The 2025 TV schedule plays host to a number of massive returning titles, including The White Lotus, Andor, The Last of Us and Stranger Things. Another show on that list is The Night Agent Season 2, which just debuted as part of Netflix’s 2025 schedule. It didn’t take long for the drama series to make a splash, as it hit No. 1 within the streamer’s Top 10 trending list following its January 23 debut. Honestly, I wasn’t surprised it hit that spot, but what gives me pause is the fact that it’s already been knocked out by something else.
Let me preface this by saying that the Shawn Ryan-produced espionage show isn’t at the bottom of the heap by any means. As of this writing, The Night Agent now sits in the number-two position. So what’s taken its spot you might ask? Well, the top dog – as far as TV offerings – on the streamer is currently WWE Monday Night Raw, which just started streaming live on the streaming service earlier this month as part of the company’s deal with the wrestling organization. That’s a solid accomplishment, but Raw had an advantage.
Raw is part of a bigger push by the aforementioned streamer to dabble in live sports, and those shows can revel in significant same-day viewership. Additionally, said programs — like last year’s Christmas Day NFL game and the tech issue-plagued Paul vs. Tyson fight — now appear in the trending lists. Not everyone is so thrilled about the Top 10 shakeup. One suggestion to remedy that would be to create a separate list for sports. Yet, for the time being, all of the content is just going to have to remain naked in the same place.
Anyone who’s seriously bummed about Night Agent not being No. 1 at the moment should take heart. It’s very possible that it’ll take back its crown and move to the top of the hill in another day or two. That’s mainly due to the fact that it’ll surely have more fresh eyes tuning in over time compared to an event that, by that point, will have been livestreamed days prior. History has also shown that the series – one of Netflix’s best – can drum up buzz.
Upon its debut in March 2023, Shawn Ryan’s show struck viewership gold. After only its third week of streaming, The Night Agent hit a major milestone as, thanks to Netflix subscription holders, it became the streamer’s ninth most-streamed series of all time. It was around that same time that the show was greenlit for Season 2. With all of that in mind, I wasn’t surprised one bit that the new season quickly moved ahead of its peers in the trending list.
The second season is thrilling, with fans following FBI agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) on yet another bombastic adventure. This time, however, the bulk of the action takes place in New York as opposed to Washington, D.C. Its high trending position bodes well for the streaming service’s investment, as it was already renewed for a third season ahead of its release. While speaking with CinemaBlend, Basso discussed ideas for Season 3’s setting, naming Nepal as a cool option.
You can’t keep Peter Sutherland down, and I’d wager that the same is likely true for The Night Agent on Netflix Top 10 list. Still, there’s the ongoing discussion of how live programming impacts placing in the rankings. I remain curious as to whether a change will be made so that Raw or other live sports programs don’t jump to the front of the pack as was the case here.
