By Published May 12, 2026, 3:37 PM EDT Adam Bentz is a senior news writer at ScreenRant, where he has authored nearly 5,000 articles, including features and lists. He studied creative writing and English with a concentration in screenwriting at Southern New Hampshire University and interned as a writer/journalist for The Borgen Project, an influential organization that fights global poverty.
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Taylor Sheridan's two Western series have been outdrawn by Netflix's crime thriller to become the most-watched show of 2026.
, its prequels 1883 and 1923, executive producer of Marshals and the upcoming spinoff Dutton Ranch, and has also created several series for Paramount+, including Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, Lioness, Landman, and The Madison. On the other hand, Netflix has already offered plenty of popular shows in 2026, such as His & Hers, Bridgerton season 4, The Lincoln Lawyer season 4, and many more.
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Now, according to Nielsen's latest multiplatform data (via ), is the most-watched show of 2026 so far, averaging 25.6 million viewers over its first 35 days of streaming. Hot on its heels is , the first broadcast entry in Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone universe on CBS, which pulled in an average of 25.2 million viewers in its early run.
Next up is another Sheridan show, on Paramount+, which saw 19.9 million viewers, followed by Netflix's newest seasons of Bridgerton and The Lincoln Lawyer. Sheridan's The Madison also made the list at No. 10 with 10.9 million viewers. Check out the top 20 most-watched shows of 2026 so far, per Nielsen's multiplatform data:
Linear and Streaming Total Viewers, Year to Date (Jan. 1, 2026 to March 15, 2026)
It's still relatively early in the year, but after the first three and a half months, is leading the pack as 2026's most-watched series. It's interesting how tight the top of the list is, with His & Hers barely beating out Marshals, while CBS/Paramount+ dominates the middle of the pack. Netflix still comes out on top, but Sheridan's shows show remarkable consistency across platforms.
Coinciding with Disney's upfront presentation on Tuesday, ABC also released its season-to-date rankings for broadcast entertainment in the adults 18–49 demographic, with . In the broader multiplatform rankings (excluding sports), ABC holds four of the top five shows in the demo, including the leading drama High Potential, top comedy Abbott Elementary, and top alternative show Dancing with the Stars:
Top 20 Broadcast Entertainment Series Season-to-Date, Adults 18-49 (Sept. 14, 2026 to April 19, 2026)
In this chart, what also stands out is how clustered the numbers are at the top – just a few hundred thousand viewers separate first and second place, while CBS quietly stacks multiple entries across the middle tier, with Marshals on network TV and Landman over on Paramount+. Netflix still lands the biggest single hit with His & Hers, but its advantage is narrow, not dominant, and network TV holds its ground better than expected.
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StreamingTwo estranged spouses navigate a complex murder case together. One is a detective and the other a news reporter, but each suspect the other of being involved in the crime they are racing to solve.
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