Stranger Things 5 just cracked Netflix’s all-time “Most Popular” list for English-language TV, landing at No. 9. That is a real milestone, backed by Netflix’s own reporting. But the hotter claim floating around, that it is “expected” to go No. 1 next, needs a reality check. Moving up a couple of spots is very plausible. Catching Wednesday Season 1 is a completely different mountain.
What Netflix’s “Most Popular” Ranking Actually Measures
Netflix’s “Most Popular Shows” list is based on total views in the first 91 days of release (global). It is not a lifetime chart, and it is not based on household reach. It is a specific, time-boxed race.
That matters because Stranger Things 5 is still inside its 91-day window, meaning its position can still change a lot before the clock runs out.
Stranger Things 5’s Current Rank and Numbers
On Netflix Tudum’s all-time “Most Popular Shows” list (English-language TV), Stranger Things 5 is currently:
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No. 9 with 105.7 million views (first 91 days metric)
Netflix also highlighted that the finale week put Season 5 at No. 1 on the weekly English TV list with 31.3 million views, and confirmed its No. 9 all-time placement with 105.7 million total views so far.
The Shows Stranger Things 5 Would Have to Beat
Here is the top of the current Netflix all-time English TV list, with the key point being the gap:
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No. 1: Wednesday Season 1 — 252.1M views
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No. 2: Adolescence (Limited Series) — 142.6M views
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No. 3: Stranger Things 4 — 140.7M views
Stranger Things 5 at 105.7M is also extremely close to No. 8 (Bridgerton Season 3 at 106.0M), which is why you will likely see it climb at least one spot if momentum holds.
Could It Really Hit No. 1 Next?
If “next” means “soon,” no. That is hype, not math.
To pass Wednesday Season 1, Stranger Things 5 would need:
252.1M − 105.7M = 146.4 million additional views
That is not a small climb. That is nearly doubling its current total and then adding more. And it would need to do it within the same 91-day window Netflix uses for this list.
A more honest framing is this:
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Likely: moving from No. 9 to No. 8 (it is only 0.3M behind Bridgerton S3).
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Possible: pushing higher into the top 5, depending on how the remaining weeks perform.
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Long shot: catching the top 3, because those totals are much higher.
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No. 1: It would require an unprecedented, sustained run relative to where it currently sits.
Why It’s Early Momentum Still Matters
Even if No. 1 is unlikely, Stranger Things 5’s run is still massive. Netflix Tudum reported it delivered Netflix’s “most views ever on a New Year’s Day,” and the finale week alone kept it at No. 1 on the weekly English TV list.
And because this is a 91-day race, late surges matter. Weekly performance can spike around major drops, word-of-mouth waves, and people starting the season from the beginning once all episodes are out.
When Will We Know the Final Answer
Netflix’s all-time list number is not “final” until the 91-day window closes. One industry tracker notes we will not know Stranger Things 5’s settled placement until around early April 2026, when the full window is effectively complete.
So if you are writing this as a performance story, the responsible angle is: it is already top 10 all-time, it is still climbing, and its ceiling is not fixed yet. Just do not sell “No. 1 next” like it is inevitable, because right now, that is not supported by the numbers.
