In this article we look at the top breakout shows of the past week. Breakout shows are the most in-demand series that have premiered in the past 100 days.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is now officially the most in-demand new show in the U.S. with 39.2 times more demand than the average series for the week. The latest series in the Star Wars universe, Obi-Wan saw a 99% increase in demand this week after its third episode aired on June 01.
HBO Max’s Our Flag Means Death slid down to second place this week with 33.8 times the average series demand. HBO recently announced that the show has been renewed for a second season, much to the excitement of fans of the sleeper hit. It’s easy to understand why the show has been renewed - despite ending over two months ago, Our Flag Means Death has consistently stayed at the top of the weekly rankings and has seen an almost negligible decline in demand - a very impressive feat for any new series that is not based on an established, pre-existing IP.
There were three mini-series from HBO and Hulu that had a good week in terms of audience demand. Following the release of its finale on May 30, HBO’s We Own This City saw a further 13% increase in demand and moved up to sixth place in the rankings. Hulu’s Under the Banner of Heaven also saw an increase in demand (9%) this week after its finale aired on June 02, making it 19.4 times more in demand than the average series in the U.S.
The third mini-series on the chart, The Staircase, also saw a 19% increase in demand after its penultimate episode aired on June 02. As mentioned last week, the surge in demand is not surprising, since viewers begin to catch up before the finale. Apple TV+’s latest series, Prehistoric Planet made its debut in the rankings in tenth place this week after it concluded on May 27. The nature documentary, narrated by none other than David Attenborough, explores the life of dinosaurs 66 million years ago using CGI and has been very well-received and praised for its realistic cinematography. Audience demand for the show definitely reflects this, with Prehistoric Planet commanding 17.3 times the average series demand in the U.S. for the week
