'When They See Us' is Netflix's most watched series since its premiere

13 June 2019, 19:13

By Nicky Idika

Netflix reveals that 'When They See Us' is its most-watched series since it first premiered on May 31. Director Ava DuVernay reacted to the big news.

Netflix's When They See Us is being hailed as one of the most heartbreaking and moving releases on the platform this year. When They See Us tells the story of five teenagers–Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, Korey Wise, and Raymond Santana–who were wrongfully arrested and convicted of assaulting a jogger named Trisha Meili in Central Park in 1989.

The true story gets the heart of how the justice system failed the teenage boys, who spent between 6-14 years in prison for a crime they did not commit. Now, Netflix has revealed that the mini-series is its most watched show since it premiered on May 31.

Where are the Central Park Five now? The real story behind When They See Us on Netflix

"When They See Us has been the most-watched series on Netflix in the US every day since it premiered on May 31," the streaming platform shared on Twitter.

The success of When They See Us is huge because the series highlights deep inequality in the criminal justice system and is directed by Ava DuVernay–a prolific black creator.

Ava responded with a one word reply which perfectly sums up how we'd feel as well.

Netflix notoriously does not disclose its viewing figures but it does reveal top performing titles from time to time.

Oprah recently interviewed the exonerated five, who explained what it was like having this story told thirty years later.

“I’m so happy and ecstatic that we can start the conversation now, and make sure there will never be another Central Park Five, and make sure we have a platform to make sure of that,” Kevin Richardson explained in the moving When They See Us Oprah interview special.

Meanwhile, the prosecutor in the Central Park Five case, Linda Fairstein, recently called the series "so full of distortions and falsehoods as to be an outright fabrication."

Ava DuVernay revealed in an interview with The Daily Beast that she'd tried speak to speak with Fairstein but that the former prosecutor had wanted approval over scripts.

"So you know what my answer was to that, and we didn’t talk."