The streaming landscape began with familiar leaders at the top, as Netflix’s Stranger Things and Paramount+’s Landman maintained their positions as the most-watched series in the United States, according to Nielsen’s latest streaming data.
Stranger Things continues to dominate, securing the number one spot for the ninth consecutive week with 3.201 billion viewing minutes during the week of . This sustained viewership underscores the series’ enduring appeal, even after concluding its five-season run. The series finale, which debuted on , propelled the show to record-breaking numbers, achieving the largest single-week total since Nielsen began tracking streaming viewing in , surpassing its own previous record of 8.46 billion minutes set during the premiere of its final season in late November.
Following closely behind, Landman held steady at number two for the fourth week running, amassing 1.425 billion viewing minutes. While experiencing a slight dip of 4% in viewership, the series continues to demonstrate remarkable staying power, maintaining over 1 billion viewing minutes for seven consecutive weeks.
Nielsen’s data reveals a concentration of viewership among a select few titles. Four series – three from Netflix and one from Paramount+ – exceeded the 1 billion viewing minute threshold during the week. Netflix, accounted for six of the top ten programs, with two of those titles being shared with other streaming platforms.
Netflix’s His & Hers claimed the third position with 1.387 billion viewing minutes, resonating particularly with the 35-64 age demographic, which comprised 61% of its total viewership. The Netflix miniseries Run Away secured the fourth spot, achieving 1.017 billion viewing minutes. Disney+’s animated series Bluey rounded out the top five, starting the new year with 941 million viewing minutes.
Further down the chart, The Closer, available on Netflix, Peacock, and Pluto TV, garnered 940 million viewing minutes. HBO Max’s The Pitt followed closely with 939 million minutes viewed. Prime Video’s Fallout secured the eighth position, registering 855 million viewing minutes, demonstrating growth as its second season rolled out. Netflix’s 11.22.63 and a shared title, Found (available on Netflix and Peacock), both reached 848 million viewing minutes, closing out the top ten.
The continued success of Stranger Things is particularly noteworthy, not only for its record-breaking numbers but also for its impact on the broader streaming market. The series generated over 15 billion viewing minutes in December alone, highlighting the power of established franchises to drive viewership. The data also suggests a resurgence in library content, with titles like The Closer and Homeland experiencing significant viewership boosts, indicating a continued demand for familiar programming alongside new releases.
The performance of Fallout is also worth noting. The series’ growth, with 918 million views, suggests that Prime Video is successfully attracting and retaining viewers with its original content. The fact that 43% of the viewership for Fallout came from the new episode indicates that ongoing content releases are crucial for maintaining momentum in the competitive streaming environment.
These figures underscore the increasingly fragmented nature of the streaming market, where a handful of titles consistently dominate viewership while a long tail of content struggles to gain traction. The data also highlights the importance of cross-platform availability, as titles shared across multiple streaming services often benefit from increased exposure and viewership.
