Stranger Things 4 Defeats Obi-Wan in Last Big Streaming Fight

Stranger Things 4 Defeats Obi-Wan in Last Big Streaming Fight

Season 4 of Stranger Things defeated Obi-Wan Kenobi in the titanic final showdown between Netflix and Disney Plus.

Judging by data compiled by audience analysis firm Nielsen (as reported by Deadline (opens in a new tab)), Obi-Wan Kenobi failed to land a heavy blow during his fight against Stranger Things Season XNUMX. .

The hugely popular Netflix show racked up 5.100 billion streaming minutes in the three days since its debut on May 27, making it only the third series to cross the 5.000 billion-plus minute mark in streaming history. Tiger King ($5,3 billion) and Ozark ($5,2 billion) are the only other titles to accomplish a similar feat.

By contrast, the standalone Obi-Wan series racked up a billion streaming minutes in its opening weekend (also May 27), which is still quite an impressive run. The latest Star Wars series may have suffered a huge loss for Stranger Things 4, but the Disney Plus show has set a new record for Disney's streaming service. Reaching one billion streaming minutes within the first few days of release, Obi-Wan became the first non-film project in Disney Plus history to reach this milestone. Loki's first season accomplished a similar feat, but not before many episodes had been released.

(*two*)Obi-Wan Kenobi sits alone on the edge of a Tatooine cliff to eat on his Disney Plus show

It doesn't matter, Obi-Wan. (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)

Of course, there are extenuating circumstances for Stranger Things' big win. The Duffer Brothers-created series spans four seasons, and Stranger Things fans will likely have rewatched previous entries to remember what happened before season 4 arrived. Volume 1 of Stranger Things 4 also contains seven episodes, all both of which were released upon release on May 27. day.

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan debuted a two-episode premiere on the same date. Also, aside from the oft-maligned earlier movies, he has yet to release content to support it in the same way that Stranger Things season 4 does. Finally, Nielsen's data only takes US audiences into account, so it's very likely that both shows will receive increases in their total broadcast minutes if global numbers are taken into account.

That said, Stranger Things 4 still single-handedly beat Obi-Wan in the United States. The last episode of the series recorded four billion minutes of transmission; the other billions are split between seasons 1, 2, and 3. The first episode of season four also topped Obi-Wan's first entry during its opening weekend, clocking in at 12,7 million. minutes viewed compared to 11.2. million.

Obi-Wan had a small victory over his competitor, though. The opening episode of Obi-Wan racked up 6,2 million minutes watched on May 27, while the premiere of Stranger Things 4 only racked up 6 million. So it seems that audiences were initially more intrigued by what Obi-Wan had to offer. Ultimately, though, the beloved Star Wars character couldn't pull off a Jedi mind trick in the Upside Down.

Analysis: A big win for Netflix ahead of a crucial summer

(*two*)Press image of a person watching Netflix on their phone in portrait mode

Netflix needed a big win, and Stranger Things delivered. (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Netflix needed a big win to turn things around after an unusually difficult spell for the streaming giant. With subscriber numbers declining, the company's plan to crack down on inappropriate password sharing, financial problems, and multiple show cancellations, Netflix was desperate to turn this negative press into something more positive.

So the acclaim Stranger Things 4 (and Netflix by proxy) received clearly did the job. Now, the streamer can boast the three most-watched shows in streaming history, the largest subscriber base among its peers, and the most awards for a streaming company. Not bad for a company that has had its fair share of bad press in recent weeks.

With Netflix Geeked Week 2022 in full swing, June could be the start of Netflix putting most of this negativity behind it. The streaming giant has a host of big shows and movies coming later this year, including The Sandman, The Gray Man, and The Witcher: Blood Origin, all of which are slated to arrive before the end of the year. Add to that the fact that Stranger Things Volume 4 Season 2 will also arrive on July 1, with two feature-length episodes, and Netflix will be confident that it can hold off its biggest rivals.

Yes, Netflix problems will not be solved overnight. With Apple TV Plus and HBO Max vying for their TV streaming crown of prestige, and Disney Plus developing its own subscriber base, Netflix can't afford to rest on its laurels either. Still, the streaming company can bask in the sheen of a job well done with Stranger Things 4, and its hugely successful launch could be just the ticket for Netflix to reassert its dominance of the streaming landscape.

For more Netflix-based content, check out our coverage of Netflix Geeked Week 2022 with these stories on Guillermo del Toro's cabinet of curiosities, the new trailer and release date for The Sandman, and a clip from season 3 of The Sandman. Umbrella Academy.