Why Netflix Has Been Splitting Its Shows' Seasons Into Several Parts

When Stranger Things returned in 2022 with its fourth season sliced into two dramatic halves, fans were both thrilled and puzzled. While Netflix cited post-production demands on the VFX-heavy finale at the time, the release style signaled something more—a shift in how the streaming giant rolls out its most talked-about titles. That shift is now reaching its peak with the upcoming fifth and final season of Stranger Things, which will be released in three volumes across major holidays in 2025: November 26, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve.

That model is no longer an exception. In the years since, Netflix has carved up seasons of Virgin River, The Witcher, The Crown, and Emily in Paris, among others, delivering episodes in strategically timed waves. According to Deadline, the trend has become prominent in 2024, with Bridgerton season three and Outer Banks season four adopting the same format. Even Cobra Kai is going a step further, stretching its final season across three drops through 2025.

So, what’s behind the decision to release shows in pieces instead of one binge-ready block? The answer, as with most things in streaming, is multi-layered—and not without controversy.

According to Deadline, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria explained that the split-season model was initially driven by pandemic- and strike-related production delays. It was, she said, a way to get new episodes to audiences faster rather than waiting for the entire season to be completed. Bela also emphasized that some decisions were creator-led, such as Bridgerton’s Shonda Rhimes and The Crown’s Peter Morgan, who reportedly saw narrative advantages in mid-season pauses.

Still, not everyone is buying that artistic intent is the main motivator. As Forbes pointed out, Netflix now almost exclusively reserves split seasons for its most successful shows—ones that are most likely to keep fans subscribing month after month. Releasing episodes a few weeks apart rather than all at once stretches a single show's cultural moment and, more importantly, its presence on a user’s billing cycle.

And there are numbers to back the mixed results. The Hollywood Reporter highlighted how split seasons can lead to diminished weekly viewership hours—Outer Banks season four drew about 60 percent fewer hours during its first release week compared to the previous season’s full-season drop. Yet, these shows often stay in the Top 10 longer, increasing overall visibility and potentially leading to higher cumulative view counts, which Netflix now considers its go-to metric.

From the viewer’s perspective, though, the format can be frustrating. As Cosmopolitan noted, fans are used to the gratification of finishing a show in one sitting, or at least over a dedicated weekend binge. Being asked to pause mid-season—and sometimes for weeks—interrupts that immersion. Some fans say they even lose interest before the second part arrives.

There’s also the question of storytelling. A show designed with a continuous arc doesn’t always lend itself to being cleanly cut in half, and this can result in awkward pacing or cliffhangers that feel more obligatory than organic. And while some creators embrace the division, not all shows benefit from the structural change.

Still, the strategy doesn’t seem to be going away soon. As of early 2025, Netflix has returned to releasing full-season binges for some titles, including Squid Game and Virgin River. But in Bela’s words, “there’s no set way.” Whether binge or break, the release calendar for your favorite show may look very different from one season to the next.