Shrinking has become Apple TV’s most-watched series of 2026 so far, giving the streaming service another major success from the creative team behind Ted Lasso. The comedy-drama secured a place among the most-viewed streaming originals during the first half of the year.
Nielsen published its latest streaming figures for the first six months of 2026, covering viewing activity across major platforms. The company ranked Shrinking as the 20th most-watched original streaming series, with viewers watching 5.2 billion minutes in total.
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That result makes Shrinking the most popular Apple TV series aired during the period, although Apple does not release full viewing figures for its shows and movies. The company instead provides a daily Top 10 chart, which offers a broader indication of which titles attract the most attention.
Shrinking reaches a rare milestone for Apple TV
Apple TV shows do not regularly appear on Nielsen’s major streaming charts, which makes Shrinking’s position especially significant. The series finished close to other popular originals, including Love Is Blind and Paradise, which also recorded viewing totals near five billion minutes.
A relatively small increase in watch time would have pushed Shrinking several places higher, potentially placing it around the 14th position. Stranger Things led the original series chart with about 23 billion minutes viewed, while The Pitt followed with roughly 21 billion minutes.
Shrinking comes from Bill Lawrence, who also co-created Ted Lasso, alongside Jason Segel and Brett Goldstein. With Ted Lasso returning for season 4, Apple TV now has another strong contender for Nielsen’s streaming charts.
Apple has also renewed Shrinking for season 4, with the series expected to return in 2027.
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