Overrated and over it: Americans reveal the most underwhelming watches of the pandemic

By SWNS Staff

NEWS COPY w/ VIDEO & INFOGRAPHIC

Seventy percent of Americans admitted to watching even more TV now than they were when the pandemic started in March 2020, a new study revealed.

Of those watching more than last year, the average person is streaming three additional hours a day on top of what we’re doing in March of 2020.

Despite continued high rates of streaming, the pandemic took a financial toll on many Americans, so one in two (49%) want to find ways to pay less for their streaming services than they did in 2020. 

Nearly a third (32%) are planning on canceling the streaming services they’re currently using once they get out and about, with 1 in 3 (33%) citing cost as the reason they’re planning to cancel a subscription. 

Of those planning on cutting back their streaming services, Netflix was most likely to get the chop (46%), followed by Hulu (34%) and Amazon Prime (34%).

The survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Tubi revealed over the past twelve months, half (50%) also turned to free, ad-supported streaming services as a way to cut costs (29%) and supplement their subscription services (39%).

“Movies and TV shows served as a much-needed escape and form of entertainment over this past year,” a Tubi spokesperson added, “though as we see the light at the end of the tunnel, Americans are likely to be more discerning around how much they’re spending on subscriptions once life returns to normal.”

With many activities off the table over the past year, Americans felt the need to keep up with the cultural zeitgeist, with one in three admitting they felt more pressured than ever to press play on whatever was trending because there was nothing else to do.

Of those surveyed, thirty-one percent blamed social media for creating a socially distanced peer pressure effect in the pandemic while 28% said their friends made them feel like they just had to keep up. 

The study revealed that even though over half (55%) used streaming as an escape from their daily lives, trending shows didn’t necessarily live up to the hype—"Tiger King” has officially been hailed as the most over-hyped show of the pandemic, according to the findings. 

“I Care A Lot” and “Schitt’s Creek” rounded out the top three things respondents watched that they thought were overrated. 

Shows about British aristocracy didn’t fare well either with “Bridgerton” and “The Crown” coming in fourth and fifth place. 

Also ranking in the top ten overrated pandemic offerings were “The Mandalorian,” “Wandavision” and “The Last Dance.”

Ultimately, the number one thing that consumers care about in a streaming service is having a large variety of titles to choose from—with 40% noting that a wide library of movies and TV shows is important to them in a streaming service, followed by the service being free or affordable (38%). 

“Whether you’re aiming to cut costs as we come out of the pandemic, or you’re looking for new movies and TV shows to watch beyond your usual fare, exploring a free, ad-supported streaming service is a great budget-conscious way to find new titles you’ll love,” a spokesperson for Tubi said.  

TOP 20 OVER-HYPED TITLES OF THE PANDEMIC

1. Tiger King 26%
2. I Care A Lot 15%
3. Schitt’s Creek 14%
4. Bridgerton 13%
5. The Crown 13%
6. The Mandalorian 12%
7. The Last Dance 11%
8. WandaVision 11%
9. Love Is Blind 11%
10. The Haunting of Bly Manor 10%
11. The Queen’s Gambit 10%
12. Framing Britney Spears 10%
13. Euphoria 8%
14. Emily in Paris 8%
15. The Vow 8%
16. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm 7%
17. Tenet 6%
18. I May Destroy You 6%
19. Lovecraft Country 6%
20. The Great 5%