Ready for your next binge? Nielsen’s mid-year data unveils the runaway hits that have captivated viewers—and the leader is nothing short of a phenomenon.
Netflix reigns supreme
Unsurprisingly, Squid Game claims the crown for 2025’s most-watched original streaming series, with a staggering 15.1 billion minutes viewed in under a month. Bloomberg’s analysis of Nielsen figures shows that season 3 of the South Korean sensation—featuring Jung-jae Lee and Wi Ha-Joon—outpaced every other title, cementing Netflix’s dominance on the global stage. I remember my own household glued to every heart-stopping challenge, snacks in hand, cheering or wincing in equal measure.
The full top 10 lineup
Beyond Squid Game, audiences flocked to a mix of action thrillers and thoughtful dramas:
- Squid Game (Netflix) – 15.1 bn minutes
- Reacher (Prime Video) – 13.3 bn minutes
- The Night Agent (Netflix) – 12.2 bn minutes
- Ginny & Georgia (Netflix) – 10.2 bn minutes
- Severance (Apple TV+) – 9.3 bn minutes
- 1923 (Paramount+) – 8.5 bn minutes
- The Pitt (HBO Max) – 8.2 bn minutes
- The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu) – 8.2 bn minutes
- You (Netflix) – 8.1 bn minutes
- Landman (Paramount+) – 7.8 bn minutes
This ranking highlights not only Netflix’s stranglehold—dominating four spots—but also the broad appeal of Taylor Sheridan’s series like 1923 and Landman. It’s clear viewers are drawn to edge-of-your-seat action and thought-provoking storytelling alike, whether that’s exploring dystopian futures or chasing down covert agents.
