Entertainment
Netflix’s Divisive 6-Part Spy Thriller Surges After 25.7M Hours Watched
Netflix viewers have made it clear they’re curious about Unfamiliar, even if they’re not entirely sure how they feel about it. Recently, the six-part German spy drama has emerged as one of the largest contemporary successes on Netflix, surpassing 25.7 million hours viewed to reach the top of their global charts, according to FlixPatrol.
However, while there has been considerable growth in views, there has also been some criticism of the series; Rotten Tomatoes reports an audience score of 67%. It appears that the show is yet another example of Netflix experiencing immense success solely on the basis of its high number of views, while dividing viewers on whether it truly justifies its existence. Yet, regardless of these opposing opinions, the number of people who continue to binge-watch the show continues to rise.
What is ‘Unfamiliar’ About?
Unfamiliar centers on Simon and Meret Schäfer (Felix Kramer, Susanne Wolff), a married couple living a tightly controlled life in Berlin. On the surface, they run a restaurant and raise their teenage daughter, Nina (Maja Bons). Behind the scenes, they operate a discreet safe house — a leftover obligation from their former lives as intelligence agents who, for all legal purposes, no longer exist.
That balance collapses when a wounded stranger arrives at their door, dragging a long-buried operation from 16 years earlier back into the present. What follows isn’t just a game of cat-and-mouse with assassins and rival agencies, but a slow unspooling of the lies Simon and Meret have told their family — and each other — to survive. The series consistently frames espionage as something corrosive rather than glamorous. Every secret has a shelf life. Every compromise eventually leaks into the home.
Much of the online discussion around the show comes down to recognition. Retired spies pulled back into danger. A disastrous past mission resurfaced at the worst possible moment. A family unknowingly built on a foundation of false identities. None of this is new territory for the genre. Instead of constantly reinventing, Paul Coates, the creator of Unfamiliar, chooses to embrace genre conventions while reimagining them with older, more fragile, and more fatigued characters than one would expect to see in most spy-thrillers. The characters here may not be performing at an athletic peak. The aftereffects of injury and healing will affect them for a significantly longer period. Fights feel like a harder hit than a spectacular visual performance. This decision is what ultimately grounds the series. But it also explains why some find it lacking in drama and excitement. For those who pursue something “new” in entertainment, Unfamiliar often feels like a remix, not a new creation, but for fans who seek character-focused tension, nostalgia will be part of its enjoyment.
Is ‘Unfamiliar’ Worth Your Time?
One reason Unfamiliar hooked so many viewers early is its restraint; the opening episode gives just enough information to establish stakes without spelling everything out. Revelations are seeded quietly, trusting the audience to connect the dots instead of spelling them out through exposition. That slow-burn approach continues throughout the season. The show prefers accumulating pressure to detonating twists, and while that patience won’t work for everyone, it helps explain why so many viewers finished the series even if they weren’t fully convinced. The tension doesn’t come from surprise alone, but from inevitability — the sense that these characters can only outrun their past for so long.
Netflix has become particularly good at turning spy thrillers into global conversation starters, and Unfamiliar fits neatly into that ecosystem. Its short episode count makes it easy to binge, its serious tone appeals to viewers burned out on lighter fare, and its Berlin setting adds a layer of historical espionage weight without leaning too heavily on spectacle. Authenticity is also significant: German Intelligence worked with the series to give the procedures shown a sense of realism, making it stand out among many films and television shows about this political and military issue. Therefore, by and large, those who have watched the show are likely to continue watching it for its performances and atmosphere.
This mix of competence, credibility, and accessibility helps build an audience for the series on a platform like this, where many viewers seek information based on their interests rather than popularity. Unfamiliar isn’t trying to redefine the spy genre, and that’s ultimately what makes it divisive. For some, it’s too careful, too recognizable, too restrained. For others, that same restraint feels refreshing — a reminder that tension doesn’t always need escalation to work. What’s undeniable is that audiences showed up in force. Whether viewers loved it, liked it, or simply wanted to see how it ended, Unfamiliar became a conversation piece through sheer momentum.
Unfamiliar
- Release Date
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February 5, 2026
- Network
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Netflix
- Writers
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Paul Coates, Kim Zimmermann, Alexander Seibt