Netflix and CBS Rule the 2025-2026 TV Season: ‘Stranger Things’ Finale Smashes Records, Broadcast Holds Its Ground

The streaming wars have a new undisputed champion, but the old guard isn’t going quietly. The 2025-2026 television season, as measured across 35 days of multi-platform viewing, reveals a fascinating dynamic: Netflix’s cultural behemoth Stranger Things commanded an unprecedented audience, while CBS—despite a slight dip in linear ratings—remains the most reliable engine for top-tier broadcast hits. The data, compiled by Nielsen through April 12, offers a snapshot of an industry in transition, where legacy networks and digital giants are increasingly intertwined.

‘Stranger Things’ Finale Ascends to Unrivaled Heights

For the second consecutive season, Netflix has claimed the No. 1 series overall. The final installment of Stranger Things averaged a staggering 32.9 million viewers across all platforms over a 35-day window, blowing past the second-place title, Apple TV+’s His & Hers, which landed at 25.6 million. The Duffer Brothers’ supernatural saga added 2.3 million viewers between the 28-day and 35-day windows, underscoring the power of long-tail streaming engagement.

This marks a notable increase from last season’s leader, Squid Game, which topped the 2024-2025 rankings with 27.14 million viewers. The growth reflects both the built-in fanbase for Stranger Things and the broader maturation of cross-platform measurement. Netflix now accounts for seven of the top 15 series overall, with all seven landing in the upper echelon of the rankings—a dominance that signals the streamer’s continued ability to produce appointment viewing.

CBS Proves Broadcast’s Enduring Power

While Netflix rules the streaming roost, CBS has quietly become the most reliable network for mass-appeal hits. Despite a down year in traditional primetime metrics, the Tiffany Network placed eight of the top 25 series across all platforms (excluding live sports) in the multi-platform rankings. That’s more than any other broadcast or cable entity, with ABC trailing with four entries.

The standout is Marshals, a CBS drama that ranks third overall with 20.7 million viewers—impressive for a freshman series. Fellow CBS holdover Tracker (16.4 million) and ABC’s High Potential (16 million) also cracked the top 10, buoyed by substantial streaming audiences on Paramount+ and Hulu, respectively. The data confirms that broadcast series, when paired with robust streaming platforms, can still achieve massive reach.

• CBS: 8 shows in the top 25—led by Marshals, Tracker, and NCIS.
• ABC: 4 shows, including High Potential and Grey’s Anatomy.
• NBC/Peacock: 1 show, with Law & Order: SVU sneaking in.
• HBO Max: 1 entry (The Last of Us season 2).
• Prime Video: 2 originals (Fallout and The Boys).

The Measurement Revolution: 35-Day Windows and Multi-Platform Reality

Nielsen’s decision to expand its multi-platform ratings to a 35-day window—rather than the traditional 28-day or 7-day metrics—has reshaped how the industry views success. The additional week captures late adopters and binge-watchers, a boon for serialized streaming series. For example, Stranger Things grew its 28-day total of 30.6 million by 7.5% in the extra week, while His & Hers added 1.4 million viewers (a 5.8% bump).

This shift also benefits Paramount+ originals like Landman, which added 900,000 viewers between the two windows to reach 19.8 million—a strong showing for a premium cable-style drama. The implication is clear: as more viewers defer live viewing, networks and streamers will increasingly optimize for longer-tail metrics.

One critical caveat: if live NFL telecasts were included, NBC’s Sunday Night Football (23.5 million cross-platform viewers) would rank first overall, and ABC/ESPN’s Monday Night Football (16 million) would slot into fourth. Sports remain the unassailable king of live TV, but the scripted series chart tells a more nuanced story.

What This Means for the Industry

The 2025-2026 season reaffirms that Netflix and broadcast networks are not zero-sum competitors but rather symbiotic pillars of the new TV ecosystem. Netflix provides global event programming and deep catalog appeal; CBS offers procedural reliability and a massive linear audience that streams later. The two strategies, combined, account for 15 of the top 25 series—a staggering 60% of the market.

For advertisers and studios, the takeaway is twofold. First, investing in high-budget, nostalgia-driven IP (like Stranger Things) pays off in viewer volume that dwarfs everything else. Second, maintaining a strong broadcast pipeline, especially via legacy franchises and spin-offs, ensures a steady flow of hits that can migrate to streaming platforms. CBS’s Marshals outperformed many premium streaming originals, proving that traditional TV is far from dead—it’s just evolving.

Looking ahead, the 2026-2027 season will test these trends. With Netflix ramping up production on Wednesday season 2 and CBS launching new NCIS offshoots, the battle for multi-platform supremacy will only intensify. As the lines blur between linear and digital, one thing is certain: the next generation of TV’s biggest hits will be measured not by a single screen, but by the total audience they command across every device—and Stranger Things has set a benchmark that will echo for years to come.

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