Streaming Ratings Overview: December 2025

During the week of December 8-14, 2025, Netflix's "Stranger Things" maintained its position as the most streamed title in the United States, accumulating 3.02 billion viewing minutes. This impressive figure brought the series' total to 15.86 billion minutes since the premiere of its final season in late November. The Nielsen ratings indicate that "Stranger Things" will likely conclude the year as the leading original streaming series.

Hollywood Reporter

In addition to "Stranger Things," several other titles made significant impacts on the Nielsen charts. Apple TV's "Pluribus," a sci-fi series created by Vince Gilligan, debuted with 360 million minutes of viewing, with its first two episodes accounting for approximately 52% of that total. Meanwhile, Paramount+’s "Mayor of Kingstown" returned to the rankings with 443 million minutes, marking its first appearance since August 2024. The series, co-created by Taylor Sheridan, concluded its fourth season in late December and is set to end with a fifth season.

Hollywood Reporter

Other strong performers included Netflix's docuseries "Sean Combs: The Reckoning," which garnered 1.6 billion minutes, and "Landman," another Paramount+ series, which achieved 1.52 billion minutes. The third installment of the "Knives Out" franchise, titled "Wake Up Dead Man," premiered with 1.31 billion minutes, a notable but lesser debut compared to its predecessor, "Glass Onion."

Hollywood Reporter

The audience for "Sean Combs: The Reckoning" was primarily adults aged 35-49, who accounted for 38% of the total viewing time. Notably, Black viewers represented 37% of the audience, indicating a strong demographic interest in the series.

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Nielsen's streaming ratings focus solely on viewing on television sets, excluding data from computers or mobile devices, and are limited to U.S. audiences. This methodology highlights the significant viewership trends within the domestic market.

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While "Stranger Things" continues to dominate, some critics argue that the reliance on established franchises may stifle innovation in streaming content. The focus on high-profile series could overshadow emerging creators and original programming that may not receive the same level of promotion or viewer engagement.

• “This licensing agreement allows us to extend the reach of the franchise while preserving its long-term value, bringing the slate to new viewers on Hulu.” — Lauren Tempest, Hulu’s General Manager

• “Adding the original Kardashian universe to Hulu gives fans the ultimate destination to experience a defining era of pop culture,” — Lauren Tempest, Hulu’s General Manager

As the year progresses, streaming platforms will likely continue to focus on leveraging established franchises while introducing new content to capture diverse audience segments. The performance of upcoming titles will be closely monitored as the industry evolves.

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