Viewing of Stranger Things rose 300% in the second half of 2025 ahead of its fifth and final season.
Streaming audiences are waiting almost twice as long for returning scripted originals as they did five years ago, according to new research from Ampere Analysis.
The analyst firm says the average gap between seasons of scripted original series on major streaming platforms has increased from 12 months in 2020 to 21 months in 2025.
Ampere said the shift reflects the move towards high-end, blockbuster-style original productions, which require longer development and production timelines.
During the peak of the streaming boom in 2022, major platforms released 599 seasons of scripted originals, more than the 591 released across the whole 2015-2019 period.
However, longer gaps do not necessarily damage audience engagement. Ampere found that shows returning after gaps of more than 30 months achieved the highest premiere-month engagement, with titles including Apple TV’s Severance and Netflix’s Wednesday generating almost twice the average engagement despite long waits.
Genre also plays a role. Sci-fi and fantasy shows often perform strongly despite extended production gaps, while comedy audiences are less tolerant of long waits. Crime and thriller series perform more consistently across different release patterns.
Ampere said extended gaps can even boost engagement as existing viewers rewatch earlier seasons and new viewers discover shows before new episodes arrive. Viewing of Stranger Things rose 300% in the second half of 2025 ahead of its fifth and final season, with strong viewing of season one suggesting both new audiences and returning fans were catching up.
But the trend also creates risk for streaming platforms. In Q1 2026, 54% of US respondents told Ampere they would be likely to cancel a subscription if they were not using it often enough.
Christen Tamisin, senior analyst at Ampere Analysis, said:
“Many Original shows build highly dedicated audiences that remain loyal despite increasingly long waits between seasons. However, streamers need to balance blockbuster production timelines against a steady flow of content.”
She added that extended gaps can build anticipation around flagship titles, but may also encourage viewers to cancel and return only when major shows come back.
Source: broadbandtvnews.com