Image: Friends, NBC
Sitcoms are among the most beloved TV genres in the U.S. and a cornerstone of American culture. Despite a general downward trend in demand for comedy TV shows on streaming platforms, the demand for sitcoms in the U.S. has remained steady over the past few years, consistently accounting for around 10% of the demand for SVOD TV catalogs, according to Parrot Analytics. This makes the sitcom genre the fourth most in-demand last quarter, tied with animation and just below reality TV.
Beyond their popularity, sitcoms possess two key traits that make them crucial for SVOD platforms' long-term strategies. The first is longevity. Successful sitcoms enjoy enduring popularity years, and even decades, after their final episodes air. This timeless appeal can be seen in cultural staples like “Friends,” “Seinfeld,” and “The Big Bang Theory”, all of which have sizeable episode counts, what contributes greatly to extended engagement.
The second trait is high rewatchability. Sitcoms typically feature loose storylines and short episodes, making them perfect for non-sequential viewing and repeated rewatches. Shows like “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation” are often described as "comfort TV" because they provide fans with an easy and enjoyable escape, revisiting familiar characters and scenarios.
These characteristics make sitcoms a powerful tool for subscriber retention on streaming platforms. Hulu, in particular, has excelled at leveraging sitcoms to retain subscribers. According to Parrot Analytics Streaming Economics, sitcoms account for 13.4% of Hulu’s total subscriber retention—a remarkable figure given that sitcoms make up only 7.6% of the platform’s TV catalog (retention metrics include contributions from both TV shows and movies).
Hulu is followed by Max, where sitcoms contribute to retaining 9.1% of the platform’s subscriber base. However, Max’s catalog includes even fewer sitcoms—just 4.2%. While Hulu relies heavily on animated sitcoms such as “The Simpsons,” “Family Guy,” and “Bob’s Burgers,” Max’s retention strength lies in more traditional sitcoms. Top contributors include CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory” and its spin-off “Young Sheldon,” HBO’s mature comedies like “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and the iconic “Friends,” which is exclusively available on Max in the U.S.
Paramount+ also benefits significantly from sitcoms, which account for nearly 12% of its TV catalog—the highest share among major platforms. However, sitcoms contribute slightly less to overall subscriber retention on Paramount+, at 9.0%. Paramount+ offers a diverse mix of titles, blending youth-oriented shows like Nickelodeon’s “The Loud House” and “Victorious” with content for older audiences, including “Frasier (1993),” its streaming revival “Frasier (2023),” and classic CBS sitcoms like “Everybody Loves Raymond.” The enduring appeal of older shows like “Frasier” and “Everybody Loves Raymond,” despite their initial releases decades ago, highlights the longevity that defines the sitcom genre.
Netflix — the market-leading streaming service — has notably struggled to develop successful long-running original sitcoms. As such, the company has relied on licensing big name sitcoms such as “Friends,” “The Office” and “Young Sheldon” over the years. Even so, sitcoms comprise a small percentage of Netflix’s TV series supply and retention contribution. This positions the genre as a potential growth area for the future.
