When it comes to holiday binge-watching, viewers made their loyalties loud and clear: suspense, romance, and a little Christmas chaos were at the top of their lists. Nielsen’s latest streaming rankings for December 16–22 show that Netflix’s Carry-On, a holiday airport thriller, didn’t just capture attention—it completely dominated the charts, pulling in 1.92 billion viewing minutes.

That figure makes Carry-On the second-best weekly performance for a Netflix film in all of 2024, only trailing Eddie Murphy’s nostalgia-fueled Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, which crossed the 2 billion mark back in July. Not a bad gift for Netflix just ahead of Christmas.

---

 Carry-On Flies High

The thriller, starring Taron Egerton, has all the makings of a holiday hit: an airport in lockdown, high-stakes suspense, and a ticking clock that kept audiences glued to their couches. The numbers show it wasn’t just Netflix subscribers tuning in—Carry-On topped all of streaming in the U.S. during that pre-Christmas week.

---

 Prime Video’s Red One Still in the Game

While it lost its grip on first place, Prime Video’s Christmas action-comedy Red One continued to perform well, adding 1.7 billion minutes and maintaining a solid spot in the Top 5. The Dwayne Johnson–Chris Evans pairing clearly had holiday staying power.

---

 Virgin River Delivers Comfort TV

Netflix didn’t just win with thrillers. The streamer’s crown jewel of cozy escapism, Virgin River, kept its spot in the Top 5 as well, proving that even during high-octane holiday releases, fans crave small-town romance. With season 6 having just dropped in December, viewers flocked back to Mel and Jack’s storylines, cementing Virgin River as a year-round powerhouse.

Netflix also boosted its lineup with La Palma, another entry that rounded out the week’s Top 5.

---

 Disney+ Still Has Bluey Magic

It wouldn’t be a streaming chart without Bluey. The Australian preschool hit continued its dominance for Disney+, clocking another billion minutes of viewing and reminding everyone that family-friendly programming remains a streaming goldmine.

---

 The Netflix Effect in Action

Nielsen’s data also highlighted just how powerful Netflix exposure can be. CBS’s The Equalizer, long available on Paramount+, spiked in popularity after its first three seasons dropped on Netflix on December 16. Viewers binged their way through 873 million minutes, catapulting the series to No. 6 overall.

Paramount+ had its own win, though: Taylor Sheridan’s oil drama Landman tallied 872 million minutes across its seven available episodes. With buzz around its explosive January finale, it’s a title likely to climb higher in coming weeks.

---

 Other Notables

• Six Triple Eight, Tyler Perry’s WWII drama for Netflix, clocked in at 867 million minutes, landing at No. 8.

• Strong overall performances from Netflix reinforced its dominance, especially during the critical holiday window.

---

 The Takeaway

The week before Christmas showed the breadth of viewer taste: some leaned into suspense (Carry-On), others into festive blockbusters (Red One), and millions sought comfort (Virgin River). But the numbers don’t lie—Netflix once again owned the holiday season, with Carry-On proving that sometimes a holiday thriller can outshine even the jolliest of comedies.