Image: Titans, DC Entertainment
Parrot Analytics’ industry-leading Demand Expressions metric accurately measures the most wanted TV series using an array of global data source inputs every day. The inherently cross-platform nature of the metric means that audience demand for television content from across the industry – SVOD/AVOD, OTT, linear and cable – can be captured around the world.
Every week, we use our powerful Demand Expressions data to find out which titles have the highest demand in the U.S. domestic market, both for all titles and for the streaming services’ own digital original titles.
This week marks a first for the US streaming service DC Universe as their series Titans is the most in-demand digital original series in the American market. Live action superhero series Titans – which is based on the DC Comics team of the same name – had over 34 million average daily Demand Expressions during the last full week of 2018.
This strong performance pushed Netflix’s Stranger Things from the number one spot in the previous week down to the number 2 digital original title in the US this week, although the silver lining for Netflix is that they hold the international distribution rights to Titans and will be releasing the show outside the US on January 11th.
Hulu’s superhero title Marvel’s Runaways also performed strongly this week, jumping to no. 8 from no. 14 with the release of the show’s season 2 premiere. Runaways had 21.6 million Demand Expressions on the date of its premiere last year, reinforcing the show as one of Hulu’s top breakout hits.
Elsewhere, both Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina and Voltron: Legendary Defender remain in-demand with American audiences, ranking at no. 3 and no. 7, respectively.
The most wanted overall TV series in the US for the week ending December 29th is HBO’s Game of Thrones with roughly 87.1 million average daily Demand Expressions in the overall chart for last week. No other title – either offered as a digital original from an SVOD service or airing on linear broadcast – has come close to the peak demand generated by the epic fantasy series this year.
Historical drama Outlander returned to the US top ten this week as the show’s season 4 is currently airing on Starz, and FX’s American Horror Story also returned to the chart after details of the show’s next season were teased. Meanwhile, demand for NBC’s Saturday Night Live fell 19% compared to last week as the sketch show began its midwinter hiatus.
