By relying on the Watchworthy algorithm, which itself relies on the “Likes” and “Dislikes” of Ranker and Watchworthy users, ‘Worthy’ scores give a sense of not just what’s popular, but what’s trending in TV today. LOS ANGELES (PRWEB) June 18, 2021
Ranker, known as the world’s leading publisher for fan-powered rankings on just about everything with over one billion votes, just announced the Top Streaming Networks and TV Shows for the month of May 2021 according to users of the TV recommendation app Watchworthy.
Top lists for 2021 were created using data from Watchworthy, a free app that offers personalized TV recommendations and allows users to build their own watchlist from TV networks and over 200 streaming services such as Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Peacock, Paramount+, and many more. In just 30 seconds, Watchworthy gets to know users’ specific tastes in TV and recommends new shows they’re statistically more likely to love.
It’s one thing to know how many people are sitting in front of how many televisions to watch however many shows at any given time. But what that doesn’t tell you are the ideas about the shows streamers are watching, about why they’re watching it, about how it’s similar to or different from the dozens of other shows they love. And the only place where one can find cold, hard data on all those opinions is Watchworthy.
By relying on the Watchworthy algorithm, which itself relies on the “Likes” and “Dislikes” of Ranker and Watchworthy users, ‘Worthy’ scores give a sense of not just what’s popular, but what’s trending in TV today. The data from aggregated Worthy scores therefore tell which shows are most rapidly growing their fanbase this Summer, as well as the platforms where those shows are available to stream.
Here’s what the data showed:
STREAMING SERVICES
Over the month of May, Watchworthy tracked each time a show received a Worthy score of 80% or higher, then organized all those shows according to Networks. The resulting analysis allowed us to determine which network’s content is being recommended to the most users.
#1: Can Netflix Be Beaten?
It’s going to be hard to dislodge Netflix from its perch at #1. As long as it has both smash hits like The Witcher, which is enjoying a second month as the #1 most Watchworthy show, and newer, trendier shows like Bridgerton and Outer Banks, Netflix should be able to maintain a distance that is all but impossible for its closest competitor HBO Max to close.
#2: HBO Max Holds Steady
HBO is the only service that can match Netflix’s ability to consistently produce new shows that are almost immediately Watchworthy: Mare of Easttown is #11 just over a month after it premiered. But Euphoria’s drop from #2 to #13 in May did end up negatively impacting HBO’s overall position. Netflix’s biggest strength seems to be the consistent performance of content directed largely at younger audiences, including both soapy dramas like Bridgerton and Outer Banks and darker fantasy shows like Locke & Key and Shadow and Bone. Euphoria has been the only show of HBO’s that’s really competed for that audience so far, but if newer dramas like Genera+ion and We Are Who We Are start picking up steam, that could change quickly.
#3: Amazon Conquers Third Place
After a few months behind newer services, Amazon has finally reemerged as a dominant player in the Streaming Wars. With Upload moving from #4 to #3 and the once-dominant The Boys returning to the Top 10, Amazon was able to hold off newer competitors. If new original content like Underground Railroad and Them is able to pick up recommendations in the near future, Amazon could pull away from the fray and threaten the positions of HBO Max and Netflix.
#4: Disney+ Continues to Build Momentum
Disney’s share of high recommendations technically shrank again by 1%, but with Loki premiering in June, don’t expect that trend to continue — especially with The Mandalorian returning triumphantly to the Watchworthy leaderboards. Disney+’s position is only going to get stronger as its slate of Marvel and Star Wars series continues to trickle out this year.
#5: Apple Stumbles for a Second Month
After its big debut on the Watchworthy leaderboards in April, Apple TV+’s share of recommendations fell by 2% this month, which is all it takes to fall two spots in the overall rankings. Still, while The Morning Show wasn’t nearly as high-performing as it was last month, Home Before Dark joined the Top 20 at #12, while workplace comedy Mythic Quest is sitting just outside of it at #21. If those shows maintain their momentum, Apple could easily regain its footing next month.
#6: Peacock Struts its Stuff
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist’s meteoric rise was enough to improve Peacock’s standing in the rankings (given Zoey’s controversial cancellation this month and the strong reaction of its dedicated fanbase, this jump in the rankings could be the result of fans making their love for Z.E.P. known on Ranker and Watchworthy). Unfortunately, the fact that Peacock’s new original show Girls5Eva failed to win a significant number of recommendations means that the platform’s gain was a small one, jumping from seventh to sixth place.
If TV fans love one musical TV show, why not another like Girls5Eva? The answer likely has something to do with the fact that Zoey airs on NBC and can be accessed on Hulu, while Girls5Eva is an original Peacock show. In this sense, Peacock is in the same boat as Apple TV+ and Paramount+, all waiting for adoption to snowball so that more people can view their original content. If the show is moved to Peacock, as A.P. Bio was after its cancellation on NBC, Girls5Eva could soon absorb a brand new group of fans subscribing to get access to new episodes of Zoey.
#7: Hulu Seeks More Buzz Around Originals
The disappearance of Prodigal Son was bad news for Hulu this month — where Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist cancellation coincided with a boost in Watchworthy recommendations, Prodigal Son seemed to suffer on the leaderboards after being cancelled. But Hulu still stood to benefit from Zoey’s extraordinary month as well as the performance of two original series: The Great and Little Fires Everywhere. These shows, along with the star-studded Marvel comedy M.O.D.O.K. that premiered at the end of May, are what the platform needs to boost it past its surging competitors.
#8: Paramount+ Premieres
2020’s Picard dropped out of competition in May while 2021’s Clarice jumped in, and B Positive stayed in about the same position it occupied in April. These shifts amounted to a 2% increase in Paramount+’s share of recommendations — good news, but not good enough to change its position in the overall rankings. The new platform doesn’t seem to be in a rush to develop original, exclusive content, so it’s possible that Paramount+ will remain in 8th place for some time.
TV SHOWS
Below is a list of the Top 20 TV shows and streaming platforms given the highest Worthy scores to Watchworthy users throughout the month of May 2021:
1. The Witcher — Netflix 2. Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist — Peacock / Hulu 3. Upload — Amazon Prime Video 4. Locke and Key — Netflix 5. The Mandalorian — Disney+ 6. WandaVision — Disney+ 7. The Queen’s Gambit — Netflix 8. Shadow and Bone — Netflix 9. The Outsider — HBO Max 10. The Boys — Amazon Prime Video 11. Mare of Easttown — HBO Max 12. Home Before Dark — Apple TV+ 13. Euphoria — HBO Max 14. The Umbrella Academy — Netflix 15. Perry Mason — HBO Max 16. Avenue 5 — HBO Max 17. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier — Disney+ 18. The Morning Show — Apple TV+ 19. Outer Banks — Netflix 20. Bridgerton — Netflix Watchworthy is the only statistically relevant, crowd-sourced TV recommendation app available to consumers which uses algorithms from a unique panel of one million high-intent TV fans voting on over 13,000 TV shows on Ranker.
To learn more, please visit the data story Who Won the Streaming Wars in May 2021, including Ranker’s Insights Scoop blog to find out more about Watchworthy.
About Ranker
Ranker, attracting more than 30 million monthly unique visitors worldwide, is the leader in fan-powered rankings on just about everything. Whatever the topic – TV, movies, video games, sports, brands, food, lifestyle – Ranker puts the vote into the hands of millions rather than a few critics to answer the questions we are most passionate about. Over 1 billion votes now power Ranker Insights, a treasure trove of psychographic correlation data that delivers personalized consumer recommendations (“if you like X, you’ll also like Y, Z”), and also audience insights to marketers, studios, and platforms seeking a deeper understanding of consumer tastes and preferences. Launched in 2020 and powered by Ranker Insights, Watchworthy is the only statistically relevant, crowd-sourced TV recommendation app available to consumers. Ranker is listed on 2020’s Inc 5000 and Inc. 5000: California Series, Deloitte’s 2019 Technology Fast 500 featuring the fastest growing companies in North America and Built In LA’s Top 50 Mid-Sized Companies To Work For in 2020 & 2021, and No. 5 on Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2021. Headquartered in Los Angeles with over 115 employees, Ranker also has an office in NYC.