Nielsen ‘s year-end rankings offer the performance of streaming series/movies each year, puts the excellent Netflix series Stranger Things. No one will be able to say that this is a surprise, since this series hit hard during the year 2022.

Stranger Things is the undisputed number 1 thanks to the release of its fourth season, which went online last summer. The series concluded its 2022 run with more than 52 billion minutes (!) in viewings, the most monstrous figure since The Office which recorded 57.1 billion minutes in 2020 (pandemic year).

‘Stranger Things’ Is (Obviously) 2022’s Most Streamed Show https://t.co/gE4jtJVG5w

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) January 26, 2023

The second most watched title in 2022 NCIS compiled 38.1 billion minutes, while the excellent series Ozark which airs on Netflix, had 31.3 billion minutes.

Note that the majority of the minutes watched by Stranger Things took place from May to September, when the series was in Nielsen’s weekly top 10.

Note that Nielsen builds its charts with TV streaming only, not minutes watched on computers, tablets or cell phones. Moreover, the audience is from America and not worldwide.

Here is Nielsen’s top 15 (overall):

1. Stranger Things (Netflix), 52 billion minutes viewed
2. NCIS (Netflix), 38.1 billion
3. Cocomelon (Netflix), 37.8 billion
4. Ozark (Netflix), 31.3 billion
5. Encanto (Disney+), 27.4 billion
6. Grey’s Anatomy (Netflix), 26.8 billion
7. Criminal Minds (Netflix/Hulu/Paramount+), 24.9 billion
8. Bluey (Disney+), 21.1 billion
9. Gilmore Girls (Netflix), 20.8 billion
10. Seinfeld (Netflix), 19.3 billion
11. Supernatural (Netflix), 18.8 billion
12. Wednesday (Netflix), 18.6 billion
13. Heartland (Netflix), 18 billion
14. Cobra Kai (Netflix), 16.7 billion
15. The Simpsons (Disney+), 15.9 billion