Stranger Things Tops 2022 Streaming Charts, Wednesday and Ozark Also Take Top Spots

Netflix’s Stranger Things was the most streamed TV show in the US in 2022, with a whopping 52 billion minutes viewed across all four seasons.

As reported by Variety, Stranger Things claimed the top spot on Nielsen’s year-end streaming rankings in the US, with Netflix subscribers unlocking their curiosity doors and tuning in for 52 billion minutes of viewing time last year, fuelled by the release of the fourth season.

The supernatural drama managed to pull in the highest streaming total Nielsen has recorded since COVID-driven lockdowns prompted audiences to watch 57.1 billion minutes of NBC’s The Office in 2020, making it the most streamed show in the US that year.

Ozark landed in second place on the streaming originals chart and took the fourth spot on the overall streaming list with 31.3 billion minutes viewed, while Wednesday danced its way to number three on the originals list and 12th overall with 18.6 billion minutes viewed.

Top Streaming Series of 2022 (Overall)

1. Stranger Things (Netflix) – 52B minutes watched
2. NCIS (Netflix) – 38.1B minutes watched
3. CoComelon (Netflix) – 37.8B minutes watched
4. Ozark (Netflix) – 31.3B minutes watched
5. Encanto (Disney+) – 27.4B minutes watched
6. Grey’s Anatomy (Netflix) – 26.8B minutes watched
7. Criminal Minds (Various) – 24.9B minutes watched
8. Bluey (Disney+) – 21.1B minutes watched
9. Gilmore Girls (Netflix) – 20.8B minutes watched
10. Seinfeld (Netflix) – 19.3B minutes watched
11. Supernatural (Netflix) – 18.8B minutes watched
12. Wednesday (Netflix) – 18.6B minutes watched
13. Heartland (Netflix) – 18B minutes watched
14. Cobra Kai (Netflix) – 16.7B minutes watched
15. The Simpsons (Disney+) – 15.9B minutes watched

Top Streaming Series of 2022 (Originals)

1. Stranger Things (Netflix) – 52B minutes watched
2. Ozark (Netflix) – 31.3B minutes watched
3. Wednesday (Netflix) – 18.6B minutes watched
4. Cobra Kai (Netflix) – 16.7B minutes watched
5. Bridgerton (Netflix) – 14B minutes watched
6. Virgin River (Netflix) – 13.6B minutes watched
7. Dahmer (Netflix) – 13.4B minutes watched
8. Love Is Blind (Netflix) – 13.1B minutes watched
9. Inventing Anna (Netflix) – 12.9B minutes watched
10. The Crown (Netflix) – 12.7B minutes watched
11. The Boys (Prime Video) – 10.6B minutes watched
12. Great British Baking Show (Netflix) – 10.6B minutes watched
13. The Umbrella Academy (Netflix) – 10.5B minutes watched
14. The Last Kingdom (Netflix) – 10.4B minutes watched
15. The Rings of Power (Prime Video) – 9.4B minutes watched

Netflix might have reported a drop in subscribers last year, but it still managed to dominate the Nielsen US streaming charts, taking 11 of the top 15 spots on the overall list for 2022 and 13 places on the originals list for the year, including the top ten slots on the originals rankings.

The streaming service helped to ring in the new year by adding some great new movie titles and TV shows to its library, including That 90s Show, Kaleidoscope, You People, and many, many more that you’ll find in IGN’s rundown of Netflix’s January 2023 offerings.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.