Netflix’s #1 Show Didn’t Just Break a 59.6 Million-View Record — It Reminded Us What Appointment TV Feels Like
Earlier this month, Netflix unveiled the news on its official Instagram account that the first volume of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things premiered to a whopping 59.6 million views, leading to the biggest English-language premiere week the streamer has ever had. It’s no wonder that Stranger Things continues to pull in an audience of viewers anxious to see how the story ends. These days, finding a show that everyone’s seen (that isn’t an older series you’ve binged through a dozen times) can be difficult, but Netflix’s flagship science fiction drama remains one of the last reminders of what genuine “appointment television” feels like. After all this time, it continues to surprise audiences and offer a reminder of how unifying television can be.
‘Stranger Things’ Is the Closest Thing to Appointment TV in Recent Years
Image via Netflix
Once upon a time, appointment television was something that just about everyone tuned in for. It was a worldwide (or at least nationwide) phenomenon that got audiences talking, theorizing, and expressing their adoration or disgust for the very next day. If you missed an episode, you were behind, and you were certainly in danger of spoilers. Of course, when we say “appointment TV,” we’re really talking about major shows that bring in a wide audience. In the past few decades, that’s included everything from Lost and Heroes (at least its first season) to early seasons of The Walking Dead and especially Game of Thrones. But these days, appointment TV isn’t what it used to be, and what one person considers “appointment TV” may not be something everyone at the online water cooler has seen — or has any interest in viewing. But Stranger Things is on another level. With Stranger Things 5, Netflix has reminded us what “appointment TV” really means. After over three years since we last visited Hawkins, Indiana, the show returns in full force, having completely upended the world as it pushes its characters, new and old, into a final and climactic confrontation with the dark force that has spent almost the entire ’80s terrorizing their home. This new season has already answered long-asked questions, revealed dark truths to our heroes, and set the stage for the culmination of various character arcs.
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For a show that has been so long in the making (the first season hit the streamer back in 2016), those who have stuck with it throughout or jumped on the bandwagon later on have been rewarded with yet another adventure into the Upside Down — one that will bring the entire saga to a close. Full of twists and turns, characters we’ve grown to love, and a familiar nostalgia that’s easy to digest, Stranger Things 5 may not be everything that its predecessors were, but it has managed to still bring in an audience anxious to find out how all of this is supposed to end. Say what you will about some creative choices, but the Duffer Brothers certainly set themselves up for success. The first volume of Stranger Things 5 took social media by storm, with brand-new questions, theories, and a general air of enthusiasm that hasn’t happened on such a large scale in quite some time. It certainly helps that the streaming giant has been marketing the heck out of the show in its final season. Indeed, many of its stars appear (in character) in different ads for brands like Target, Dr. Squatch, Nature Valley, T-Mobile, KFC, and more. Stranger Things is everywhere, and the show has wasted no time trying to get its audience back into the drama.
Since ‘Stranger Things’ First Premiered, TV Has Changed Drastically
Stranger Things Season 5 Dustin and Steve in Car With AntennaImage via. Netflix
But why is Stranger Things as popular now as it was when it first premiered? Back in 2016, streaming services were not what they are today. There was no Peacock, HBO Max, PlutoTV, Tubi, AppleTV+, or Disney+. Before it was Paramount+, CBS All Access was still growing, and most network television shows were still available the very next day on Hulu. Prime Video had yet to hit its stride as a generator of original programs, and Netflix had saved a few from cancellation by reviving them on its platform. It had even proven itself capable of original content as well, having launched House of Cards, Orange Is the New Black, and Marco Polo. But Stranger Things was perfectly placed when it was released. Netflix had become a proven brand that (due to its vast content library and limited streaming options) almost everyone had. Since Stranger Things was a genre show that felt fresh, original, and yet familiar, word quickly spread. In 2016, AMC’s The Walking Dead and HBO’s Game of Thrones were “event television” that audiences knew they needed to see live or else get spoiled. Watch parties were common, and each episode was eagerly anticipated. But Stranger Things dropped all at once, and as word of mouth spread, more and more tuned in. The show only grew when it returned in its second season, and by Stranger Things 3 in 2019, it had become such a cultural phenomenon that the show could basically do no wrong (well, except for that one Stranger Things Season 2 episode — and even that has now become relevant). But in our world full of countless streaming services with an unwatchable number of new shows that nobody can hope to keep up with, Stranger Things represents a bygone era of television where many of us were still watching the same things. That just isn’t the case anymore. All the different streaming platforms, not to mention the still-running network and cable programs out there, have driven many back to old “comfort TV” — and we can’t fully blame them. However, Stranger Things began back at a time when Netflix was the only option. Because of that, the show was quite popular back then, and the audience has only since grown as the show has continued. While many have criticized the multi-year breaks between seasons, it clearly hasn’t broken either Stranger Things’ momentum or its audience’s interest. The viewership numbers alone prove that folks are still invested in Hawkins and the Upside Down, and knowing that this is the final season, more are tuning in now than ever. The long-term investment of a show like this has clearly paid off for the streaming giant, which is obviously hoping to retain an audience post-finale by splitting the release window into three parts.
10 Years Later, ‘Stranger Things’ Remains Netflix’s Biggest Series
Even if you prefer some of Netflix’s other offerings, there’s no denying that no other series on the streamer has had the success and cultural impact of Stranger Things. The fact that three years can pass between the release of one season and another, all without a significant dip in viewership or loss of general fan interest, is an impressive feat in our age of short attention spans and an endless supply of streaming options and shows. The basic premise of the Netflix drama, combined with the lovable characters, fascinating world, and retro vibes, has given Stranger Things an edge over the competition, making viewers nostalgic in more ways than one. However the Hawkins party finally defeats Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) and saves their home from the otherworldly forces of the Upside Down (the show’s inclusion of A Wrinkle in Time may give us some clues), we know that Stranger Things will pull through — and we won’t risk missing an episode in the process.
Release Date
2016 – 2025-00-00
Network
Netflix
已发布: 2025-12-13 14:36:00
来源: collider.com
