Netflix heats up with premieres of 'Sense8,' 'Orange' and more

Get ready to binge: video-streaming provider Netflix has announced a slate of upcoming releases in the wake of its "House of Cards" Season 3 launch.

The Netflix original series "Orange is the New Black" will be ready to stream on June 12, a week after the company offers up its new original sci-fi drama "Sense8," Netflix announced Monday. Two other Netflix original series -- "Between" and "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp" -- will premiere in May and July, respectively. A few comedy specials will also premiere over the next three months.

Netflix has established itself as a credible alternative to traditional television networks. While the company's streaming platform includes shows from other networks, the company has built up a strong list of original series of its own, headlined by "House of Cards," starring Kevin Spacey, and "Orange is the New Black." Netflix also has several other shows, including "Lilyhammer," starring musician and actor Steve Van Zandt, and "Marco Polo."

Those series, complemented by other original programming, have won high praise. Since the first original Netflix programming launched in 2012, the company has secured 45 Emmy, 10 Golden Globe, and two Academy Award nominations. The biggest win went to Kevin Spacey at this year's Golden Globes, who took home the award for best actor in a drama series.

The idea behind Netflix's original series is simple: drum up demand for high-quality shows that the company owns and in turn, drive up subscriptions to its $8-per-month streaming service. In a letter to shareholders last month, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said that his company's original programming has struck a chord with users, earning high marks from viewers. He added that the company added 13 million new subscribers in 2014, bringing its global total to 57.4 million users. In 2013, Netflix added 11.1 million subscribers.

Original programming also provides a financial benefit to Netflix. According to Hastings, his company's "originals cost us less money, relative to our viewing metrics, than most of our licensed content, much of which is well known and created by the top studios."

In 2015, Hastings will boost his company's efforts in original programming, bringing far more content to the streaming service than in 2014.

"This year, we are launching 320 hours of original series (new and returning), films, documentaries and stand-up comedy specials, triple the amount of original programming Netflix released in 2014," Hastings wrote to investors.

Netflix did not immediately respond to a request for comment.