Considering the significant hype surrounding “Stranger Things” season 5, which, if you somehow didn’t know, marks the grand finale of the juggernaut sci-fi streaming series, it was no shock to see it rocket instantly to No. 1 in Netflix’s top 10 over the New Year’s period.
The popular show’s final episode debuted on Netflix on December 31, and was such a big deal that the big red streaming service even held theatrical screenings of the feature-length conclusion. It’s no surprise that the internet has been abuzz with reactions ever since, but what is a little more unexpected is how swiftly “Stranger Things” has been booted from the Netflix top spot in the platform's most-watched list.
The challenger for its crown is “Run Away,” a new mystery thriller show based on a best-selling novel from crime author supreme Harlan Coben. And it seems Netflix subscribers are rapidly switching The Upside Down for another bingeable show with enough twists and turns to make your head spin.
Maybe it’s the divisive nature of the “Stranger Things” finale (I’ve seen more than a few people suggest Netflix has “done a ‘Game of Thrones’”), or perhaps “Run Away” is capturing the interest of those who never saw the hype with one of Netflix’s biggest original success story, but either way, the current Netflix top 10 is a reminder to never bet against Coben.
I can see why ‘Run Away’ has claimed Netflix No. 1 over ‘Stranger Things’
“Run Away” continues what is becoming an annual tradition for Netflix. 2026 is now the third year in a row that the streaming service has dropped a new mystery thriller miniseries based on a Coben novel on New Year’s Day, and it’s a release strategy that is proving once again very successful.
In my own write-up, I noted that it was “going to be your next binge-watch,” a prediction that has seemingly come true for millions of Netflix subscribers. The show centers on a desperate father (played by James Nesbitt) as he searches for his missing daughter, Paige (Ellie de Lange). Along the way, he uncovers a deeper mystery with dark consequences. It’s a Coben story that doesn’t attempt to break from the mold.
I think it’s best described as Netflix junk food. The type of show that won’t linger long in the memory, but is undeniably enjoyable as you consume it, in a guilty pleasure sort of way. After a busy holiday season, it’s the type of “switch your brain off” television I crave. It’ll never make my list of the best TV shows of 2026, but I found each new episode-ending revelation compelling enough to keep clicking that “play next” button each time.
Over the weekend, I went for a birthday meal with some family, and it was perhaps rather telling that when the conversation turned to what we’d all been watching to kick off the New Year, “Stranger Things” barely featured. Instead, everybody had been binging “Run Away.”
The good news for Netflix viewers who have already polished off all eight episodes of “Run Away” is that there’s more Harlan Coben thrills on the way. Netflix has already confirmed it has another adaptation of the author's works in the pipeline. It’s called "I Will Find You," and it’s slated to launch sometime in 2026. Or perhaps it’ll be held for January 1, 2027.
If you’ve already binged-watched all of “Run Away” and have waved goodbye to the “Stranger Things” gang as well, here’s a guide to everything new on Netflix this month. It might be dreary January, but the big red streamer isn’t slacking off when it comes to new content.
Watch "Run Away" on Netflix now
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