In this article, we will look at the 15 most watched TV shows of 2024 and discuss trends in the TV and entertainment industry.
Overview of the Film and TV Industry
The film and TV industry is a major source of revenue generation and employment across the globe. According to a report by the Motion Pictures Association, the film and TV industry supported more than 2.74 million jobs as of 2022, directly providing around 927,000 jobs. Around 376,000 of these direct jobs entailed producing, manufacturing motion pictures, marketing, and video content. 550,000 direct jobs engaged in television shows, distributing motion pictures, and video content to viewers and consumers. This included online video services, movie theaters, television broadcasters, and cable and pay TV companies. According to the report, the film and TV industry generates more direct jobs as compared to any other major sector, including crop production, mining, utility system construction, rental & leasing services, and oil & natural gas extraction. Workers in the industry earn 62% higher salaries than the national average of overall direct jobs, and a 47% higher salary than the national average for production jobs across the country.
The industry also supported $242 billion in total wages, of which $105 billion was earned in direct wages by workers supported by the industry around the US. The film and TV industry comprises more than 122,000 businesses spread over all the states in the US. Around 92% of these are small businesses employing less than 10 people. You can also look at 25 Most Profitable TV Shows of All Time.
Rise of the Digital Entertainment Platforms
According to the 2020 THEME report by the Motion Pictures Association, the global home/mobile entertainment and theatrical market stood at $80.0 billion. The amount declined by 18% between 2019 and 2020, falling to its lowest value in 2020 since 2016. The theatrical revenue also went from $42.3 billion in 2019 to $12 billion in 2020 due to the restrictions imposed to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Theatrical revenue in 2020 only accounted for 15% of the total global entertainment revenue, down from 43% in 2019. However, the theatrical and global entertainment industry has since then been on a positive path to recovery.
The decline of conventional modes of entertainment across the globe resulted in a boom in digital entertainment, with viewers relying on video-on-demand, electronic sell-through, and streaming video options. The revenue for digital entertainment increased by 31% in 2020, touching $61.8 billion. With the total online video subscribers reaching 1.1 billion in 2020, up by 26% in 2019, the digital entertainment industry has been on an upward trajectory since then. You can also look at the 15 Most Watched TV Shows of 2023 for better insight.
Key Players in the Digital Video Streaming Market
According to a report from Fortune Business Insights, the global video streaming market size is expected to go from $554.33 billion in 2023 to $1.90 trillion in 2030. This translates to a compound annual growth rate of 19.3%. Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) is one of the top companies driving the global video streaming market. On April 17, Reuters reported that Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) saw its high growth in the second half of 2023 after the pandemic boom, accumulating around 22 million new subscribers. This was primarily driven by the company’s password sharing crackdown, which prompted its rival company, Disney+ by The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), to undertake similar steps.
Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) reported a revenue of $9.37 billion in Q1 2024, up 15% year over year. The company’s earnings per share also increased by nearly 50% year over year to $5.28 and beat analysts’ expectations by $0.74. Netflix’s paid users rose 16% year over year during the quarter as it added over 9 million new users, swelling up its premium subscriber base to 270 million across the globe. Moreover, the company is expanding into new verticals, particularly live sports, and is hosting the much anticipated fight between YouTuber Jake Paul and boxing legend Mike Tyson on November 15. Management is focused on growing engagement, revenue, and profit, altogether, with the group’s entrance into the live sports streaming market and is looking to mirror the dynamics of its $5-billion deal with WWE earlier in January.
While there’s a lot of new exciting things going on at Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX), the group expects weaker subscriber growth in the second quarter due to seasonal trends. For the full-year Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) expects revenue growth to range between 13% and 15%.
Now that we have taken an overview of the film and TV industry, let’s look at the 15 most watched TV shows of 2024. You can also look at 10 Best TV Shows of All Time and 30 Best TV Shows of All Time.
15 Most Watched TV Shows of 2024
Our Methodology
In order to compile a list of the 15 most watched TV shows of 2024, we followed a consensus approach. We compiled a list of the most watched TV shows of 2024 after consulting five online expert sources. We then ranked them according to their IMDb rating and number of IMDb reviews. We have considered the number of IMDb reviews as the primary metric, and the IMDb rating as the secondary metric. Only those TV shows which had more than 7,000 IMDb views and 7.0 IMDb ratings were considered.
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15 Most Watched TV Shows of 2024
15. Bodkin
Number of IMDb Reviews: 9200
IMDb Rating: 7
Bodkin ranks 15th on our list of the 15 most watched TV shows of 2024 with an IMDb rating of 7/10 and a 69% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Released on May 9, 2024, the first season of the series can be streamed on Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX). Falling in the “Thriller” category, the series covers the story of a podcaster and a journalist who team up to take on a mysterious case in a small town in Ireland, where all the locals seem to house secrets. Bodkin has 9200 reviews on IMDb as of the writing of this list, despite its recent release.
14. Dead Body Detectives
Number of IMDb Reviews: 13,000
IMDb Rating: 7.5
Based on Dead Boy Detectives by Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner, Dead Body Detectives ranks 14th on our list. The series was released on Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) in 2024, and is based on two teenage ghosts who join hands with a clairvoyant to solve mysteries abuzz in their supernatural world. That is, until a powerful witch gets in their way and makes things complicated. The series has a 7.5 rating on IMDb, and around 13,000 reviews.
13. Sugar
Number of IMDb Reviews: 19,000
IMDb Rating: 7.6
Sugar has around 19,000 IMDb reviews and a 7.6 IMDb rating, ranking it 13th on our list. First aired on April 5, 2024, in the USA on Apple TV+, the series has an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It is built around the disappearance of Olivia Siegel, which prompts private detective John Sugar to dig deep into the Siegel family. In his quest for Olivia, he stumbles upon dark Siegel family secrets, both old and new.
12. X-Men’97
Number of IMDb Reviews: 27,000
IMDb Rating: 8.9
With an IMDb rating of 8.9, X-Men’97 ranks 12th on our list. The series has around 27,000 reviews on IMDb and an 8.9 IMDb rating. The animated television series is based on the Marvel Comics superhero team and first aired on March 20th on Disney+. It has a 99% Rotten Tomatoes rating.
11. Outer Range
Number of IMDb Reviews: 37,000
IMDb Rating: 7.1
Outer Range is a sci-fi, mystery, and thriller television series with around 37,000 IMDb reviews and a 7.1 IMDb rating. It zooms in on the Abbotts family, whose lives get shrouded in confusion as a strange black void appears in their pasture. Available on Amazon Prime Video, the series has an 85% Rotten Tomatoes rating and shows us what it means to grapple with the unknown.
10. Clarkson’s Farm
Number of IMDb Reviews: 61,000
IMDb Rating: 9
Clarkson’s Farm was initially released in 2021, with its third season released in 2024. The British reality television show follows Jeremy Clarkson as he attempts to run a farm in the countryside without any prior farming experience to rely on. He deals with an unexpected pandemic, wayward animals, and unresponsive crops while navigating his way through country life. The show has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 9/10 rating on IMDb.
9. Baby Reindeer
Number of IMDb Reviews: 108,000
IMDb Rating: 7.8
Baby Reindeer ranks ninth on our list of the 15 most watched TV shows of 2024, amassing significant attention in a small time frame. The mini-series featured Richard Gard in a pictorial representation of his autobiographical show, and covers the story of a female stalker. Baby Reindeer has a 7.8/10 rating on IMDb and a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
8. Young Sheldon
Number of IMDb Reviews: 108,000
IMDb Rating: 7.7
Based on the childhood of the Big Bang Theory’s renowned Sheldon Cooper, Young Sheldon has around 108,000 IMDb reviews. With a 7.7/10 rating, the comedy show serves as an indirect prequel to The Big Bang Theory. Young Sheldon ranks 8th on our list, with its last season premiering on television in 2024.
7. The Gentlemen
Number of IMDb Reviews: 111,000
IMDb Rating: 8.1
The Gentlemen ranks seventh on our list of the 15 most watched TV shows of 2024. The show was released on March 7, 2024, and is available for streaming with a Netflix subscription. It has an 8.1/10 rating on IMDb and a 74% Rotten Tomatoes rating. The Gentlemen has 111,000 reviews on IMDb.
6. The Good Doctor
Number of IMDb Reviews: 115,000
IMDb Rating: 8.0
The Good Doctor ranks among the most watched television shows of 2024 with around 115,000 reviews on IMDb. The show covers the story of Dr. Shaun Murphy, a young doctor with autism and Savant syndrome, who joins a well-known hospital in San Jose, California. However, he fails to mingle with his colleagues, and has to prove his skills to earn a spot at the table. The Good Doctor’s final season aired in 2024, ending on May 21. It has an 8.0/10 IMDb rating and is available to stream with a Netflix subscription.
5. 3 Body Problem
Number of IMDb Reviews: 117,000
IMDb Rating: 7.5
With a 7.5/10 IMDb rating and a 79% Rotten Tomatoes rating, 3 Body Problem ranks fifth on our list. The American science fiction television series follows a complex mystery and a group of friends on a quest to solve it, with its origin stemming from China’s Cultural Revolution. Based on the best-selling novels by Cixin Liu, the show is expected to have three seasons. It is available for streaming with a Netflix subscription.