Ampere cites ‘Stranger Things Effect’ as gaps between streamers’ scripted seasons almost double in five years

Stranger Things’ fifth and final season came more than three years after S4 concluded

The average gap between seasons of scripted original titles on streaming services almost doubled from 12 months in 2020 to 21 months in 2025, according to Ampere Analysis.

According to new research by the UK-based data firm, streaming audiences are waiting longer than ever for the return of their favourite original shows.

Ampere has dubbed the trend the ‘Stranger Things Effect’ after Netflix’s Duffer Brothers sci-fi series rattled out seasons one to three between 2016 and 2019 but then made fans wait until 2022 for a two-part season four and 2025 for a fifth and final run split into three parts.

During the height of the streaming boom in 2022, major streaming platforms released more seasons of original scripted shows (599) than during 2015-2019 combined (591).

However this demand for premium scripted series with big budgets and high production values, such as Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, has significantly extended production timelines.

While online fanbases are not shy in expressing their frustration at such delays, original shows with gaps of more than 30 months between seasons have achieved the highest engagement in the premiere month of the new season, according to today’s report. Shows including Apple TV’s Severance and Netflix’s Wednesday generated almost twice the average engagement levels despite lengthy waits between seasons, based on internet search history.

(click to enlarge)

Indeed, the tactic might actually be paying off for streamers, with audiences often rewatching earlier seasons as a refresh, while new audiences continue discovering shows during the gap between releases. Viewing of Stranger Things rose by 300% in H2 2025 ahead of the release of its fifth and final season. Particularly strong viewing of season one suggests both new viewers discovering the series and existing fans revisiting earlier episodes, according to Ampere.

However, the report’s authors warn that despite strong engagement around returning shows, long gaps create risk. In Q1 2026 in the US, 54% of respondents said they would be likely to cancel a service subscription if they were not using it often enough. Long waits between seasons leave streaming platforms vulnerable to churn and encourage audiences to only subscribe when their favourite shows return.

Christen Tamisin, senior analyst at Ampere Analysis, said: “Many original shows build highly dedicated audiences that remain loyal despite increasingly long waits between seasons.

“However, streamers need to balance blockbuster production timelines against a steady flow of content. Extended gaps may generate anticipation around flagship titles, but they can also encourage audiences to cancel subscriptions and return only when major shows are back on screen.”