10 of the most popular shows of 2020
Following a record-breaking year for streaming services as a result of the pandemic and two national-lockdowns, we take a look at 10 of the most streamed shows of 2020.
The Witcher (Netflix)
The first season of The Witcher is Netflix’s most successful show of the year, with around 76 million views. The fantasy show is based on the series of novels, which also inspired a video game franchise. The show is often referred to as Netflix’s answer to HBO’s Game of Thrones. The Witcher has a respectable score of 8.2 on IMDB but a slightly disappointing 67 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Money Heist (Netflix)
Netflix’s second most popular show of 2020 is the fourth season of Money Heist, with around 65 million viewers. The show is a Spanish heist-based crime drama by Spanish director Álex Pina. The show has an impressive 8.4 on IMDB and and a score of 93 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes. The show has received several awards since its launch, including best drama series at the 46th international Emmy Awards.
Stranger Things (Netflix)
A huge hit for Netflix that led to a wave of imitators, the third series of the American horror series was watched by 64 million people. The series stars Golden Globe-winning actress Winona Ryder and takes place in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, in the early-to-mid 1980s. The shows 1980s vibe has been a big hit with fans. The series has strong scores of 8.8 on IMDB and 93 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes respectively.
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness (Netflix)
The controversial Netflix show is the streaming service’s most viewed documentary series of the year. It stars Joe Maldonado-Passage aka Joe Exotic, the eccentric owner of a zoo for big cats. However, one of the main stars of the series, Carole Baskin has staunchly contested the way she has been portrayed in the series, with accusations that she fed her husband’s body to the big cats at the sanctuary. The show has a scored of 7.6 on IMDB and 86 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Disney Plus)
The Star Wars franchise series The Mandalorian smashed Disney Plus viewing figures when the first episode of its second series was released. Recent figures show that The Mandalorian is raking in five times more viewers than its closest rivals on the site. According to streaming aggregator Reelgood, Series two of the the Mandalorian had as big of an opening weekend as Netflix’ new Stranger Things series. The show has strong scores of 8.7 on IMDB and 93 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Simpsons (Disney Plus)
The most popular cartoon series of all time, The Simpsons takes the spot of the second most watched series on Disney Plus this year after Stars Wars: The Mandalorian. Although not originally available on the streaming service when it launched back in March due to licensing contracts with Sky, the series has been a big hit since. It is the first time that the famous cartoon family consisting of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie has been available to stream in the UK. Season 31, the latest series of the show, has recently been released on the platform.
COSMOS: Possible Worlds (Disney Plus)
COSMOS: Possible Worlds is the highest rated series on the list this year, boasting an incredible 10 out of 10 on IMDB as well as 98 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes. The factual documentary series follows the highly successful Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey series, as it takes viewers on a journey through the cosmos. The series is currently only available on Disney Plus UK, but it has since been announced that it will premiere on Disney Plus US on Friday 18 December.
The Man in the High Castle (Amazon Prime Video)
The Man in the High Castle continues to be one of Amazon Prime’s most successful series. Although no up-to-date figures on viewers are available, leaked documents obtained by Reuters back in 2017 showed that the first series pulled in eight million viewers, and the show has only gained in popularity since. The series has a rating of 8 out of 10 on IMDB and 84 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Undone (Amazon Prime Video)
The Amazon Prime original animated series starring Bob Odenkirk and Rosa Salazar has been a big hit with viewers this year. The series premiered on 13 September 2019 on Amazon Prime Video and is the company’s first original animated series, using the animation technique of rotoscoping. The series has a score of 8.2 on IMDB and an impressive score of 98 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Boys (Amazon Prime Video)
Amazon’s hit superhero series is now into its second season, with the overall viewership of the show increasing by 89 per cent since its release. Due to the huge success of the original series, Amazon has announced that the show will be getting a spin-off series. The second series also has a much-improved score on 96 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to the first season score of 86 per cent. The show boasts an impressive 8.7 score on IMDB.