Stranger Things on Netflix is the most-watched streaming show of 2022, but Paramount+ has content that is catching up.
Key Details
- Netflix’s Stranger Things was the most-streamed show in the U.S., with more than 52 billion minutes of viewing time over the year, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
- That made the original series land the biggest number since The Office claimed 57.1 billion minutes of viewing during the lockdown in 2020.
- Stranger Things had a 36% higher watch rate than the second most watched show, NCIS, only having 38.1 billion.
- Paramount+ is moving up the ranks to compete with Netflix—Paramount+ is the second most shows with the most streams, according to The Wrap.
Why it’s news
Streaming services became one of the dominant forms of entertainment in 2020 during the COVID pandemic as home entertainment boosted in popularity as more people were indoors.
Last year marked the first time in history that more people watched streaming rather than cable television. In July, streaming made up more than one-third of all television consumption in the U.S. Netflix continues to be the top streaming platform, taking 7.7% of the total share that month.
With streaming being the number-one way people watch television, consumption of streaming content rose by about 27% compared to 2021. Viewers in the United States spent the equivalent of 19.4 million years on streaming platforms, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Stranger Things was by far the most-watched title for 2022, bringing in more than 52 billion minutes of viewing time over the year.
The second most watched original series was Netflix’s Ozark at 31.3 billion minutes of watch time, followed by Wednesday with 18.6 billion minutes.
Following close behind
Netflix is the dominating force in the streaming world, but another platform that is trying to compete with the number one is Paramount+.
While Netflix had 223 million subscribers in the third quarter of 2022, Paramount+ only had around 66.5 million, which is not stopping the platform from putting out some of the most-watched content.
Paramount+ does not hold near the amount of content that Netflix does, but the platform has been putting out some top shows like Tulsa King and 1923.
In Whip Media’s weekly rankings of the top 10 most-streamed TV shows in the U.S., Paramount+ had the second-most appearances falling behind Netflix.
Paramount doesn’t have as many subscribers or the number of shows that are featured on Netflix’s catalog, but the platform is making its way to the top.
