Image: Rick and Morty, Adult Swim
For even the most popular of TV shows, there comes a point, in the absence of new content, that the popularity and interest can dip significantly. Animated series seem to have a longevity and stability over time that other shows can just not seem to maintain. Much like sitcoms, the biggest attraction of animated series is the draw of episodic stories, allowing the viewer to dip in and out of the series without having had to watch the majority of the episodes before it. This allows for an easier, more laid-back approach to content consumption that gives the shows a stable demand.
From a production point of view, developing technology has ensured that it is significantly easier, quicker and cheaper to produce animated series than any others, contributing to the accelerated output of new seasons and shows. It also means audiences don’t have to wait for years between seasonal updates for their favorite shows, contributing to the overall attraction of animated series.
Animated shows represent 40% of the most in-demand TV shows of 2024, worldwide, which is a very significant proportion for one genre. The most in-demand animated shows are also not confined to one streaming service, with Jujutsu Kaisen on Netflix, Attack on Titan on Disney+, Spongebob Squarepants on Apple TV+ and Hazbin Hotel on Amazon Prime. This implies that streaming services have identified the demand, and therefore benefit, of housing animated series on their platforms.
Amazon Prime have a particular talent for producing in-demand and well received, original, animated series with Invincible also breaking into the top ten animated shows of 2024.
The first comparison we have examined is the time shift of the two most in-demand series, aimed at an older audience. As seen in the data shift, Hazbin Hotel had an initial spike in demand upon release in January, which grew to a peak demand of 174.6x the average - exceptional for a TV show. The peaks are likely due to the weekly release of episodes and the growth of positive reviews as audiences are made aware of the quality of the show.
The settling of the curve after the release of the final episodes is indicative of how stable the demand for the show is, with even the settled demand reaching around 75x the demand for an average show. Hazbin Hotel has done exceptionally well for a breakout animated series, reaching consistent peaks of #1 domestically and worldwide, since its release. The show appeals to a range of age groups and boasts an all-star cast, which could help explain its remarkable success.
Similarly, Rick and Morty holds a consistently exceptional demand over the course of 2024 so far with no obvious peaks in the demand, further underscoring the point that animated series can hold a demand stability that other shows cannot. Rick and Morty has been a staple of the Sci Fi genre for 6 seasons now and never fails to draw audiences in for a new series. Building on the demand for shows like Doctor Who, of which it was heavily influenced by, the series allows for self-contained, episodic adventures that the viewer can dip in and out of, for bursts of 20 minutes. This lack of commitment makes animated series very appealing to busy audiences.
Anime series are very popular domestically and worldwide with shows becoming more accessible on big streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ with some streaming services producing original Anime content as well.
As seen in the time series above, the demand for Jujutsu Kaisen and Attack on Titan has stayed consistently exceptional throughout 2024, both consistently in the top ten of all TV shows. Each plot displays a general plateau of around 80x the average for Jujutsu Kaisen and 60x for Attack on Titan, as the year progresses. There is small fluctuation around these values but in general, the anime series have a stable, exceptional demand and we can assume that their demand will continue to follow this trend.
This time series highlights the time shifting of children’s shows that were included in the top ten most in-demand animated TV series. For each of the 3 shows displayed, there is a consistent peak around the winter months which could be attributed to a higher demand for TV in general at this time of year. This would be consistent with the overall similar trend that the three are displaying around the summer months.
Around recently, the demand seems to plateau and as a result we can infer that animated series, especially in the children’s TV genre, have a consistent demand. In children’s shows, this is likely due to the fact that children will generally not care about an overarching story, or repeated episodes, so the demand will remain consistently high for shows that are regularly accessible on streaming services.
Spongebob Squarepants and Paw Patrol have been compared to highlight the difference between the audience that the show is aimed at and the subsequent audience that has been the most receptive to it.
Paw Patrol has a majority audience of millennials which is to be expected as parents of young children will put the show on for them.
Spongebob Squarepants is most popular among 15-31 year olds which could be the young adults watching the show that they grew up with, along with the younger audiences that the show is primarily aimed at. This range of ages helps to stabilize the demand and maintain the popularity of the show, as has been evident since its initial release in 1999. To remain in exceptional demand for that long is remarkable and provides further evidence of the longevity and power of animated series.
It is clear that there is a consistent demand for animated series that is a large proportion of demand for all genres of TV that has spanned over decades and continues on today. These shows allow for a low commitment, entertaining watch for the viewers that is becoming more and more attractive.
