Netflix Dominated Streaming in the Second Half of 2023

The way audiences consume television and entertainment programming fundamentally shifted in 2023. At the same time, streamers also evolved their strategies, embracing ads for the first time and changing how consumers engage with programming.

Last year also saw major events shake the industry, including the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which impacted how streamers and TV networks alike tapped into their deeper content libraries to drum up viewership during the lull in original programming. That gave rise to various trends, including a decade-old favorite like “Suits” rising to the top of the streaming charts week after week over the summer. Similarly, tried and true game show programs like “Wheel of Fortune” consistently topped linear TV charts.

Read on for a closer look at some of the major trends for streaming in 2023 that were unpacked each week in Samba TV’s Weekly Wrap Report, an exclusive first look at the most-watched movies and TV programs across both streaming and linear television.

Netflix Dominates Streaming Charts in Second Half of 2023

Throughout the 24 weeks analyzed in the second half of the year, Netflix programming comprised 88% of the No. 1 streaming programs, while Disney+ landed two of the top slots (“Ahsoka” season one and “Elemental”), and Amazon’s Prime Video landed one top slot more recently with the original holiday film “Candy Cane Lane.” 

“Reptile” topped the charts for Netflix a whopping three times — it ranked No. 1 the most — while several programs ranked No. 1 twice, including “Heart of Stone,” “Leave the World Behind,” “The Killer,” “The Out-Laws” and “Virgin River” Season 5.

Throughout the second half of the year, Netflix programs comprised 64% of the total weekly top 10 streaming programs, Disney+ had 12%, Amazon Prime Video took 6%, and Paramount+ and Apple TV+ each held 5%. The top-ranking program for Paramount+ was “Special Ops: Lioness” season 1, which ranked No. 4 for two weeks, while the top Apple TV+ program was the latest season of “The Morning Show,” which ranked No. 5 for one week.

Non-Netflix Streaming Platforms Demonstrate Staying Power

Although Netflix shows dominated the No. 1 streaming slot throughout the second half of the year,  many programs on other platforms demonstrated staying power on the top 10 list. This was likely impacted by their weekly release model strategy as opposed to Netflix’s standard bulk release model. Season three of “Only Murders in the Building” on Hulu landed on the leaderboard the highest number of times at nine, followed by “Ahsoka” on Disney+ at seven times.

Streaming Movies Have an Edge Over TV Shows for Top Spots

The No. 1 streaming programs throughout the 24 weeks analyzed in the second half of the year tended to be movies as opposed to shows, with movies comprising 71% of the top spots. The only shows that ranked No. 1 throughout the half were: “Ahsoka” Season One, “Quarterback” Season One, “Sweet Magnolias” Season Three, “The Lincoln Lawyer” Season Two, “Virgin River” Season Five and “Who Is Erin Carter?” Season One.

Broadcast Television Sees Less Program Diversity within the Top 10

Compared to the top streaming programs, where more than 102 titles ranked in the weekly top 10 throughout the second half of 2023, the top linear programs were much more homogeneous. Only 52 distinct programs ranked within the linear top 10, with several programs popping up almost every week and oftentimes multiple times per week. For example, “Wheel of Fortune” comprised 38 top slots, “The Voice” held 33 and “America’s Got Talent” grabbed 32.

Game Show and Talent Programming Comes Out on Top on Linear TV

“America’s Got Talent” and “The Voice” were standout linear programs, with the former comprising 10 of the No. 1 linear programs throughout the 24 weeks surveyed, and “The Voice” comprising nine of the No. 1 linear programs. Outside of those, the No. 1 slots tended to go towards major events, such as the 57th CMA Awards, the 97th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Christmas in Rockefeller Center.

The inaugural “Yellowstone” episode that aired in September on linear television was the only scripted program to make it to the No. 1 slot throughout the half.

Broadcast Networks Reign Supreme

Broadcast networks dominated the top 10 linear programs throughout the 24 weeks surveyed in second half of 2023. NBC was the top network, comprising 40% of the total programs, followed by ABC at 37% and CBS at 18%. In comparison, cable programming failed to surpass the broadcast heavyweights in the second half of the year.

Cole Strain is VP and Head of R&D at Samba TV, a WrapPRO partner. Click here for more data and analysis  from Samba TV. 

The Wrap Report provides an exclusive first look at the most watched movies and TV series from the past week across both streaming and linear television sourced from viewership trends collected from Samba TV’s panel of more than three million households drawn from over 25 million connected TVs, balanced to the U.S. Census.

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