Netflix Charts Shakeup: Stranger Things 5 Sees Sharp Decline in Week 2 as Yellowstone Rivalry Fails to Impress
The Netflix landscape has seen significant changes in viewer engagement recently. The highly anticipated fifth season of “Stranger Things” experienced a sharp decline in viewership during its second week, alongside stiff competition from other new releases.
Stranger Things 5: A Decline in Viewership
In its opening week, “Stranger Things” Season 5 achieved record-breaking success, racking up 112.7 million watched hours and 23.6 million views from December 1 to December 7, 2026. This impressive debut made it the most-watched English-language Netflix series launch, second only to “Squid Game” Season 2.
However, the excitement dwindled quickly. The series saw a 60% drop in viewership compared to its fourth season, which enjoyed a 17% increase in the same time frame. The discrepancy could be attributed to the streaming schedule; Season 5 released only four episodes, unlike Season 4, which debuted seven episodes at once.
Yellowstone Competition: The Abandons Flops
Meanwhile, “The Abandons,” another anticipated title touted as a competitor to “Yellowstone,” did not meet expectations. Despite its strong cast, which includes Lena Headey and Gillian Anderson, the series only garnered 7.3 million views and 37 million hours watched. This performance falls short even compared to Netflix’s previous failed venture in the same genre, “The Waterfront.”
Jay Kelly and Other New Releases Underperforming
Additionally, the film “Jay Kelly,” positioned as an Oscar contender and featuring stars like George Clooney and Adam Sandler, struggled with only 5.1 million views in its first week. Similarly, “Troll 2,” the sequel to one of Netflix’s most-watched non-English films, fell behind its predecessor, attracting 29.3 million views compared to 43.8 million for the original.
Wednesday Season 2: A Mixed Performance
The second season of “Wednesday” reflected similar trends. With 119.3 million views and 928.5 million hours watched over its initial 91 days, it ranks fourth in the Netflix charts. Nonetheless, it pales in comparison to Season 1, which amassed 252.1 million views and 1.72 billion hours watched.
As the streaming service navigates through these mixed results, industry watchers are keen to see how upcoming titles perform and whether viewership trends will stabilize. The fluctuating fortunes of these shows showcase the volatile nature of entertainment consumption on platforms like Netflix.
