non-subscribers with access to the service, but still, suddenly the positive reaction whittles down to little more than a movie theatre worth of viewers. And don't expect the content provider to drop any official numbers, as they've declared they have "no motivation" to do so, because their delivery method varies wildly from traditional TV.
However, rather than downplay the sample size’s comparatively small pool, the survey promises more original programming from Netflix if at all representative of the whole subscriber base. More so, the study should worry TV providers particularly, as 22.6% of Netflix subscribers said they’ve severed ties with their cable or satellite entirely to make room.
The $7.99/month price tag still remains a severe point of contention for most though (67.5%), so as long as Netflix keeps its quality of programming up while keeping its prices steady, all signs point to go for the future. As for “House of Cards,” its showrunner and head writer Beau Willimon tweeted that he’s writing seaons two now, with a planned start date for filming in mid-spring (though executive producer David Fincher may not be back to direct).
But having watched the series, is $7.99/month for Netflix worth it for you? Does the promise of more original programming like "Arrested Development" and Eli Roth's "Hemlock Grove" encourage you to stayed signed up? Let us know below. [Deadline]