Forget Smallville & The Flash, The Most-Watched Comic Book Show In Netflix History Is Completely Bonkers

Published Oct 18, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT

Ben is a Senior Writer on the New TV team at Screen Rant. He graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class B.A. Degree in English Literature and History.

Born and raised in Ireland, Ben has always had a love for storytelling in all forms of media and operates multiple projects under the name Benjamin Blogs. Ben is a comic book writer and podcast host, in addition to his work as an entertainment journalist. He has worked as both a writer and editor for Screen Rant, Collider, and other media outlets across various departments, including features, news, reviews, and interviews.

Netflix has championed many comic book shows since the platform began, but the most watched adaptation is in a league of its own. From hosting pre-established classic comic book shows like Smallville, to creating and releasing original content like The Umbrella Academy, Sweet Tooth, and the Netflix Marvel shows, Netflix has been engaging with comics for a while.

And evidently, several of these shows have had remarkable success, landing multi-season deals and becoming flagship shows of the platform. And yet, the single most watched comic book adapted series manages to break all the rules. From the fact that it initially debuted on a different platform before Netflix rescued it from cancellation, to the reality that this series hails from DC, and still appears to exist in a whole other realm, Lucifer is tantalizingly unique.

Lucifer Is The Most Watched Comic Book Show On Netflix Since Records Began

Image via MovieStillsDB.com

According to FlixPatrol, which collects and formulates data from all of the major streaming platforms, Lucifer surprisingly holds the record for being the most watched show on Netflix inspired by comic books. That being said, it is important to add the important caveat that Netflix only began sharing reports contributing to these kinds of records in 2023.

Now, despite that important detail, the significance of Lucifer's top-ranking position remains strong, especially considering the series began airing the fourth season on Netflix in 2019 after the show was canceled three seasons in by Fox. The series then continued to deliver a new season annually for three years, concluding in 2021 with season 6.

This means that years after Lucifer ended, the show managed to outpace every other comic book series on the platform. Considering the fact that The Umbrella Academy didn't air its final season until 2024, and major shows like DC's Arrowverse have since appeared on the platform, Lucifer's leading position is an incredible achievement, and one that should not be glossed over, especially considering the show's contents.

Lucifer Is Technically Based On DC Comics, But It's A Whole Different Genre Of Comic Book Adaptation

Marvel and DC are still the two powerhouses that have produced the vast majority of comic book material to be adapted for both TV and film. And despite the unique flavor and approach of a story like Lucifer, it actually is a DC property. The character was initially created by Neil Gaiman, who wrote and introduced Lucifer in The Sandman, and artists Sam Kieth and Mike Dringenberg, who contributed to the design.

The Sandman is also a series which has been adapted by Netflix, and it tends to follow much of the format of the comics upon which it is based, which potentially makes Lucifer's massive deviation all the more odd. Lucifer Morningstar retains his personality and affectation, but in the TV show, Lucifer becomes one half of a detective duo alongside the bold and brave Detective Chloe Decker.

The series is comical, follows a procedural detective format, and blends the supernatural with a more casual crime format, where one half of the crime-fighting duo is the King of Hell. In the series, Luci has given up on his duties maintaining Hell and punishing the weekend, and opted for a life of indulgence and pleasure in LA. Which leads to him developing a crush on a cop, and attempting to woo her with his extraordinary abilities.

All things considered, there is no other comic book show quite like Lucifer, and it certainly lives up to its reputation as the most distinctly different comic book adaptation on TV. So, the fact that this unusual approach also earns it the reputation as the most popular comic book series on Netflix is a detail that clearly positions it as a worthy series to get stuck into, for both fans of comic book stories and newcomers alike.