Leanne, the new Netflix comedy executive produced by Chuck Lorre, is climbing the Netflix charts. Debuting in July, with Leanne Morgan in the lead role, the 16-episode sitcom centers on Morgan as a woman whose life is upended when her husband of more than three decades leaves her for someone younger.
Withthe cast ofLeannealso including Kristen Johnston, Celia Weston, Blake Clark, Ryan Stiles, Graham Rogers, and Hannah Pilkes, the Netflix Original is co-created by Morgan, Lorre, and Susan McMartin. It debuted to generally positive reviews, with particular praise for Morgan’s performance, and a 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s now finding the viewership to match.
Netflixhas revealed thatLeanneis the seventh-most-watched show globally for the week of July 28 to August 3, with 2.7 million views and 14.9 hours viewed overall. It joins the streamer’s big hits like the tawdry dramaThe Hunting Wivesand the Eric Bana mystery thrillerUntamed, which both take top spots.
What The Streaming Numbers Mean For Leanne
Leanne’s performance in the U.S. is even more impressive, with the sitcom coming in at the #4 spot. It’sbeaten just byThe Hunting Wives,Untamed, and the docuseriesAmy Bradley Is Missing. It bodes well for the comedy, which serves as a suitable substitute for fan-favorites likeRebaandMom.
On the whole,Leanneis in the Top 10 in ten countries. That includes Australia, Canada, and Iceland. Like a lot of shows from the prolific Lorre, the first ends with the potential for more stories to be told. If the sitcom can build on this initially strong audience, it will likely have an
easier path to a season 2 renewal. That is true, especially because Netflix has tended to struggle with comedies.
Lorre co-created and executive produced shows likeThe Big Bang Theory,Two and a Half Men,Young Sheldon,Mom,Dharma & Greg, andThe Kominsky Method.
Compared to its drama output, which has produced inarguable breakouts likeWednesdayandSquid Game, Netflix hasn’t had the best luck with multi-cam sitcoms likeLeanne. It is ultimately too early to declare a victory based on the limited data so far, but early signs are promising that Morgan can build onLeanne’s solid reception.
Our Take On Leanne’s Future
After the very sudden viewership drop andsubsequent cancellation ofThe ’90s Show,not to mention other attempts that were more quiet failures, it wouldn’t be too surprising if a pair of comedy vets like Morgan and Lorre were able to crack the core of Netflix success by skillfully executing something familiar.
