Stranger Things season 4 part 2 has broken a new Nielson streaming viewership record. After first being released on Netflix back in 2016, the Duffer Brothers' horror/ fantasy show has since become one of the streaming service's most popular original offerings. Stranger Things recently returned earlier this year with season 4, ushering viewers once more to the town of Hawkins, Indiana, in the 1980s.
Unlike previous seasons, season 4 of the hit Netflix show was broken up into two parts. Part 1, which was released at the end of May, was comprised of 7 episodes, with viewers having to wait a little bit longer to watch part 2, which was released at the start of July. Part 2 of Stranger Things season 4 featured only 2 episodes, but each episode was longer than normal, with the finale clocking in at nearly two and a half hours. While Stranger Things had always been popular, season 4 saw the show reach new heights. Not long after part 2 hit Netflix, it was announced that Stranger Things hit a significant streaming viewership milestone, with the show surpassing 1 billion hours watched.
Now, according to a new report from Variety, Stranger Things has broken yet another viewership record, with part 2 helping to give the show the second biggest-ever streaming week in the history of Nielson's rankings. Between June 27 and July 1st, Stranger Things clocked an impressive 5.9 billion minutes viewed, beat only by the 7.2 billion minutes of Stranger Things viewed between May 30th to June 5th. This newest record means the Duffer Brothers' hit series now holds four of Nielson's top six streaming weeks ever.
Although it didn't take long for the show to become popular after the release of season 1, Stranger Things is now in a new realm of popularity entirely. With each new season, Stranger Things has increased in scale and scope (and budget), and the show is clearly resonating with viewers now more than ever before in its run. With a nostalgic 1980s setting, a lovable cast of characters of various ages, and some genuine scares, the show has proven to appeal to a wide demographic, an important factor to consider when analyzing the show's popularity.
Stranger Things is confirmed to be returning for a fifth and final season at some point in the next few years, and it remains to be seen whether the show will shatter further records. If season 4 is any indication, it seems likely that season 5 will see the series set further precedents, potentially coming to occupy all six of the top spots on Nielson's rankings. With Stranger Things now at the height of its popularity, it's unclear what upcoming show, if any, has the potential to dethrone the Netflix juggernaut.
Source: Variety