Heart of Invictus: Flop?

[MamoruHisaishi]

Heart of Invictus, another Prince Harry-produced project, missed the chart this week for its debut and did not get into any weekly Top 10 worldwide. It’s good that the former Royals are able to produce passion projects, but it would be even better for Netflix if somebody was to actually watch them.

https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/netflix-top-10s-one-piece-disenchantment-choose-love-heart-of-invictus/

I agree with this.

It may be harsh to call it a flop but it's certainly not a roaring success. I wouldn't expect a documentary of this nature to be a huge hit, but the fact that it apparently hasn't been in the Top 10 in any country has to be a disappointment. I agree with others that a feature length documentary would have been a better idea. 5 episodes is a big commitment.

I wonder how many of those insisting that viewing figures don't matter were also celebrating how well 'Suits' did in the ratings this summer?

I wonder how many of those insisting that viewing figures don't matter

Nobody has though. What has been said is that it isn't just the top 10 that matters nor are shows outside the top 10 a flop. That's all.

As many have said on other threads, a show about veterans wouldn't be expected to be a roaring success in terms of hitting that top 10 list.

As many have said on other threads, a show about veterans wouldn't be expected to be a roaring success in terms of hitting that top 10 list.

I agree. But it’s not just that, is it? It was the first and flagship project announced by the Sussexes after they announced their multimillion production deal worth Netflix back in February 2021.

The Harry and Meghan documentary series turned out to be the tentpole production for this deal. But I think most people, both in Netflix, Archewell and externally would have wanted the long-announced, worthy, and impeccably produced docuseries, which was their flagship for a number of years to be a notable success. Because Archewell needs to establish that they can appeal to audiences beyond those attracted to their self-focussed project.

We don’t know what numbers it is drawing. But it’s not an obvious hit.

Is " not an obvious hit " a flop?

I don't think so

Some Posters want it to be of course.

I think there’s a big difference between an obvious hit and a flop. But because Netflix is often quite secretive about its viewing figures, the fact it’s not an obvious hit leaves a lot of room for speculation.

Can someone clarify ? There are not any viewing figures and there are not going to be any? Is that the gist of it ?

Netflix lists the Top 10 for every country on its website each week.

Beyond that, it's anyone's guess.

Thanks @IcedPurple

Yes with anyone who wants to call it 'a flop'

Easy pickings if you don't like someone who's associated with it

I didn't know the Invictus games had even started. Can't be getting much publicity. Still can't blame the media as Harry never has a good word to say about it. Harry has invited negativity by his constant whining about how badly done by he is.

The games haven’t started yet. This thread is about the documentary.

I didn't know the Invictus games had even started

The event itself starts at 6pm this Saturday, Viviennemary, and is being screened on BBC iPlayer for the first time if yiu want to watch

Am really looking forward to it ...

Maybe once the games begin there will be renewed interest in the documentary, but for the moment it has not hit the mark, and when you consider that some wildcard docs, such as Trainwreck and Arnold, all made the top 10; not making the top 10 must be a huge disappointment to all involved. It is such a worthwhile cause, has had plenty of investment in it, huge promotion and a major public figure as it’s figurehead, it had all the ingredients for a hit, so it is surprising it didn’t make the cut.

Happy to be corrected but the most popular documentaries on Netflix are often very "tabloid" like The Tindler Swindler or Tiger King.

While I am sure that high viewing figures would have been celebrated, I would imagine that success would be measured by increases in donations, sponsorship, viewers of the event and column inches rather than whether it went viral and had people talking on social media.

I don't plan on watching the documentary so can't comment on content but the opinions of the organization and people featured in the documentary is ultimately more important than what the rest of the world think and if there was issues with the documentary I am sure that the DM would be featuring it prominently every day. I know he made some sort of comment about family support 🙄 which was inevitably hyper focused on and if he had editorial powers then he'd know to cut that kind of thing in future so there's no distraction from the important organization that he wishes to promote.

There's a massive area between flop and success and I suspect that this documentary will be in that middle area as I've watched plenty of boring documentaries on Netflix.

*Netflix lists the Top 10 for every country on its website each week.

Beyond that, it's anyone's guess.*

I don't think anyone starts a thread about any other show and calls it a flop if it doesn't make that list. It's another example of them being held to higher standards.

I know that ratings not being available for a particular show isn't unusual, so for those who have gone looking for them for this, you shouldn't be surprised about that. My DH gets ratings figures as part of his job ( not at Netflix atm ) and for some titles they never get them. He's not sure why that is. I asked him why there isn't a site that has all the info on ratings for each platform and he laughed at me. I guess thats not possible!

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/tv-ratings-explained-a-guide-what-data-all-means-1245591/

Well said @Iwantcakeeveryday and I would rather listen to your DH who works on the industry and quite obviously has knowledge, than someone on the internet who insists that everything that isn't in the Top 10 is a 'flop'

Good documentary on BBC2 last night about 9/11, called something like The Presidents War Room. I was absolutely shattered but kept going as it was very interesting. I think a good documentary is well worth watching better than lots of stuff on TV.

The blue zones series was on the top 10 and it is really really worth a watch. That 100 year old man still working his farm has massively inspired me!

It is such a worthwhile cause, has had plenty of investment in it, huge promotion and a major public figure as it’s figurehead, it had all the ingredients for a hit, so it is surprising it didn’t make the cut

As said I'm surprised myself, and I'm not one of those who think being outside the top 10 makes it a failure, but never mind us - I guess what really matters is how Netflix feel about it

After all it's the first "big ticket piece" they've done which doesn't largely concern the time with the RF, so I'm wonderiing if perhaps a less-than-hoped-for number of viewers could impact on future projects?

Presidents War Room - if it's the one about 9/11 it is good I saw it last time it was on - there was one really good one about Blare/Brown new labour years called blair-brown-the-new-labour-revolution with interviews with many current and past politicians BBC did while back and was surprise how interesting and how much I learnt from Andrew Marr's The Making of Modern Britain series basically political history of UK since Victorian times.

I do think UK TV does documentaries on many subject really well - Secrets of Great British Castles on Netflix is good and was originally on UK TV at least I saw it there first.

This documentary may well pick up more of an audience after Invictus games actually starts or like may other shows on Netflix it may not find it audience. I don't think they said what the expectation was publicly for the show and despite liking a good documentary it is not something anyone in this house is particularly interested in.

Yes it was that one, I thought it must have been on before as it was on late. The Blair/Brown one was good as well.

I do think a good documentary has a longer shelf life than some other stuff so it might be that if the did a "top viewed programmes in the last 12/24 months" it might do really well.

"the British people" are not a hive mind.
Opinions vary, as you can see on here. Some people think he's a whinger, and feel that he's traded on his family, some love him because he's royal, and often status counts with people.

Ok thanks. I saw the DM is reporting Harry visited St Georges chapel. With a photograph. He should be able to visit without it being reported in the press.

Why? They didn't photograph him inside, praying or at the altar. Just outside.

@Maireas I'm sure there are other reasons that people like him aside from being royal, in fact I think that may put some of his followers off