Licensed Shows vs. Originals: This chart features the most popular licensed streaming shows in the US since March 2020, based on the number of weeks the show has spent on Nielsen's weekly published Top 10 streaming charts. The list only includes shows that were acquired by streaming platforms after being produced for a cable or broadcast network. Netflix's Continued Dominance: Netflix was among the very first breakout streaming platforms in the US, and thus got a head start in terms of acquiring popular legacy content from Hollywood studios and networks. Four of the top 5 most-popular licensed streaming programs -- "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC), "NCIS" (CBS), "Criminal Minds" (CBS), and "Supernatural" (CW) -- originally aired in primetime on a broadcast TV network. Even large and prominent rivals like Disney+ and HBO Max have struggled to catch up to Netflix on this score. Where's Everyone Else? Peacock makes its first appearance on the list with "Yellowstone" -- acquired from Paramount Network -- at #27. Hulu's most popular acquisition to date -- based on how many weeks it spent on the Nielsen charts -- is the Nickelodeon comedy series "The Thundermans," way down at #37. Amazon Prime Video doesn't appear on the list until "Spongebob Squarepants" -- another Nickelodeon pick-up -- at #54. |
