“Game of Thrones” aired its last new episode in August 2017 and won’t return for its final season until April.
But the HBO fantasy series was still the top video-on-demand pick of 2018 among Comcast’s 22 million-plus subscribers, according to data shared exclusively with USA TODAY.
“The fact that that show is still ranked No. 1 across the board when it wasn’t even current is pretty incredible. It shows just how large of a following that show has (and) how new people are still discovering it,” says Brynn Lev, VP of editorial and programming at Comcast Cable.
The top 5 also includes NBC’s “This Is Us,” Starz’s “Power,” Fox’s “9-1-1” and ABC’s “The Good Doctor,” reflecting a broad range of broadcast and premium cable series that fans binged outside the Hulu and Netflix streaming sites, which are not factored into the results. Serialized dramas continue to be among the most popular shows for catch-up viewing.
Nine of the top 20 series first aired on a broadcast network; eight more premiered on HBO, Showtime or Starz; and just three – all reality shows – came from basic cable, demonstrating the enduring appeal of “Jersey Shore” and the Kardashians.
And there were regional differences in the 12 major markets, from Boston to Seattle, served by Comcast.
- While “Thrones” ranked first nationally and in nine of the cities, Starz’s “Power” was most in demand in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
- “The Sopranos,” which premiered nearly 20 years ago, remains in the top 20 nationally and in eight cities, while “The Wire” was still popular in the three mid-Atlantic cities.
- ABC’s “The Good Doctor” ranked fifth nationally and made every local list except Washington, while ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” (now in its 15th season) remained a top draw in Boston, Houston, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, where it takes place.
- Western drama “Yellowstone” made the top 20 only in two Western cities, Denver and Portland.
- “The Simpsons,” celebrating its 30th anniversary, was a top on-demand title in Denver, Minneapolis and Portland.
Despite the increase in streaming networks and a national decline in cable subscribers, Lev says Comcast’s on-demand usage is rose 10% or more from 2017, and at least two-thirds of its customers watched video on demand at some point during the year.
2018: Top 20 Shows On Demand
- Game of Thrones (HBO)
- This Is Us (NBC)
- Power (Starz)
- 9-1-1 (Fox)
- The Good Doctor (ABC)
- Shameless (Showtime)
- Westworld (HBO)
- Jersey Shore Family Vacation (MTV)
- Outlander (Starz)
- Homeland (Showtime)
- The Sopranos (HBO)
- Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
- Billions (Showtime)
- The Voice (NBC)
- Married at First Sight (Lifetime)
- The Resident (Fox)
- America’s Got Talent (NBC)
- Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
- Keeping Up with Kardashians (E!)
- Chicago PD (NBC)
Ranking of most popular series viewed on demand in Comcast’s 20 million-plus homes, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 5, 2018.
Top shows by city
Baltimore: Power; Game of Thrones; This Is Us; 9-1-1; Shameless
Boston: Game of Thrones; This Is Us; Shameless Homeland; The Sopranos
Chicago: Game of Thrones; This Is Us; Power; Shameless; Jersey Shore
Denver: Game of Thrones; This Is Us; Westworld; Jersey Shore; Outlander
Houston: Game of Thrones; Power; This Is Us; Jersey Shore; 9-1-1
Minneapolis: Game of Thrones; This Is Us; Westworld; Power; Billions
Philadelphia: Power; Game of Thrones; This Is Us; The Sopranos; Shameless
Pittsburgh: Game of Thrones; This Is Us; Shameless; The Sopranos; Jersey Shore
Portland: Game of Thrones; This Is Us; Westworld; Outlander; The Good Doctor
San Francisco: Game of Thrones; This Is Us; Westworld; Power; Homeland
Seattle: Game of Thrones; This Is Us; Westworld; The Good Doctor; 9-1-1
Washington, D.C.: Power; Game of Thrones, This Is Us; Westworld; Empire
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