Apple TV has recorded its biggest weekly viewership in its seven-year history following a strong run after the 2026 Emmy Awards, the streaming service said.
The company said viewership increased by 67 per cent year-on-year during the week of September 14, driven by the performance of “Mayday”, “Ted Lasso” Season 4, and Emmy-winning series “Widow’s Bay” and “Pluribus”.
Apple TV did not release specific viewing figures but said the week followed its biggest Emmy performance, where it won 28 awards, the most in the platform’s history.
The Emmy ceremony took place on September 14 and was followed by increased interest in several of the service’s major titles.
The Cold War comedy “Mayday”, starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh, became Apple TV’s biggest film debut on the platform during its first 18 days, according to the company.
Released directly on streaming on September 4, the film ranked first in Luminate’s US weekly streaming rankings from September 4 to 10 with 8.7 million views before placing second in its second week.
Emmy-winning comedy series “Widow’s Bay” also recorded a major boost after winning 14 awards, the highest number ever for a comedy series in a single Emmy season.
Apple said viewership for the series rose 280 per cent week-on-week after the awards ceremony, with strong interest from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Germany, India, Poland and Spain.
Luminate data also showed the series climbing from outside the Top 50 for the week of September 4–10 to No. 13 for September 11–17, which included the first days after its Emmy success.
Sci-fi drama “Pluribus”, created by Emmy winner Vince Gilligan, also saw a 200 per cent increase in weekly viewership after winning six awards, including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Rhea Seehorn.
Spy thriller “Slow Horses” returned to Luminate’s Top 50 at No. 43 after missing the ranking the previous week.
Apple said the sixth season of “Slow Horses” recorded 25 per cent higher viewership than Season 5 during its first seven days, maintaining its position as the platform’s top UK title.
Nielsen’s latest streaming rankings showed “Ted Lasso” as the only Apple TV title in the overall Top 10 for the week of September 7.
The Jason Sudeikis-led comedy ranked seventh with 734 million minutes viewed, according to Nielsen.
Apple said Season 4 of “Ted Lasso” became the most-watched returning comedy season on Apple TV during its first 54 days.
The company said the recent expansion of iCloud+ on September 15, which gave paid subscribers access to Apple TV at no extra cost in more than 170 countries, may also contribute to future audience growth.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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