The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020–2021 profoundly altered the entertainment landscape, turning homes into viewing hubs and streaming into a global lifeline. Television offered both escape and connection as viewers faced isolation, uncertainty, and collective anxiety.
From unprecedented spikes in viewing hours to makeshift home studios and evolving audience behaviors, the pandemic catalyzed a permanent shift in how people consumed, created, and experienced media.
Post-pandemic successes like Squid Game and Wednesday emerged as the downstream effects of changes born during this transformative period.
Key Takeaways
- Global streaming surged by over 81% during the early months of the pandemic, as home confinement drove massive increases in on-demand content consumption.
- Squid Game became Netflix’s most-watched show, with 1.65 billion hours viewed in its first 28 days and over 265 million account views.
- Crime and psychological thriller genres dominated viewer preferences, as audiences sought structured, emotionally gripping content during periods of social isolation.
- TV production pivoted quickly after shutdowns, with filming resuming under strict health guidelines and studios adopting remote workflows, limited-location shoots, and virtual tools.
- Online engagement around TV content rose by 81%, with 76% of internet users participating in digital discussions and 66% forming meaningful community connections through streaming fandoms.
The Global Phenomenon of “Squid Game” and Streaming Dominance
Global lockdowns catalyzed an 81% surge in streaming hours by April 2020, according to Conviva. With theaters shuttered and social interaction limited, viewers turned to platforms like Netflix, YouTube, and Disney+ in record numbers. This demand for fresh, international content helped pave the way for unprecedented global hits.
Netflix’s South Korean thriller Squid Game, released in September 2021, became the platform’s most-watched show of all time, with 1.65 billion hours viewed in its first 28 days and over 265 million accounts reached. Its themes of survival, debt, and class inequality deeply resonated with a world recovering from economic and social strain.
As a post-pandemic breakout, Squid Game exemplified the new appetite for non-English dramas, a trend driven by pandemic-era viewers seeking fresh, globally relevant narratives. The show’s explosive success reshaped Netflix’s strategy, resulting in expanded investment in international productions.
Similar to how Facebook’s cultural impact transformed social media into an integral part of daily life, “Squid Game” revolutionized global streaming habits.
In June 2025, Squid Game released its third and final season, capping off a franchise born from—and shaped by—the pandemic’s impact on global streaming.
How “Wednesday” Captured the Collective Imagination
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Although Wednesday debuted in November 2022, its overwhelming popularity—341.2 million hours viewed in its first week—reflects audience preferences that solidified during lockdowns. Pandemic viewers leaned into genre-blending shows with strong female leads, teen horror, and dark humor.
Jenna Ortega’s portrayal of Wednesday Addams tapped into a pandemic-conditioned appetite for characters embodying emotional control amid chaos. The series’ cross-generational success and viral social media presence echoed behaviors rooted in 2020’s screen-centered routines.
Following the path that Game of Thrones established, “Wednesday” created characters that viewers genuinely feared could face real danger, heightening the stakes of every episode.
Crime and Thriller Obsessions During Home Confinement
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During confinement, audiences found comfort in psychological thrillers and crime procedurals. Shows like Mindhunter, Law & Order SVU, Criminal Minds, and Your Honor surged in viewership, offering structured narratives with emotional detachment.
These genres thrived due to:
- Predictable arcs offering narrative closure
- Familiar formats that contrasted real-life unpredictability
- High emotional stakes without direct correlation to current events
Platforms responded by prioritizing crime-focused programming, with new titles regularly topping watch charts throughout 2020 and 2021. The psychological themes in these series mirrored broader social concerns—justice, order, and fear—reflected in fictional but relatable contexts.
This trend reflects the evolution of reality TV, which has historically thrived during periods when audiences seek shared experiences through their screens.
Community Through Screens: Digital Gatherings and Fandoms
In isolation, digital spaces became the new gathering grounds. Livestreams, hashtags, and discussion threads turned binge-watching into shared virtual rituals.
From 2020 to 2021:
- 76% of internet users reported engaging in online discussions around TV content
- Online interactions around streaming surged by 81%
- 66% said TV communities provided meaningful connection during isolation (Pew, Facebook Data for Good)
Platforms like Twitch, Discord, and Reddit became fandom hubs. Social media became a tool for discovery, with 56% of Gen Z viewers stating they tried shows based on viral trends. These behaviors helped propel shows like Wednesday and The Queen’s Gambit to success long after the peak of lockdown.