Netflix‘s Stranger Things is still breaking records months after its finale. The last episode of Season 5 aired on December 31, 2025. The hit sci-fi horror series became the most-streamed TV show or movie in the US during the first half of 2026, beating major titles across all platforms.
According to Nielsen’s latest insights, Stranger Things recorded a staggering 23.26 billion viewing minutes between December 29, 2025, and June 28, 2026. That figure has made it top the streaming chart, narrowly beating HBO Max’s Bluey, which garnered 22.81 billion viewing minutes during the same period.
Stranger Things saw its biggest week when the series finale premiered. It pulled in a record-breaking 8.65 billion viewing minutes, the highest weekly total Nielsen has ever recorded. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the series dropped out of Nielsen’s weekly top 10 in early March, but continued to attract an audience. Since then, the series has amassed another 3.81 billion viewing minutes, averaging about 224 million minutes per week.
How Stranger Things Beat Every Other Streaming Hit in 2026
Several factors helped Stranger Things stay prominent in 2026 even after its story concluded. Netflix smartly launched its final season in stages, with episodes arriving in late November, on Christmas Day, and the finale on New Year’s Eve. That smart rollout kept it in the limelight for a long time.
The finale also sparked a wave of rewatches. Many fans went back to earlier seasons to refresh their memories before wrapping up the finale. As a result, Seasons 1 to 4 returned to Netflix’s global Top 10 charts, collecting more viewing time for the franchise.
Even after the finale premiere, discussions across social media, nostalgic decade-long fan posts, and other Stranger Things projects kept the franchise trending for months.
HBO Max’s Bluey is leading the top acquired series category despite finishing just behind Stranger Things overall. The Pitt finished as the second-most-streamed original series and ranked third overall with 21.12 billion viewing minutes. The medical drama also remained in Nielsen’s weekly top 10 for 21 consecutive weeks.
Originally reported by Manoj Chekkilla on ComingSoon.
