Stranger Things tops US streaming for first half of 2026

The science fiction series "Stranger Things" has been named the most-watched streaming title in the United States for the first half of 2026, according to data released by Nielsen. The show's fifth and final season, which concluded on December 31, 2025, generated 23.26 billion minutes of viewing from December 29, 2025, through June 28, 2026, securing the top spot across all television and film content.

The series also set a record for the highest single-week viewing total in Nielsen's streaming history, amassing 8.65 billion minutes during the week its finale debuted. While the show fell off the weekly top 10 charts in early March, it continued to draw significant viewership, adding nearly 4 billion more minutes in the subsequent 17 weeks. This performance is notable as streaming originals are typically outnumbered by long-running acquired series in such rankings.

Disney's animated children's series "Bluey" placed second overall with 22.81 billion minutes. HBO Max's original drama "The Pitt" took third place with 21.12 billion minutes, a figure Nielsen attributed to a significant viewership increase for its second season. Other titles in the overall top 10 included "Grey's...