'Suits' sets new streaming record in 2023, beats 'The Office'

The popular legal drama racked up 57.7 billion viewing minutes last year, thanks to its availability on Netflix

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Legal drama Suits took the top spot as the most streamed title ever from another audience favourite The Office in 2023, while shows on Netflix dominated overall streaming charts, according to Nielsen data.

Suits racked up 57.7 billion viewing minutes in 2023, thanks to its availability on both Netflix, opens a new tab and Comcast-owned, opens new tab Peacock. The Office had generated 57.1 billion viewing minutes in 2020 amid pandemic-induced lockdowns, according to the report. Some of the other widely streamed shows last year were Bluey, NCIS, Grey's Anatomy and The Big Bang Theory.

Overall, Americans streamed 21 million years' worth of video in 2023, a 21% jump from a year earlier, as streaming firms continued to pour billions of dollars into new and licensed content to keep audiences hooked to their platforms. Shows on Peacock, Disney+, Paramount+ and Warner Bros Discovery's, opens new tab Max were also among those that were widely watched.

Last year was particularly challenging for the U.S. entertainment industry, as strikes from writers and actors stalled production for months. Despite the strikes, a handful of originals still managed to make it to the market, with Ted Lasso on Apple TV+ leading the charts in the original category and Netflix's Night Agent coming in a close second.

In the movie category, seven out of 10 were animated features that topped streaming charts, with Disney's Moana and Encanto leading the way. The report also highlighted the dominance of streaming in the United States, especially as high-profile sporting events like the recent NFL playoff game between Kansas City Chiefs vs. Miami Dolphins, become exclusive to streaming services.

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