Netflix sci-fi series Stranger Things emerged as the
most-watched streaming title in the first six months of the year, garnering
23.26 billion minutes viewed, according to Nielsen’s biannual report.
Created by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things,
Volume 1 of Season 5, released on November 27, 2025, followed by Volume 2 on 26
December, 2025 in India with the finale episode on January 1.
According to Deadline, the show continued its
record-breaking run after the finale, registering 8.65 billion viewing minutes
during the week of December 29 — the highest weekly total in Nielsen’s
Streaming Top 10 history.
Despite this, it stood out as one of the few streaming
originals in a Top 10 largely dominated by shows that premiered on linear
TV.
With the eighth episode of the fifth season, Stranger
Things concluded its nearly decade-long journey with the Hawkins gang —
Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Will (Noah Schnapp), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Lucas
(Caleb McLaughlin), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Max (Sadie Sink), Steve (Joe
Keery), Hopper (David Harbour) and Joyce (Winona Ryder) — facing off against
their archenemy Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) one final time.
Animated series Bluey came in second with 22.81
billion minutes viewed.
The Pitt also joined the 20-billion-minute club among
streaming originals, amassing 21.12 billion minutes viewed in the first half of
the year. Nielsen noted that its second season substantially outperformed the
first, a claim supported by Warner Bros. Discovery’s figures released in
April.
Bridgerton claimed the sixth spot with 17.15 billion
minutes viewed, making it the only other streaming original to crack the Top
10.
Grey’s Anatomy and The Big Bang Theory remained
Top 10 mainstays, with both amassing over 20 billion streaming minutes during
the first half of the year.
Nielsen also highlighted strong performances outside the Top
10, with Landman and Fallout among the notable titles. In the
unscripted category, The Traitors, Love Island USA, The First
48 and Survivor drew impressive streaming numbers.
