The most popular show on Disney Plus in 2021 will shock you

2021 was a massive year for the Disney Plus streaming service. In addition to debuting the first five Marvel Studios shows, Disney also launched four new movies on Premier Access, continued the story of The Mandalorian in The Book of Boba Fett, and delighted fans of The Beatles with Peter Jackson’s big new documentary, Get Back. 2022 may be even bigger for the service, but before we forge ahead, it is worth looking back. For example, do you have any idea what the most popular series on Disney Plus was in 2021? Here’s a hint: It had nothing to do with Star Wars or Marvel.

The Simpsons topped Disney Plus in 2021

Throughout the year, the website What’s On Disney Plus tracked the most popular shows that appeared on the app’s trending list every day. Using that data, the site put together its list of the most-streamed shows on Disney Plus in 2021. These aren’t official statistics, but they offer an interesting perspective on what people watch on the streaming service. Here are the top 10 globally:

1. The Simpsons
2. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
3. Bluey
4. Jessie
5. Loki
6. The Mandalorian
7. WandaVision
8. What If…?
9. Grey’s Anatomy
10. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that these weren’t the ten shows you would have picked. At least not in this order. On one hand, it’s sincerely not much of a surprise that kids’ shows are regularly dominating the trending list. Parents will attest that kids can sit in front of a TV all day when given the chance. Plus, there are way more episodes of Bluey to binge than WandaVision or Loki.

But the fact that The Simpsons appears to be the most popular show on Disney Plus will surprise many subscribers. If you aren’t a fan of the longest-running sitcom of all time, you might have never even streamed a single episode of the series. You’re seemingly in the minority, though, as even now, the show is fourth on the trending list, right behind new content like Encanto and The Book of Boba Fett. Acquiring all 32 seasons of The Simpsons certainly wasn’t the primary impetus behind Disney’s $71 billion Fox deal, but it seems to be paying off in a major way.

What’s next for Disney Plus in 2022

With hundreds of episodes available to stream, The Simpsons will likely continue to light up the charts throughout the coming years on Disney Plus. We all love to binge long-running series, and even if you combine every season of The Office, Friends, and Seinfeld, you still wouldn’t come close to matching the sheer volume of The Simpsons. Plus, Disney keeps making new Simpsons-themed specials to celebrate its upcoming releases, which keeps the show fresh in our minds.

Of course, The Simpsons isn’t the only reason people are staying subscribed to Disney Plus. In 2022, Marvel will bring at least eight new movies and shows to the streaming service. These include Eternals, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, She-Hulk, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, and I Am Groot.