Netflix’s Squid Game series rises to No. 1 on Nielsen’s weekly U.S. streaming chart

Squid Game, Netflix, Squid Game series, Korean thriller

Netflix’s Squid Game series knows how to play the game when it comes to blowing up the charts.

The numbers are in, and it would appear that Squid Game is No. 1 on Nielsen’s weekly U.S. streaming chart. The binge-worthy Korean thriller has played in 142 million households, with 1.9 billion minutes streamed. What’s important to keep in mind is that Nielsen only tracks screen time measured in the U.S., meaning that Netflix‘s Squid Game series is even bigger than that.

The show is so big that South Korean internet provider SK Broadband has sued Netflix to pay for costs from increased network traffic and maintenance work because of an unprecedented increase in viewership. Squid Game also received a boost in viewership after a Saturday Night Live skit parodying the dystopian drama blew up across social media.

For now, it seems like the only thing that can stop Netflix’s Squid Game series from tearing up the charts is time. I’ll tell you what, though, Halloween costume sales based on the series are going to be out of control this season. I would not be surprised to have several Squid Game contestants come knocking at my door during the spookiest of holidays, and neither should you.

What would you do if you were invited to participate in Squid Game? Money is nice, but are you willing to risk your life for it? Let’s say you do play; how long do you think you would last? I think I’d be okay in a game of Red Light Green Light, but the rest of the challenges are up for debate.

Below is the entire top 10 from Nielsen’s most recent chart. With only a few exceptions, all titles are on Netflix:

Squid Game – 9 episodes, 1.9 billion minutes of viewing

Lucifer – 93 eps., 860M min.

Sex Education – 24 eps., 856M min.

CoCoMelon – 12 eps., 675M min.

Criminal Minds – 316 eps., 651M min.

Midnight Mass – 7 eps., 566M min.

NCIS – 353 eps., 546M min.

Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) – 20 eps., 509M min.

Grey’s Anatomy – 376 eps., 462M min.

The Circle – 36 eps., 436M min.

Source: Nielsen, Deadline

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He's also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You'll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.