In the highly competitive world of streaming, "Stranger Things" once again proved its immense popularity, capturing a staggering 6.89 billion minutes of viewership during the week of December 22-28, 2025. This remarkable feat positions it as the third most-watched program in Nielsen's streaming history, closely following its own final season premiere, which shattered records with 8.46 billion minutes. The series' sustained success underscores its cultural impact and consistent ability to engage audiences across the globe.
Streaming Dominance: "Stranger Things" Leads the Pack Amidst Holiday Viewing Trends
As the year drew to a close, the streaming landscape witnessed significant activity, particularly during the festive period of December 22-28, 2025. Netflix's sci-fi phenomenon, "Stranger Things," starring Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield and Nell Fisher as Holly Wheeler, continued to captivate viewers, accumulating 6.89 billion minutes of watch time. This impressive figure places it among the top streaming events ever recorded by Nielsen, just behind two other record-breaking weeks also held by the same series, highlighting its unparalleled performance in its final season. From its premiere until December 28, the show garnered over 25 billion minutes of viewing in the United States alone, solidifying its position as the leading original streaming series of the year and ranking within the top seven across all titles.
Beyond the Duffer Brothers' creation, other platforms also saw notable gains. Apple TV's "Pluribus," a compelling series led by Rhea Seehorn, reached a new peak with 483 million minutes during its first season finale week, marking a 41 percent increase. Prime Video's "Fallout" also experienced a substantial 16 percent rise, accumulating 918 million minutes as its second episode debuted, transitioning to a weekly release format. Paramount+'s "Landman" sustained its strong second season, climbing for the sixth consecutive week to 1.64 billion minutes. Additionally, the TNT classic "The Closer" found renewed popularity on Netflix, drawing 974 million viewing minutes after its addition on December 22.
During Christmas week, holiday-themed films dominated the movie charts, with eight of the top ten spots occupied by festive favorites. Disney+'s "Home Alone" led this category, achieving its highest weekly performance on Nielsen's charts with 1.05 billion minutes of watch time. These streaming statistics, provided by Nielsen, exclusively measure viewership on television sets within the U.S., excluding minutes watched on computers or mobile devices.
This surge in viewership during the final weeks of 2025 demonstrates the evolving dynamics of media consumption. The consistent performance of established hits like "Stranger Things" alongside the growing appeal of newer series such as "Pluribus" and "Fallout" indicates a diverse and engaged audience base across various streaming services. Furthermore, the enduring popularity of holiday classics underscores the comfort and familiarity they offer during seasonal celebrations. For content creators and platforms, these figures provide valuable insights into audience preferences and the potential for strategic release schedules, blending binge-worthy drops with weekly installments to maximize engagement.