Image: Love is Blind, Netflix
For the week of April 15 - 21, while most of the TV shows retained their positions in the overall shows ranking, there were some which had a few notable changes in demand. The top positions stayed the same with Spongebob Squarepants in first place with 81.6 times the average series demand, followed by South Park in second place with 80.4 times the average series demand. Both shows also maintained almost the same level of demand as last week.
A 16% spike in demand pushed The Simpsons up to fourth place this week (up from eighth last week). The increase in audience attention for the ever popular animated series came after a Simpsons fan used audio processing to unearth a 31 year old joke in an episode from season 3. Viewers in the U.S. likely went back to revisit the episode after the fact, seeing as the show became 65.4 times more in demand than the average series for the week. Saturday Night Live also had a small (+4%) spike in demand, which saw it retain its position in fifth place for yet another week. As mentioned last week, the increase in demand mostly tracks with SNL’s usual trend when the series is in the midst of releasing episodes. It remains to be seen though, if the episode that is set to air on May 06 will bring in more audience attention since the network announced that Pete Davidson is set to return as a host for that day.
The Flash held on to its position in seventh place with almost the same level of demand as last week- 56.8 times the demand average, followed by Game of Thrones which actually moved up a spot with 56.7 times the average series demand. Paramount+’s Star Trek: Picard broke into the overall shows ranking this week, becoming only the third streaming original to do so in many months. The show jumped up the ranking after its season finale aired on April 20, which also had a surprise post-credit scene that teased the return of a fan-favorite character. The resulting 17% increase made it the ninth most in-demand show across all platforms in the U.S. this week, with 52.3 times more demand than the average series.
Among the top streaming original shows, we see The Mandalorian leading the ranking by leagues with 73.8 times the average series demand. This is the first time we have seen the Disney+ series having such a wide lead over Netflix’s perennially popular Stranger Things, which had 57.9 times the average series demand. This makes sense when we consider the timing - like Star Trek: Picard, The Mandalorian also aired its season finale earlier this week on April 19, and saw a 12% increase in demand shortly after. It remains to be seen if this is the highest demand the show will reach for this season, or if we may just see another spike next week when audience catch up to all the episodes.
Star Trek: Picard took third place in the streaming originals ranking this week, as a result of the 17% increase in demand mentioned above. It was followed by Ted Lasso which maintained almost the same level of demand as last week but was pushed down due to the spike for Picard. HBO Max’s Titans had a 29% spike that propelled it up to take fifth place in the ranking with 38.7 times the average series demand. The increase in demand comes as the series’ final episodes have begun airing since April 13. The latest episode which aired on April 20, took the show into the DC Multiverse, which included Grant Morrison. Clearly U.S. audiences love to see this, given the level of viewer attention the show brought in this week.
Prime Video’s multiple award winning show, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel made a come back in the rankings and took seventh place with 31.2 times the average series demand. The TV show returned to screens for a fifth and final season on April 14 and had an impressive 44% surge in demand in its premiere week. Given its critical acclaim it’s not surprising to see the level of audience attention the show has commanded this week. It’s not certain how the series will perform for this season, however considering that it is set to air episodes until May 26, we expect to see it in the rankings until then in all likelihood. Netflix’s Love is Blind had a whopping 118% increase in demand after its finale aired on April 14, followed by the reunion special which aired on April 16. The surge in demand for the show seems to come after the show has been embroiled in multiple controversies lately, including the live-reunion mess, allegations of mental health violations by the contestants, backlash against the hosts, and concerns about the ethics of the show. The future of the show remains uncertain amid all the controversies, but for now American audiences seem to be firmly focused on the developments - as of this week, Love is Blind had 26 times more demand than the average series and took ninth place in the streaming originals ranking in the U.S for the week.
