Talent competition shows have been a thing for years, and are still going strong with series like America’s Got Talent (which just ended its milestone 20th season), The Voice, and American Idol, to name a few. You never know what kind of people will audition and if they will be good or bad, and what the favorites will be, but that’s what makes it all entertaining. Unfortunately, the shows don’t always end up a success, such as Netflix’s newest take on the genre on the 2026 TV schedule.
The streamer’s reboot of Star Search, which originally ran from 1983 to 1995, is not living up to the hype of its competitors. Premiering on January 20, the new series failed to crack Netflix’s Global top 10 charts in the first week, according to Deadline, bringing in less than 2.3 million views with its first two episodes. That being said, it did reach No. 5 on the U.S.-specific Top 10, with South Africa's charts being the only other place it popped up, coming in at No. 9 there.
Considering the series is hosted by Anthony Anderson with judges Sarah Michelle Gellar, Chrissy Teigen, and Jelly Roll, it’s unknown why it’s flopping and hard. The original series was a huge success, and featured dozens of future stars such as Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Aaliyah, Alanis Morissette, LeAnn Rimes, Dave Chappelle, Rosie O’Donnell, and Adam Sandler. Even the aforementioned reboot host and reality TV obsessive Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Star Search, streamed live to give viewers the opportunity to vote from home using their remote controls or phones, highlights contestants in all genres of music, dance, and variety/comedy. It’s hard to tell if the live element harmed the show, as it could be a hit or miss with Netflix, but the fact that viewers at home are able to still vote could also help. The series was previously rebooted in 2003 and ran to 2004 on CBS, consisting of four seasons.
Reality shows on Netflix tend to do pretty well, and the streamer has been adding a lot of them in recent years. But while live sporting events have done well, specials such as Alex Honnold's stressful Skyscraper Live! climb weren't quite as viewer-friendly. That being said, it is still early in the season, and only a few episodes have dropped, so perhaps Star Search just needs to find its footing and really get that promo out so more people can tune in.
Of course, not all shows can be America’s Got Talent or The Voice, and not even Star Search can be Star Search. Those with a Netflix subscription can check out the reboot themselves and see if it’s worth sticking around for the entire season. New episodes stream live on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET.
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