Updated
Updated · 9to5Mac · Aug 4
Shrinking Tops Apple TV in 2026 With 5.2 Billion Minutes, Reaching Nielsen's Top 20
Updated
Updated · 9to5Mac · Aug 4

Shrinking Tops Apple TV in 2026 With 5.2 Billion Minutes, Reaching Nielsen's Top 20

3 articles · Updated · 9to5Mac · Aug 4

Summary

  • Nielsen’s first-half 2026 data put Shrinking at 5.2 billion minutes viewed, making it Apple TV’s most-watched series of the year so far.
  • The comedy-drama ranked No. 20 among streaming original series, a notable result for Apple TV, whose titles rarely appear on Nielsen’s cross-platform charts.
  • Shrinking sat close to several shows in the 5 billion-minute range, including Love Is Blind and Paradise, and a modest lift could have pushed it as high as No. 14.
  • Stranger Things and The Pitt led the original-series ranking with 23 billion and 21 billion minutes, underscoring the gap between Apple’s top performer and the market leaders.
  • The data arrives as Ted Lasso returns for season 4; both series share a creator, and Shrinking is also expected to come back next year for its own fourth season.

Insights

Why did a comedy about a grieving therapist become the only Apple TV show to break Nielsen's top 20 this year?
Despite 5.2 billion viewing minutes, why does Apple's biggest 2026 hit still trail far behind streaming's true juggernauts?
With a mysterious time jump planned for season four, how will Apple's breakout hit reinvent its emotional core next year?