Netflix's January 2026 content slate provides insight into the company's evolving release strategies.
New Releases and Release Strategies
"Bridgerton" Season 4 will be released in two parts, with Part 1 premiering on January 29 and Part 2 on February 26. This split release strategy aims to potentially extend subscriber engagement across multiple months.
A new iteration of "Star Search" will premiere, marking an expansion into episodic appointment television for Netflix. New episodes are scheduled for release every Tuesday and Wednesday at 9 p.m., with a live voting component enabling subscriber participation in winner selection.
Acquired Content Strategy
Netflix's January acquisitions include the former TNT dramas "Falling Skies" and "Southland." The licensing of series originally aired on other networks is a long-standing practice for the platform. This strategy aligns with the previous success of acquired older network dramas, such as "Animal Kingdom," which was among the Top 10 most-watched series in 2025, according to Nielsen data.
Acquired series like "Animal Kingdom" (75 episodes over six seasons), "Falling Skies" (52 episodes over five seasons), and "Southland" (43 episodes over five seasons) offer substantial episode counts for new viewers, contrasting with original productions like "Bridgerton" seasons, which typically comprise eight episodes. This approach to licensing content with extensive back catalogs is expected to continue.