TL;DR
Apple recently said Pluribus was the most-watched series in Apple TV history, but Nielsen’s U.S. streaming data placed the show at No. 9 for the week of Dec. 8–14. Nielsen reported 360 million minutes viewed for Pluribus that week; Apple has not published its own episode-level or subscriber figures.
What happened
Apple announced in December that Pluribus had become the most-watched series in Apple TV history, but offered no episode-level viewing totals or subscriber counts. Industry tracker Nielsen included Pluribus on its U.S. streaming originals chart for the week of Dec. 8–14, ranking it ninth and attributing 360 million minutes viewed to the series. The program did not appear on Nielsen’s combined overall streaming chart, where the lowest listed title had 660 million minutes and the top program logged roughly 3 billion minutes in the same period. Pluribus had not registered on Nielsen’s lists during November, and the show had seven episodes available in the Dec. 8 week. Apple has said a second season is greenlit and is expected to begin shooting next year, with a probable air date sometime in 2027.
Why it matters
- Public relations claims about viewership can differ from third‑party U.S. metrics, complicating comparisons.
- Nielsen’s reporting covers only U.S. streams, while platform announcements may reference global demand.
- Single-season launches have less available catalog to accumulate viewing minutes than older series, which affects rankings.
- Apple’s streaming service remains smaller than leading competitors, so its hits can register lower versus larger cataloged shows.
Key facts
- Nielsen placed Pluribus at No. 9 on the U.S. streaming Originals chart for Dec. 8–14, 2025.
- Nielsen reported 360 million minutes viewed for Pluribus in that week.
- Pluribus did not show up on Nielsen’s overall streaming chart, whose lowest listed title had 660 million minutes.
- Stranger Things led the overall chart that week with about 3 billion minutes viewed, per Nielsen.
- Pluribus did not appear on Nielsen’s charts during November 2025.
- At the Dec. 8 week, Pluribus had seven episodes available to stream.
- Apple announced Pluribus as its most-watched Apple TV series in December but did not publish specific viewing figures.
- Apple TV service is available in over 100 countries, a broader footprint than Nielsen’s U.S.-only dataset.
- Other Apple shows have charted higher previously—Severance season 2 debuted at No. 5, and Ted Lasso frequently ranked near the top.
What to watch next
- Whether Pluribus climbs or falls on future Nielsen Originals charts — not confirmed in the source.
- If Apple will publish global viewing figures or episode-level totals to clarify its claim — not confirmed in the source.
- Progress on production for season 2, which Apple says should start shooting next year with a likely air date in 2027.
Quick glossary
- Nielsen streaming chart: A weekly ranking of streaming programs compiled by Nielsen based on minutes viewed in the U.S.
- Streaming originals: Programs produced or commissioned by a streaming service, as opposed to acquired or syndicated titles.
- Viewing minutes: A metric that sums the number of minutes viewers watched a program during a reporting period.
- Back catalog: Previously released episodes or seasons of a series that remain available for viewers to stream.
Reader FAQ
Did Apple publish exact viewership numbers for Pluribus?
Apple did not provide specific viewing figures in the announcement cited.
How many minutes did Nielsen report for Pluribus that week?
Nielsen recorded 360 million minutes viewed for Pluribus in the Dec. 8–14 reporting week.
Was Pluribus on Nielsen’s overall streaming chart?
No. Pluribus appeared on Nielsen’s Originals chart but Apple TV did not appear on the combined overall streaming list that week.
Is there a second season of Pluribus?
Yes. A second season has been greenlit and is expected to begin shooting next year with a likely 2027 air date.
Apple confirms Chase takeover for Apple Card and reveals new details Chance Miller Jan 7 2026 APPLE TV Apple’s most watched TV show just barely makes an appearance on the…
Sources
- Apple’s most watched TV show just barely makes an appearance on the Nielsen streaming chart
- Here are the top 10 most-watched shows of 2025, …
- Apple accounts for fewer original hits than any other major …
- Apple Breaks Into Most-Watched Shows of 2025
Related posts
- X limits Grok image generation to paying subscribers after global backlash
- Microsoft 365 Copilot app wording sparked confusion — other rebrands worse
- Using Gemini in Google Sheets transformed my spreadsheet workflow