The “Streaming Wars” have been the focus of the TV industry for the past half decade as the big platforms duke it out. And in the Samba TV Weekly Wrap Report looking at household-level weekly streaming viewership, we’ve seen how the platforms wrestle and volley for their placement in the top 10. However, one player in particular has been the one to beat for the top spot: HBO Max.
The Warner Bros. Discovery streaming platform has held the top spot on our streaming chart for most of the past 12 months, thanks to titles like “House of the Dragon,” “The Penguin,” “Dune: Prophecy,” “The White Lotus,” and, most recently, “The Last of Us.”
This week, however, Max vacates the top spot for the first time in nearly four months, due in large part to the absence of a new Sunday night series to grab the baton from the recently completed “The Last of Us.”
“Straw,” a psychological thriller on Netflix, fills that void as the most-watched streaming program this week, the first non-Max/HBO show to top the chart since “Aftermath,” another Netflix title, on Feb. 20.
The film stars Taraji P. Henson as a single mother who, in an act of desperation, brings a gun into a bank and triggers a tense standoff with law enforcement. Written, produced and directed by Tyler Perry, the film is part of the multi-hyphenate producer’s first-look deal with Netflix.
“Straw” is one of six new titles on the chart this week, following several notable season finales on last week’s chart. One of those debuts is “The Accountant 2” on Amazon Prime Video, in second place. The sequel to the 2016 action film finds Ben Affleck reprising his starring role as a gun-toting accountant who launders money for the world’s worst criminals.
“Ginny & Georgia,” on Netflix, debuts in third this week. Fans eagerly awaited the teen dramedy’s third season following a two-and-a-half-year gap. Next, we have two Netflix titles moving in opposite directions. “Sirens” slides to fourth this week, following two straight weeks in the second spot. Meanwhile, Scottish crime drama “Dept. Q” moves up four spots, to fifth.
“MobLand” was one of last week’s big finales, so while it fell three spots to sixth, the show’s ability to stay on the chart is a testament to its slow build throughout its 10-episode run. Astute chart watchers will note that the show didn’t crack the Top 10 until its season was over halfway complete, so latecomers are clearly catching up. In seventh is “The Better Sister” on Amazon. The thriller series is up three spots from last week.
Three more debuts close out the streaming half of the chart. “Love Island USA” helps Peacock make an appearance in the Top 10 with its seventh season. In ninth we have a Max entry, “Mountainhead,” the satirical dark comedy film about rich tech bros on a ski retreat while all hell breaks loose throughout the rest of the world. Closing out the list in tenth is “Stick” on Apple TV+. The comedy series stars Owen Wilson as a washed-up pro golfer who mentors a young phenom, hoping to guide her career while also redeeming himself in the process.
This week’s linear chart invokes a sense of déjà vu. Just like last week, an award show tops the chart. This week, it’s “The 78th Annual Tony Awards,” proving that live award shows can draw eyeballs in any season.
In another repeat, “America’s Got Talent” sits in second place. Adding to the repetition is a big chunk of the chart going to “Wheel of Fortune” (four spots) and “Jeopardy!” (two spots). The few changes come from “Saturday Night Live,” which takes fourth place even though its June 8 airing was a repeat, and “American Ninja Warrior,” which kicked off its 17th season on June 2.
The Wrap Report provides an exclusive first look at the most-watched movies and TV series from the past week across both streaming and linear television, sourced from viewership trends collected from Samba TV’s panel of more than 3 million households, balanced to the U.S. Census.
