Top 50 most re-watched box sets – Line of Duty tops list

Line of Duty, Friends and Only Fools and Horses are among the most re-watched box sets of the last 12 months.

The top 50 binge-watched TV series during lockdown also included Peaky Blinders, Game of Thrones and Downton Abbey, according to a study of 2,000 adults. Breaking Bad, Killing Eve and The Crown also proved popular as 64 per cent of viewers say they have watched more box sets over the last year than ever before.

And while 6:30pm was the peak time to binge-watch TV, one-quarter of adults admitted they had tuned in to their favourite show before 11am.

The findings are supported by figures released by Vodafone which show a huge increase in the amount of streaming and downloading during the pandemic, with re-bingeing box sets being one of the main drivers.

During the lockdown, which started on 23 March 2020, there was a 40 per cent increase in internet data usage, driven by schools shutting and adults moving to home-working.

And whereas the first major increase in internet traffic pre-pandemic would usually occur at 3.30pm when children returned from school, the first major increase in usage now starts from 10am.

Says Max Taylor, consumer director at Vodafone, which has launched its new Pro Broadband service:

“This study shows how we have enjoyed re-watching box sets and our favourite TV shows, and that some of us are no longer restricting box set bingeing to evenings.

“It seems many of us are quite happy to settle down to a couple of hours in front of the TV during the daytime if work allows.

It also emerged eight in 10 adults absolutely love a good box set. And six in 10 even said that that spending hours in front of their favourites has helped them get through the various restrictions of the pandemic – with four episodes in a row being the most they are likely to watch.

Three in 10 of those polled via OnePoll even admitted to guiltily watching their favourite shows during the daytime – when they should have been working.

Concludes Vodafone’s Max Taylor:

“Over the past year, the way we use our home broadband has changed significantly, with more use due to the demands of home and school working.

“In addition to that, the need for online entertainment has been at its highest ever – whether that’s tuning into box sets, Premier League matches, or gaming updates for the likes of the PS5 or Xbox Series X.

“Families now want guaranteed WiFi in every room, and pricing that isn’t eye-wateringly expensive, given the fact many are having to tighten their purse strings to cope with recent events.”

TOP 50 RE-WATCHED BOX SETS

1. Line of Duty
2. Game of Thrones
3. Friends
4. Breaking Bad
5. The Crown
6. Peaky Blinders
7. Killing Eve
8. Only Fools and Horses
9. Luther
10. The Walking Dead
11. Schitt’s Creek
12. Downton Abbey
13. Sherlock
14. The Office (UK)
15. Dexter
16. Prison Break
17. The Office (US)
18. Star Trek
19. 24
20. The Mandalorian
21. Lost
22. Fleabag
23. Orange is the New Black
24. The X-Files
25. The Simpsons
26. Ozark
27. Better Call Saul
28. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
29. Sons of Anarchy
30. The Sopranos
31. Gossip Girl
32. Desperate Housewives
33. Mad Men
34. This is England
35. Big Little Lies
36. Futurama
37. Bates Motel
38. The West Wing
39. Battlestar Galactica
40. The Wire
41. One Tree Hill
42. Six Feet Under
43. Twin Peaks
44. The OC
45. Always Sunny in Philadelphia
46. Queer Eye
47. Curb Your Enthusiasm
48. Dawson’s Creek
49. Will and Grace
50. Golden Girls