Overlooked Prime Video Thriller Becomes Fall 2025’s Biggest Surprise Netflix Hit

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The biggest surprise streaming hit on Netflix this Fall is not even a Netflix original series.

This fall, Netflix released a lot of popular new shows and movies. Some of the biggest hits included the series As You Stood By, The Asset, Last Samurai Standing, Sean Combs: The Reckoning, and the fifth season of Stranger Things.

Popular shows and movies often go viral on Netflix, but these are usually created or distributed by Netflix itself for its subscribers – which is typical for the platform. While licensed content like The West Wing may be available for a time, it’s often replaced by Netflix’s biggest hits and newest releases.

But this show is different. Despite being cancelled after three seasons by Prime Video, it’s become a huge hit on Netflix. Since its release in mid-November, it’s stayed in the top 10 worldwide for weeks, becoming the biggest streaming surprise of Fall 2025.

Prime Video’s Absentia Is Netflix’s Biggest Surprise Hit This Fall

As Fall 2025 winds down, the 30-episode crime thriller Absentia on Prime Video has become Netflix’s unexpected breakout hit. Since debuting on November 14th, the series has consistently remained among the top 10 most-watched shows on the platform, according to data from FlixPatrol.

When FBI agent Emily Byrne is presumed dead and missing, she unexpectedly reappears, only to find herself accused of a series of murders. She must now fight to prove her innocence and reconnect with her family while uncovering the truth behind her disappearance and the crimes she’s suspected of.

A Prime Video show that many people missed initially has become surprisingly popular on Netflix, cracking the global Top 5 in late November. As of today, it’s still in the worldwide Top 10 – a great result for a show that isn’t originally from Netflix and first came out in 2017.

Will Absentia Season 4 Happen On Netflix After Viral Viewership?

Elena Nenkova / ©Amazon / Courtesy Everett Collection

Despite a positive audience reception on Rotten Tomatoes (with a score of 74%), the series Absentia ended after three seasons on Amazon Prime Video, leading many to believe it could have continued for longer with a stronger fanbase.

Despite its popularity, the creators of the show, Matthew Cirulnick and Gaia Violo, decided to conclude the series in 2020, crafting a satisfying ending at their own pace.

Five years after its initial release, Absentia is gaining a lot of attention on Netflix, leading to discussions about a possible fourth season or a new spin-off show.

Although Netflix hasn’t confirmed anything, the success of a recent surprise hit has likely caught their attention. If a previously released show on another platform continues to be popular on Netflix throughout December, it could open up new possibilities for the company.

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2025-12-11 01:18