Old series are trending again. That is the takeaway from the data that Nielsen recently published which revealed that Suits, released over 12 years ago, was the most streamed series in 2023. It has been watched for 57.7 billion minutes in the United States alone. According to the analysis, this could be because the series has already come to an end (it aired between 2011 and 2019). Nielsen also believes that this series is the most watched because Americans have been able to watch it both on Netflix and Peacock.
Second place doesn't go to The Last of Us or the last season of Succession. Bluey, another"old" series is also towards the top of the list. The series, available on Disney Plus, was watched for over 43.9 billion minutes last year and became the most successful children's animated show of the year.
Third place goes to another old series, but one that is still on the air: NCIS. The drama is the third most streamed series. It has been watched for a total of 39.4 billion minutes. The other six most streamed shows are also old: Grey's Anatomy, Cocomelon, The Big Bang Theory, Gilmore Girls, Friends, Heartland and Supernatural.
Could Matthew Perry's death have caused fans to rewatch 'Friends'?
The case of Friends is also worth mentioning. The show has been streamed for more than 25 billion minutes. Psychologist Sabrina Romanoff, PhD, tells The Hill, that fans may have sought comfort in the show since the death of Matthew Perry. "Watching something comforting can take away the stress involved in the infinite choices at our disposal and the consequential energy drain."
And what about movies? Which are the most viewed on streaming platforms? According to the study, first place goes to Moana which had 11.9 billion minutes of streaming. It is followed by Encanto and Super Mario Bros., which respectively were watched for 9.7 billion and 8.8 billion minutes.
