A pair of Australian television series are making waves on international streaming services, garnering impressive viewership ratings abroad.
Both “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart” and “Fisk” have captivated audiences around the world, securing top positions as the most-watched programs on their respective streaming platforms.
“Fisk,” a legal comedy featuring the comedic prowess of Kitty Flanagan, drew an impressive audience of 1.8 million viewers during the period of August 7-13. The show has also earned a spot in Netflix’s Weekly Global Top 10, alongside other popular hits such as “Heartstopper” and “The Witcher.”
Hailed as a “masterpiece on par with Ricky Gervais’ ‘The Office’,” this Australian comedy has gained significant traction. Notably, it ranks within the top 10 TV shows in a total of eleven countries across the globe, including the United States, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
In a parallel success story, the locally produced Amazon Prime drama “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart” has achieved prominence by landing in Prime Video’s top five in a staggering 78 countries and securing a spot in the top three in 42 countries.
Starring Hollywood icon Sigourney Weaver, this series has garnered acclaim as a “sweeping, raw emotional drama that spans generations.” Impressively, it boasts an impressive 80% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, in addition to an 8.1/10 rating on IMDb.
Sarah Christie, a high-ranking executive at Amazon Studios, remarked, “The year 2023 stands as a monumental year for local content on Prime Video, with nine Australian Amazon Originals set to be released.”
Continuing her statement, she explained, “Following the successful launch of ‘Class of ’07’ and ‘Deadloch’ earlier this year, the initial four episodes of ‘The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart’ are currently available on Prime Video, with subsequent episodes scheduled for weekly releases every Friday.”
“We are deeply committed to sharing Australian narratives with a global audience, so witnessing the worldwide success of ‘The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart’ right from its opening weekend is truly gratifying,” she added.
Christie further acknowledged, “The remarkable talent and dedication exhibited by the entire cast and crew, under the direction of Glendyn Ivin and showrunner Sarah Lambert, coupled with the support of our partners at Prime Video and Fifth Season, has been unmatched at every juncture.”
These achievements within the local entertainment landscape come at a pivotal moment, as the subscription service sector eagerly anticipates the implementation of local content quotas by the Albanese government.
Efforts to ensure that at least 20 percent of local revenue from streaming content is reinvested into local drama have gained traction and support.
While international viewership figures for these hit shows have been widely celebrated, specific local viewing statistics have not yet been disclosed.
