A massive record held byStranger Thingsseason 4 has been surpassed, according to Netflix’s recent streaming data update.Wednesdayseason 1 holds the trophy for the most-viewed English-language TV show of all time, butStranger Thingsseason 4 previously held the #2 position.Stranger Thingsis, of course, not only one of the biggest Netflix shows but one of the most popular TV shows ever made, and its upcoming fifth season could shatter records.Stranger Thingsseason 5premieres June 27, 2025.
Netflix’s streaming data is always fascinating to analyze, as the platform’s algorithm has proven capable of launching anything fromBridgertontoSquid GametoThe Tiger Kinginto a cultural phenomenon over the weekend. Creators behind some of Netflix’s most popular shows discussed news for upcoming titles at the recent Tudum event, but new, less-advertised shows are constantly popping up out of nowhere. 2025’sAdolescenceis one of the greatest examples.
Adolescence Is One Of Netflix’s Biggest TV Show Releases Ever
No One Could Have Foreseen Adolescence’s Tremendous Success
2025’s miniseries,Adolescence, is now the second-most-viewed English-language Netflix show of all time, according to data onNetflix Tudum. With 141.2 M unique views, it falls far short ofWednesdayseason 1’s 252.1 M. In terms of total hours viewed, it only has 541.4 M, whileStranger Thingsseason 4 has 1,838 M. This is becauseAdolescenceis still a relatively recent release, though, whileStranger Thingsseason 4 has had three years to accumulate viewership.
Adolescenceis a British psychological drama about a family whose lives are turned upside-down when their 13-year-old son is arrested for murdering another child.Adolescencehas earned a 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes from criticsand has been hailed as one of the top new shows of 2025. With only four episodes, it’s an easy show to binge for anyone who can handle the more mature material. The top five shows can be seen on the graph below:
1
252,100,000
2
141,200,000
3
140,700,000
4
115,600,000
5
113,300,000
Our Take On Adolescence’s Success
Adolescence Is A Surprising But Welcomed Hit
The average runtime forAdolescenceis short at 3 minutes and 50 seconds, which could be due to the more intense material. Many of the shows it competes with, such asWednesday,Bridgerton, andStranger Things,are relatively easy to digest.DAHMERis another heavy show, but creator Ryan Murphy is a professional at making entertaining, easy-to-consume television.Adolescenceis much more of a fringe title, making it irregular to see at the top of the list, and I find that rather exciting.
I don’t mean this to put downStranger Thingsor other shows like it, but light-hearted, fantastical shows, or comedies, are typically found at the top of charts for anything in the film industry, be it movie theater box office or streaming data.Adolescencemight not be for everyone, as demonstrated by the short average runtime, but the fact that it holds the position it does means that audiences are trying it, and I’m always going to stand behind audiences pushing their boundaries with art.
