Media

The top 9 shows on Netflix this week, from 'Alien Worlds' to 'Virgin River'

virgin river
"Virgin River" Netflix
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"The Crown" finally topped "The Queen's Gambit" last week after a month as Netflix's most popular series. 

This week, though, "The Crown" was dethroned by Netflix's "Virgin River." "The Queen's Gambit" also moved past "The Crown" again, pushing the latter to the No. 3 slot.

Netflix introduced daily top 10 lists of its most viewed movies and TV shows in February (it counts a view if an account watches at least two minutes of a title).

Every week, the streaming search engine Reelgood compiles for Business Insider a list of which TV shows have been most prominent on Netflix's daily lists that week.

Below are Netflix's 9 most popular TV shows of the week in the US:

9. "Alien Worlds" (Netflix original, 2020)

alien worlds netflix
Netflix

Description: "Applying the laws of life on Earth to the rest of the galaxy, this series blends science fact and fiction to imagine alien life on other planets."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: N/A

What critics said: "Though the series has a habit of replaying some of its more elaborate CGI sequences, its rigid focus on the intertwined nature of nature remains diligent, and lends credence to its more eccentric ideas." — Daily Beast

8. "The Great British Baking Show" (Netflix original, 2010-present)

Great British Baking Show
BBC/Netflix

Description: "A talented batch of amateur bakers face off in a 10-week competition, whipping up their best dishes in the hopes of being named the U.K.'s best."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 89%

What critics said: "Compared to the fullness past seasons instilled in us, however, these felt like empty calories even though the components are more or less the same, save for a couple of ingredient swaps." — Salon (season 11)

7. "The Office" (NBC, 2005-2013)

The Office
NBC

Description: "This hit comedy chronicles the foibles of disgruntled office workers — led by deluded boss Michael Scott — at the Dunder Mifflin paper company."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 81%

What critics said: "There will never be anything else to come along with the exact right balance of deadpan comedy, corporate cynicism and full-blooded heart to fill the hole that The Office left behind." — Globe and Mail (season nine)

6. "Sugar Rush Christmas" (Netflix original, 2019-present)

sugar rush christmas
Netflix

Description: "It's everything you love about "Sugar Rush" — with a holly jolly holiday twist — in this Christmas-themed spin on competitive baking."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: N/A

What critics said: N/A

5. "Cocomelon" (Netflix original, 2020-present)

cocomelon netflix
Netflix

Description: "Learn letters, numbers, animal sounds and more with J.J. in this musical series that brings fun times with nursery rhymes for the whole family!"

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: N/A

What critics said: N/A

4. "Boss Baby: Back in Business" (Netflix original, 2018-present)

the boss baby back in business netflix
Netflix

Description: "The Boss Baby brings his big brother Tim to the office to teach him the art of business in this animated series sprung from the hit film."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: N/A

What critics said: N/A

3. "The Crown" (Netflix original, 2016-present)

the crown
Des Willie/Netflix

Description: "This drama follows the political rivalries and romance of Queen Elizabeth II's reign and the events that shaped the second half of the 20th century."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 91%

What critics said: "All of this is familiar. Very painfully, infuriatingly familiar. But as 'The Crown' in this season shows, with a steel spine and ice in its veins, the Monarchy was built to withstand whatever onslaught comes its way." — Indiewire (season four)

2. "The Queen's Gambit" (Netflix original, 2020)

the queen's gambit
Netflix

Description: "In a 1950s orphanage, a young girl reveals an astonishing talent for chess and begins an unlikely journey to stardom while grappling with addiction."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 100%

What critics said: "The Queen's Gambit is undeniably sentimental, but I would argue that it's the various ways it holds back that makes it so effective." — Baltimore Magazine

1. "Virgin River" (Netflix original, 2019-present)

Virgin River
Netflix

Description: "Searching for a fresh start, a nurse practitioner moves from LA to a remote northern California town and is surprised by what — and who — she finds." 

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: N/A

What critics said: N/A

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Travis Clark was a senior reporter covering the entertainment and tech industries on the Tech News team.Travis covered the companies, properties, and trends transforming and disrupting Hollywood, and how they interesect with the tech world.He's also a comic-book movie expert, and is interested in the evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Warner Bros.' shifting strategy for its DC superhero movies, for starters.Below is some of the work he's most proud of:Disney is shutting down the animation studio behind the 'Ice Age' movies. Some staffers say they're shocked at the lack of communication and feel betrayed that its final movie won't be released.Hulu insiders say a scrapped international expansion and changing culture have made them question what the streamer's future looks like under DisneyMarvel insiders say they're skeptical of its recent pledge to improve diversity in its comics and company, after employing only 2 Black editorial staffers in the last 5 yearsInsiders say major questions hang over DC Universe as its parent company prepares to launch Netflix rival HBO Max