Netflix Originals continue to lead the pack when it comes to television demand in the United States. Stranger Things is the most in-demand TV series across all platforms in the U.S. for the eleventh consecutive week, while 13 Reasons Why remains in second place in both the overall and digital originals charts. However, both series saw declines in demand compared to last week. Stranger Things was down 12% and 13 Reasons Why dropped 23%, a typical decline following a post-launch surge.
Demand for Steven Universe grew 57% week over week, moving the show up from eighth to fifth in the overall TV charts. This followed Cartoon Network’s release of ‘Steven Universe: The Movie’ on September 2. A trailer for the movie was released at San Diego Comic Con in July, which helped grow demand for the series and move it into that week’s overall top 10 as well.
The largest mover on the overall television demand charts this week is a digital original, Netflix’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Demand for the series more than doubled during the first full week of post-launch data. Demand grew 130% and propelled the title from outside of the top 50 to sixth most in-demand overall show for US audiences in just one week.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance was also the largest mover on the digital original top ten. It moved up from tenth to third place, even topping fellow Netflix Original Orange is the New Black. The success of this prequel to Jim Henson’s 1982 film The Dark Crystal is another example of streamers capitalizing on nostalgia for pre-existing IP. This has also been seen in the consistent television demand for Marvel and DC Universe content over the past few years.
A new entrance to the digital original top 10 is Amazon’s Carnival Row, which debuted its first season on August 30. The fantasy-drama starring Cara Delevingne and Orlando Bloom saw demand grow 120% week over week and the series moved up from 26th to eighth place on the digital charts. Prime Video is the only streamer other than Netflix to have multiple titles on the digital original charts this week.
Amazon’s The Boys remained in the top five in digital originals. It was also the most in-demand digital original superhero series in the US last week. However, that lead shrank dramatically thanks to a 20% surge in demand for DC Universe’s Titans following the September 6 release of the first episode of Season 2. Demand for The Boys ticked down 5%, less than expected for a title this far into its post-binge release cycle.
It will be a tall order to hold off Titans as DC Universe releases Season 2 episodically over the coming weeks. Nevertheless, Amazon renewed The Boys for Season 2 a full week ahead of its July 26 premiere, showing its confidence in the series’ long-term ability to retain US and global television demand.
