If you’ve ever had the thought that the process of finding streaming content is out of control, rest assured that you’re not alone. A new study conducted by Plex indicates that the average American has just over 100 hours of potential content on their watch list — specifically, that’s 13 TV shows, 16 movies, and 104 hours — enough to last for two full flights around the world.
The study surveyed over 2,000 Americans and 68% said that their watch list was so long that it’s “nearly impossible” to get through it all. They’re keeping an extensive list, but 58% say they still struggle to keep track of everything on their proverbial wishlist.
Finding new content is a serious problem, too. Half of those surveyed said that they end up searching four different streaming services for half an hour before they decide to watch. So what ends up on the watch list? New TV serials that are getting a lot of buzz, of course. Not surprisingly, “Stranger Things” topped the list thanks to a fresh season, and classic shows like “Game of Thrones,” “The Walking Dead,” and “Breaking Bad” appear on one in five lists.
“Squid Game” appeared on 19% of watch lists, but that number should go a lot higher after last night’s Emmy awards.
Beyond that, some intriguing generational differences surfaced as well. Millennials were almost twice as likely to have true crime shows on their watchlists compared to Gen Zers—45% to 26% — while Zoomers tend to prefer sitcoms (38%).
BabyBoomers and Gen Xers opted for hour-long procedurals, with the percentages coming out at 50% and 58%, respectively.
The gender results from the study showed some different habits that came into play as well. Nearly half of the women surveyed indicated that they focus on trying to remember what to watch (46%), while the same percentage of men indicated that they keep notes on their phones to help track their watchlist.
Despite the glut of content on their lists, the respondents are reluctant to ditch whatever they’ve earmarked, with over half indicating that when they are stymied as to what to watch, they tend to either try content from their watchlist, turn off their TVs and devices altogether, or opt for something they’ve already seen before.
Most Popular Titles on Watch Lists
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Stranger Things
July 15, 2016When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces, and one strange little girl.
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Game of Thrones
April 17, 2011Seven noble families fight for control of the mythical land of Westeros. Friction between the houses leads to full-scale war. All while a very ancient evil awakens in the farthest north. Amidst the war, a neglected military order of misfits, the Night’s Watch, is all that stands between the realms of men and icy horrors beyond.
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The Walking Dead
October 31, 2010Sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes awakens from a coma to find a post-apocalyptic world dominated by flesh-eating zombies. He sets out to find his family and encounters many other survivors along the way.
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Breaking Bad
January 20, 2008Walter White, a New Mexico chemistry teacher, is diagnosed with Stage III cancer and given a prognosis of only two years left to live. He becomes filled with a sense of fearlessness and an unrelenting desire to secure his family’s financial future at any cost as he enters the dangerous world of drugs and crime.
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Squid Game
September 17, 2021Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children’s games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits — with deadly high stakes.
