Data: Stranger Things most searched TV show
December 1, 2022
Research from William Hill Slots has revealed which TV shows have been the most popular over the last 12 months (October 2021 to October 2022) based on global and UK search volume data from Google Trends and AHrefs.
The study showed that Stranger Things was the most searched-for show globally, but was beaten by Love Island in the UK. Netflix’s popular sci-fi series returned for its fourth season back in May and fans of the show were hugely satisfied with the offering, which has set multiple viewing records.
HBO’s hit teen drama series Euphoria returned for its second season and placed behind Stranger Things in the global rankings.
BBC gangter drama Peaky Blinders ranked third in terms of global search volume after concluding with its fifth season earlier this year – although a movie is in the works to round off Tommy Shelby’s story. Although it started off with mainly a UK fan base, it has gained a global audience over the years via its Netflix deal – showcased by its high position on this list.
Marvel mini-series Moon Knight, starring Hollywood A-lister Oscar Issac, placed fourth with the Disney+ show proving a hit. Netflix period drama Bridgerton rounded off the top five having returned for its second season back in March.
The rest of the global Top 10 was rounded off by Vikings in sixth, followed by Better Call Saul, Resident Evil, Love Island and finally American Horror Story.
When it came to the most-searched-for shows in the UK, the results differed quite a lot, with, as aforementioned, reality series Love Island taking the top spot.
Stranger Things did still rank second, but Strictly Come Dancing was third, showing that reality TV seems to be the most popular genre with UK viewers. The Top 5 was completed by Peaky Blinders followed by Euphoria.
The rest of the UK Top 10 saw Bridgerton take sixth place followed by The Boys, Moon Knight, The Tourist and Gogglebox.
Most Searched Streaming Services
Netflix topped the global and UK lists for the most popular streaming service, with a peak global search volume of 113 million and 3.78 million in the UK.
The rest of the lists differed quite a lot with Prime Video coming second in the global rankings (13.78 million) but only managing fifth place in the UK with a peak search volume of 757,000. BBC iPlayer took second spot in the UK list with 3.54 million peak searches and fourth spot in the global rankings, which is to be expected given that it’s a UK-based platform.
Elsewhere, newer platforms like Apple TV+ and Disney+ had much lower search volume than expected. Apple TV had a peak of 176,000 worldwide and just 10,000 in the UK, which will come as a surprise given the weight behind the brand and the number of shows it boasts, with hits like Ted Lasso and Severance available on the service. Disney+ fared better with 3.84 million globally, but only managed 180,000 in the UK.