Superhero & sci-fi series fly high in new report on streaming, thanks to Stranger Things & more

We’ve always had a bit of a hunch that TV shows about people with superpowers were popular, but now we’ve got the numbers to prove it. Shows like Stranger Things, Titans, and The Umbrella Academy help make superhero series and sci-fi dramas reign supreme as the most-watched digital content.

Data from media research group Parrot Analytics reveals that, of the top subgenres watched on streaming video-on-demand platforms in the U.S. during the first quarter of 2019, superhero shows top the list, followed closely by sci-fi dramas. As measured by the analytics company, nine of the top 10 most popular streaming shows are either superhero series or sci-fi.

And the most in-demand digital original series in the U.S.? Not surprisingly, Stranger Things by a wide margin. The sci-fi/horror ‘80s nostalgia-fest from Netflix had an average daily viewership of 33.7 million in the U.S. during the first quarter — 33 times more demand than the average title.

DC Universe’s Titans, meanwhile, had more than 29 million daily viewers during this period. Star Trek: Discovery from CBS All Access had more than 25 million average daily viewers, while the Netflix series The Umbrella Academy had nearly 25 million average daily viewers. 

Stranger Things debuted its third season on Netflix on July 4. The Umbrella Academy is getting a second season, but so far no word on when that will debut.