‘Masters of the Air’ Soars to Record Viewership Heights on Apple TV+
The show is also having a halo effect, raising viewership across all of Apple TV+’s shows by 65% in the week after its premiere.
It’s impossible to ground “Masters of the Air.” The new World War II drama series produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg first premiered in late January, and according to an exclusive report from Variety, the show’s premiere drew more viewers for its opening weekend than any other first season of a series in the history of Apple TV+.
- “Masters of the Air” rose viewership across the entire Apple TV+ platform by 65% in the United States.
- Double-digit viewership increases were also registered in more than 100 territories after the show’s debut.
- The show has beaten other Apple TV+ titles like “Ted Lasso,” “Foundation” and “Severance.”
As is always the case for the streamer, Apple did not reveal specific numbers for how many viewers enjoyed “Masters of the Air” in its debut weekend. That’s hardly surprising, as the company is known for keeping specific data regarding its subscription services like Apple TV+ a close secret. Major League Soccer owners reportedly had to sign non-disclosure agreements to get access to subscriber statistics from Apple’s MLS Season Pass streamer, for example.
Still, the success of “Masters of the Air” means that the show has managed to beat out other top Apple originals. This is especially impressive considering the dramatic, violent setting of “Masters of the Air,” as well as the ensemble nature of the show’s cast, which features a few recognizable faces but no A-list celebrities. That sets “Masters of the Air” apart from other Apple TV+ shows like “The Morning Show” and “Shrinking,” which prominently feature huge stars in lead roles.
“Masters of the Air” is having a marked halo effect for Apple TV+ as well. According to Variety, in the seven days following the premiere of the show, platform-wide viewership on Apple TV+ grew by 65% in the United States as compared to the seven days before its debut. Other countries saw a bump from “Masters of the Air” as well; viewership rose by double-digits in over 100 global territories
Are More Historical Shows Headed to Apple TV+?
If the historical setting of “Masters of the Air” is contributing to its popularity among viewers, Apple has more good ratings news to look forward to. In March, Apple TV+ will debut “Manhunt,” a conspiracy thriller that follows the efforts of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton as he tries to track down President Lincoln’s assassin and attempt to root out a possible Confederate plot.
In April, Apple TV+ will build on this pattern of new historical dramas with the Michael Douglas-helmed series “Franklin.” That series takes place in 1776 and follows Ben Franklin’s journey to France in order to enlist the aid of the French in the struggle of the American colonists against the British.
The Apple-distributed film “Killers of the Flower Moon” is yet another historical drama from the company, and has earned a nomination for Best Picture at this year’s Academy Awards. Apple’s preference for high-quality productions lends itself well to the genre of historical drama, which often requires high costume and set budgets in order to help viewers feel fully immersed in the show or movie.
“Masters of the Air” may not have reached the critical acclaim of its forbearer “Band of Brothers,” but it’s clearly got a passionate audience. That passion runs so high that Apple has revealed some rare details about the size of its streaming audience, though as usual, it stopped short of offering an actual subscriber total.
Apple TV+
Apple TV+ is a subscription video streaming service for $9.99 a month that includes high-quality original shows and movies including Best Picture winner “CODA,” popular sitcom “Ted Lasso,” and dramas like “The Morning Show” and “Severance.” Apple TV+ is also home to MLB baseball games on Friday nights and MLS Season Pass.