Cancellation Watch: Stranger Things Set Netflix Viewership Record, It: Welcome to Derry Enters the Nielsen Rankings, and More johnnyjay 3 hours ago Cancellation Watch: Status updates for the sci fi and fantasy shows on the broadcast networks, cable channels, and streaming services as well as breaking news on the currently airing, returning, and upcoming genre entries. Status Updates Stranger Things (Netflix, Status: Final Season): The first half of this show’s fifth season premiered last week and set a new viewing record for English-language shows on Netflix. It premiered at the Number 1 slot with 284 million hours viewed across 59.6 million accounts which is better than any scripted original for the streamer other than Seasons 2 and 3 of the Korean series Squid Game. And with three more episodes set to release on December 25th followed by the finale on December 31st, expect this one to stay in the charts for a while. This is the final season for Stranger Things, but an animated series is in the works, and more spin-offs could follow. It: Welcome to Derry (HBO/HBO Max, Status: Renewal Possible): While the linear ratings have been on the low side for this horror series (averaging a 0.07 score based on same-day viewing for the 18-49 demographic), the numbers look quite good for its first full week of streaming on HBO Max. It landed at Number 7 on the list of acquired shows with an estimated 620 million minutes viewed. And considering that was mostly just the first episode and a few hours for the second episode on Sunday night, that is definitely a good start. Two more seasons are planned at this point, but have not received the greenlight yet. I expect that we will be hearing a renewal announcement soon, though. The Witcher (Netflix, Status: Renewed): This fantasy series entered the Nielsen Rankings at Number 2 for its Season 4 premiere week, pulling in an estimated 837 million minutes of viewing. That is down from its fourth season, similar to what we have been seeing from the Netflix viewing numbers. The fifth and final season has already completed filming, though, so we will still be getting one more year from this one. Star Wars: Visions (Disney+, Status: Renewed): The third season of this anthology series did not make it into the Nielsen Streaming Rankings for the week of its premiere, but that is not uncommon for animated entries. This one has been pretty well-received by critics so far, currently holding a 98% Fresh Rating on Rotten Tomatoes , and it could continue for another season or two. You can keep up with the status of all the current sci fi and fantasy shows at our Cancellation Watch Page. If you enjoy this content, consider making a small donation to help sustain this website. Cancellation/Renewal Score: The Mighty Nein was renewed in advance for a second season, and I had not included that in the score for the current season yet. Also, Starfleet Academy had an advance second-season renewal, and I now have both of those factored into the numbers. The score for the 2025-26 season is at 18 renewed sci fi and fantasy entries (60% of shows tracked) vs. 7 cancelled and ending (23%). Below are this season’s numbers, and you can see the list of shows and keep up with the score for the current and prior seasons throughout the week at our Cancellation Watch Page . Show Count Source: https://www.cancelledscifi.com/2025/12/03/cancellation-watch-stranger-things-set-netflix-viewership-record-it-welcome-to-derry-enters-the-nielsen-rankings-and-more/?amp=1