Friends

Friends commands the highest streaming numbers on this list, with 52.5 million viewers for its 2004 finale—26 million more than #6 Seinfeld's finale. It remains Netflix’s most-watched non-original series, accumulating 10 billion streaming minutes in 2023. The show’s 10 seasons cost $10 million per episode in its final year, yet generated $1.1 billion in total syndication revenue. Compared to #5 The Simpsons, Friends boasts a 35% higher completion rate among first-time viewers, proving it outperforms #2 in binge appeal. Its cultural legacy includes a 2021 reunion that drew 30% more live viewers than the average HBO drama.