Netflix Dominates Streaming: 2026’s Most-Watched Shows Are In

Here we are, knee-deep in the streaming turf wars, and it feels like every week a new record’s been set or a freshly-minted blockbuster has popped up just to make sure you don’t cancel your subscription. Gone are the early days of Netflix chucking everything at the wall and hoping people would binge absolutely anything. Now, it’s all about marquee franchises, big brands and heavyweight showrunners—all in the name of making sure you keep paying that monthly fee instead of hopping over to the next shiny thing.

At one point, Netflix was actually toying with the idea of buying Warner Bros. Now, every time Ted Sarandos, the Netflix boss, got asked if they really needed to make that move, he would give a pretty firm 'no'. For them, this wasn’t about gobbling up more content—it was all about breaking into the world of theatrical releases. In the end, Netflix got cold feet and backed out, which left Paramount to swoop in, leaving Netflix to keep playing the streaming game solo. Not exactly a tragic outcome, seeing as they’re still topping the charts by a long way.

Who’s actually winning? (Hint: it’s not even close)

Fancy charts aside, the headline is simple: Netflix and CBS are absolutely eating everyone’s lunch when it comes to multi-platform numbers, according to the latest figures.

• 'Stranger Things' (Netflix) is at the top of the pile for the 2025-26 TV season, wrapping things up with its final lot of episodes and pulling in a ridiculous 32.9 million sets of eyeballs in just the first 35 days.
• 'His & Hers' grabbed 25.6 million, another healthy figure for Netflix.
• 'Bridgerton' still sizzles with 18.3 million.
• 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story' hauled in 13.4 million—because apparently the world’s appetite for murder docs is bottomless.
• 'The Beast in Me' scored 12.7 million.
• Six out of the year’s twelve biggest shows are Netflix titles, for anyone keeping score.

Outside of the Netflix juggernaut, CBS flexes with 'Marshals', its new spin-off from the never-ending 'Yellowstone' universe. That one’s at 20.7 million viewers and counting, halfway through its inaugural run—making it the third most-streamed show right now, behind only 'Stranger Things' and 'His & Hers'. CBS also has 'Tracker' holding firm in the top 15, not to mention '60 Minutes', still getting 9.7 million viewers, which frankly might be more impressive than anything else. How many people actually sit through the news these days?

ABC can’t quite keep up numbers-wise, but it has four solid offerings in the top 25: 'High Potential', 'The Rookie', 'Will Trent', and the perpetually resilient 'Dancing With the Stars'.

As for the other streaming platforms:

• Prime Video’s biggest hit is 'Fallout', snagging 13.3 million. 'The Boys', by contrast, is at 9.9 million.
• Paramount+ is powered by 'Landman' (19.8 million—easily their crown jewel), plus a cheeky second entry, 'The Madison', at 10.2 million.
• HBO Max limps into the top 25 with just one show: 'The Pitt', raking in 13.8 million.
• NBC/Peacock has exactly one entry: the seemingly immortal 'Chicago Fire' with 9.9 million.

With the numbers so lopsided, it’s no shock the other platforms are funnelling cash into anything and everything that might close the gap. Paramount+ and HBO Max have both confirmed they’ll be doubling down on new projects next year, clearly desperate to pull in a bit of Netflix’s thunder. The stakes are high, and as long as the industry keeps chasing data like this, the money will keep on flowing into shiny new shows—however many streaming platforms you’ve ended up signed up to by the end of it.