The Neilsen TV ratings service doesn’t monitor streaming numbers, so services like Netflix often keep their numbers under wraps, but when they have something to crow about, they become a little more forthcoming. Netflix’s Twitter account declared that 40.7 million accounts have streamed ‘Stranger Things 3’ since it launched on July 4th and that 18.2 million have binged the entire season. This is a new record, according to Netflix. No other TV show or movie has been streamed by such a large number in the span of four days.
.@Stranger_Things 3 is breaking Netflix records!
40.7 million household accounts have been watching the show since its July 4 global launch — more than any other film or series in its first four days. And 18.2 million have already finished the entire season.
— Netflix US (@netflix) July 8, 2019
In contrast, when Season 2 arrived in October 2017, it was reported that 15.8 million viewers had watched the first episode. All nine new episodes averaged 4 million viewers.
According to TVLine, however, take Netflix’s report with a grain of salt. The streaming service doesn’t release regular viewership data and their numbers aren’t verified by an outside body. It is also reported that Netflix can count a show as being watched by a viewer, so long as they make it through 70% of a single episode.
But on the flip side– let’s not kid ourselves– not everyone pays for their own Netflix account. So if one account is used by multiple viewers to stream ‘Stranger Things 3’, then those don’t count, so if Netflix pads their numbers a little, that could simply be seen as making up for the non-unique account views.
‘Stranger Things’ was created by Matt and Ross Duffer, who also serve as writers and directors. Additional episodes were directed by Shawn Levy and Uta Briesewitz, while episodes were also written by William Bridges, Kate Trefey, Paul Dichter, and Curtis Gwinn. Season 3 stars Millie Bobby Brown, Cara Buono, Natalia Dyer, Priah Ferguson, David Harbour, Maya Hawke, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Dacre Montgomery, Winona Ryder, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, and Finn Wolfhard. Also recurring or guest-starring are Jake Busey, Cary Elwes, Brett Gelman, Randy Havens, Michael Park, Francesca Reale, and Alec Utgoff.
If you’re behind, ‘Stranger Things’ Season 1-3 are all available to stream on Netflix now.
