Netflix is trying out a new trick to personalise your watchlist. This time, the streaming giant is turning into your personal astrologer.
The Zodiac Watchlist feature launched globally for subscribers last Saturday (August 23), coinciding with the Virgo season kicking off a day before.
So, if you’re a fiery Leo with main character energy, Netflix feels that Emily in Paris or The Crown might be right up your alley. Mysterious Scorpios are assigned Wednesday and House MD, while hustling Virgos get Oppenheimer and Money Heist.
Who is making these watchlists?
No algorithms at work here, as the streamer announced in a statement that these themed collections are created by ‘curators on the member experience team’.
Does this mean Netflix knows my birthday?
Not really. The Zodiac Watchlist feature offers curated picks for every star sign and doesn’t necessarily target the subscriber’s particular zodiac. So, you don’t need to give Netflix your birthday or star signs.
What’s extra?
Apart from watchlists for the twelve signs, there are even some recommendations for ‘when Mercury is in retrograde’, ranging from cerebral fever dreams like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Maniac to futuristic sci-fi hits like The Matrix and Black Mirror.
There’s another section titled ‘Find Meaning in the Stars’ that mostly offers feel-good documentaries or health-focused Netflix originals.
Is astrology making a comeback?
With its Zodiac Watchlists, it’s clear that Netflix is trying to capitalise on astrology’s recent resurgence, particularly among Gen Z. Perhaps literal star power can help the new generation understand post-pandemic anxiety and growing isolation in a screen-addicted era.
Regardless of what’s getting Gen Z into astrology, it’s clearly a very happening market to tap into. TikTok and Instagram are dominated by horoscope-reading influencers like ‘Zodiac Boyfriend’ (3.2 million followers on TikTok) and Chani Nicholas (who launched her own CHANI app in 2020). Co-Star, the app that combines NASA data with astrologers’ predictions, rose from 7.5 million worldwide users in 2020 to 30 million in 2023.
So, it was only a matter of time for Netflix to get on the bandwagon, suggesting The Office to ‘tea-spilling Geminis’ and Squid Game to ‘Aries who love chaos and competition’.
In case you’re still confused about what to watch on Netflix, it may well be written in the stars.
Read ‘s list of 45 Best Movies on Netflix right now.
‘s list of the best Netflix original series to binge.
