Hulu’s 2018 End of Year(Book)

Another year in the books. With 2018 coming to an end, we’ve been reflecting on the most popular TV and movie moments. This year, Hulu viewers streamed a lot of television…more than 26 million hours per day to be exact (that’s nearly 3,000 years of TV watched each day!). So what were the shows and movies that kept fans glued to their laptops, living room and mobile devices all year? Here’s a look at Hulu’s 2018 “class favorites.”

Most Watched Episode
With the largest streaming library of TV, movies and award-winning Originals, the #1 most streamed TV episode this year – across all original and acquired shows – was the Season 2 premiere of The Handmaid’s Tale. Blessed be the fruit!

The Medical Dramas That Kept Our Pulses (and Hearts) Racing
From Dr. Doug Ross to McDreamy – these medical heartthrobs captured viewers’ eyes and hearts— especially women. In fact, more than 60% of viewers who watched ER, Grey’s Anatomy or The Good Doctor were women. In 2018, viewers streamed more than 100 million hours of the three shows combined.

The Most Streamed Day of the Year on Hulu
Whether they tuned in for the PGA Tour, Sunday night NFL games, their favorite on-demand show or Fall TV premieres, Hulu viewers watched more hours of TV on September 23rd than any other single day this year.

Favorite Animated Shows
Whether you’re eight years old or 80, there’s nothing quite like watching brightly colored animated characters to put a smile on your face. The top adult animated shows on Hulu this year were Family Guy, South Park and Bob’s Burgers while the #1 family friendly cartoon was the action-packed Teen Titans Go!

The Legal Team That Hooked Our Viewers
Almost everyone recognizes that distinctive “dun dun” sound from a mile away. The long-running crime drama, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, has kept fans hooked for the past 20 years and the passion for the show’s ADAs was as strong as ever on Hulu this year. The series earned the title of the most watched legal show on Hulu, with over 258 million episodes streamed this year alone.

This is TODAY…on Hulu
Since launching Hulu with Live TV last year, news and sports have quickly become the top draws for our live TV viewers. This year, the #1 news show watched was NBC’s TODAY. Viewers watched more than 6 million hours of the morning news show – that’s enough time to brew 36 million pots of coffee!

Movies at the Top of Hulu’s Box Office Charts
When it came to streaming movies this year, Hulu viewers chose a mix of genres. The top flicks streamed were Baywatch, Transformers: The Last Knight and I, Tonya. Together, these three movies accounted for more than 27 million streams.

The Shows That Kept Viewers on Their Couches Late at Night
We’ve all been there: you get caught up watching your favorite TV series and before you know it, it’s past midnight. Oh, the late night TV marathon. Hulu viewers watching TV between the hours of 8:00 pm – 12:00 am opted for a good laugh with Bob’s Burgers and Brooklyn Nine-Nine or went straight to the fan favorite Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Most Beloved Household
From the start, the Pearsons captivated our viewers’ hearts. This is Us accounted for more than 2 million binge sessions* in 2018. Pass the tissues please!
[*binge session defined as watching 5+ hours of one show in a given day]

The Teams We Rooted for This Year
Hulu viewers like their sports. With 3 out of 4 of our live TV viewers watching sports regularly, the top teams streamed this year were:
– Washington Capitals (NHL)
– New England Patriots (NFL)
– Georgia Bulldogs (NCAA Football)
– Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA)
– Boston Red Sox (MLB)

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Methodology
Data based on the live and on-demand viewing habits of Hulu viewers between January 1, 2018 and October 29, 2018.