'Stranger Things' Put Up Monster Viewership Numbers In 2022, Obliterated The Competition

"Stranger Things" dominated the streaming competition in 2022.

The data for Nielsen’s year-end streaming rankings has dropped (via The Hollywood Reporter), and as expected the sci-fi hit absolutely crushed every other show in streaming last year.

The Netflix original was streamed for a staggering 52 billion minutes in 2022. "Ozark" was the second most streamed original at 31.3 billion minutes and NCIS was the second most streamed show when including non-originals at 38.1 billion. Below are the top five most streamed shows of the past year.

"Stranger Things" is an unstoppable beast.

It shouldn't surprise anyone "Stranger Things" took the top spot this past year. The hit series about Eleven and her gang of friends has been a hit ever since season one dropped back in 2016.

Then, thanks to COVID, fans had to wait nearly three years between seasons three and four. Finally, new episodes arrived in 2022, and they lived up to the hype.

Clearly, fans grabbed their popcorn and watched because the gap between "Stranger Things" and second place was roughly 14 billion minutes. That's a staggering difference.

It goes to show that when you produce something that is actually fun and entertaining, people will tune in.

Netflix is king.

The other huge takeaway from the rankings is that Netflix is crushing the competition. The streaming giant took 13 of the top 15 spots for original series, including the entire top 10.

For overall rankings, which includes old shows, Netflix took 12 of the top 15 spots. It's a powerhouse streaming company, and for all of its faults, you can't deny Netflix has made some great shows.

In 2022, fans got a new season of "Stranger Things," and "Ozark" came to an end. The Jason Bateman drama about a family in the drug business was definitely one of the best shows of the year, and at 31.3 billion minutes viewed, fans agree.

What did you watch in 2022? Let us know in the comments, and if you haven't already crushed "Ozark" and "Stranger Things," this weekend is a great time to start.

Written by
David Hookstead is a reporter for OutKick covering a variety of topics with a focus on football and culture. He also hosts of the podcast American Joyride that is accessible on Outkick where he interviews American heroes and outlines their unique stories. Before joining OutKick, Hookstead worked for the Daily Caller for seven years covering similar topics. Hookstead is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.