Grey's Anatomy Tops Streaming TV Rankings Since 2020
A Nielsen study ranks the most-watched streaming TV shows in the United States since 2020, with Grey's Anatomy in first place.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Television
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Grey's Anatomy led a Nielsen study of the most-watched streaming TV shows since 2020, with 246.55 million minutes viewed. NCIS placed second, Bluey third, and Stranger Things sixth with 145.24 million minutes.
Why it matters
The ranking shows that long-running medical and police dramas, along with rewatchable children's shows, continue to attract heavy streaming audiences in the United States. It also highlights how seasons and episode counts can drive total viewing time on streaming platforms.
The Nielsen study measured total streaming minutes watched since 2020, with Grey's Anatomy at 246.55 million minutes, versus 145.24 million for Stranger Things in sixth place. The source does not say how viewing is split across streaming platforms.
The players
Nielsen
Nielsen is a global audience measurement company whose studies track viewing of television and streaming content.
Netflix
Netflix is a streaming service that produces and distributes original series, including Stranger Things.
The details
Nielsen's study ranked the most-watched streaming TV shows since 2020, with Grey's Anatomy first, NCIS second, Bluey third, Criminal Minds fourth, Cocomelon fifth, Stranger Things sixth, and Supernatural seventh. Grey's Anatomy and NCIS have many seasons and episodes, which contributes to their high totals.
Timeline
Since 2020: Start of the period covered by the Nielsen streaming ranking.
Earlier in 2026: Stranger Things season 5 concluded.
2028: Spin-off Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure is due on Netflix.
Industry Dynamics
Nielsen's streaming measurement shows that long-running network dramas such as Grey's Anatomy and NCIS, now available on streaming, can outrank original streaming hits in total minutes viewed. The ranking reflects a catalog-driven viewing pattern in which episode volume matters as much as individual hit status.
Because these shows are available on streaming platforms, viewers can access older series like Grey's Anatomy and NCIS through their existing subscriptions. Rewatching large back catalogs is a practical way audiences are spending their viewing time.
The takeaway
Long-running series with many seasons can accumulate more streaming viewing time than newer hits, so a show's total catalog size is a useful factor when judging its audience reach. Viewers looking for rewatchable options can consider both established dramas and children's favorites.
Further reading
For more on how streaming changes what audiences watch, see the Television section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Gamesradar.
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