Is Ahsoka the most popular among the Star Wars series on Disney+?
Almost nothing nearly guarantees viewership for Disney+, like the release of a new Marvel or Star Wars series. With legacy name recognition and a loyal (and always growing) multi-generational fanbase, both franchises, at the very least, pique viewer interest upon release.
So, when Ahsoka, the latest release from the Star Wars franchise, hit streaming on August 22, 2023, our data analysts couldn’t wait to see how the series would stack up against the rest of the franchise’s offering.
During September, we set out to learn how Ahsoka’s debut compared to other series in the Star Wars franchise regarding immediate audience reception, whether or not viewership behavior demonstrates a significant shift in user preference for Star Wars-themed content, and what the initial two-week release data indicates for a series’ long-term popularity.
How did Ahsoka perform in its first two weeks of streaming?
In its first two weeks, Ahsoka outperformed the average TV show on subscription services by a factor of 165 in terms of streaming and engagement. This index is calculated by dividing the streaming and engagement interactions with each TV show over the first 14 days since the release by the average interactions with a TV show available on a subscription service.
While Ahsoka is part of The Mandalorian universe, with its story taking place alongside that series—it’s neither a prequel or sequel—Ahsoka’s viewership was more closely aligned with the Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor series.
Additionally, Ahsoka made Reelgood’s Top 10 on the week of its release on Disney+ and skyrocketed to the most popular show on its second week on air.
How does Ahsoka’s debut compare to other Star Wars shows regarding immediate audience reception?
Among Star Wars live-action series, Ahsoka ranked third, with an index score of 165, trailing behind Obi-Wan Kenobi, scoring 236, and Andor scoring 198.
Interestingly, The Mandalorian falls to fourth place when analyzing the index score. All three seasons of The Mandalorian have a much higher Reelgood score than any other series, leading each series by 15+ points and being the #23 ranked TV show on the Reelgood platform.
Does the viewership behavior demonstrate a significant shift in user preference for Star Wars-themed content?
Between its loyal fanbase and its ability to continue to draw viewers with new movies and TV shows that expand the universe, Star Wars is an iconic legacy franchise that earns new viewers every year and with every series. It stands to reason that Ahsoka’s dominant viewer base was already a Star Wars fan. Unfortunately for old and new fans alike, new seasons of these series are not coming until 2024 or 2025 at the earliest.
How indicative are the initial two weeks of a series’ long-term popularity?
The longer a series stays in Reelgood’s Top Ten typically, the more popular the show will be long-term. Recent non-Star Wars content that proves that point is series like The Bear, with a score of 83, and The Last of Us, with a score of 86; both have fan bases that eagerly anticipate their returns. Another interesting title to look at is Squid Game. With only one season released and its second release date still not announced, the wildly popular TV show still has a score of 90.
Again, it seems too soon to make any firm predictions of Ahsoka’s long-term popularity. What is certain is this—audiences are enjoying it now.
