Animation fans can measure their viewing habits against the most popular titles with the help of the new Nielsen animation TV & streaming report, “Drawn to Watch: Animation’s Hit Makers,” released timed to International Animation Day (October 28). From Bikini Bottom to Quahog, the survey reveals what folks watched in the 2025-26 season across broadcast and streaming (which accounted for 58% of the minutes viewed for the 15 most-watched series), and the creative voices and characters that draw them back again and again.
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| Nielsen's special Animation Day 2026 report shows the most-watched toons include 'SpongeBob SquarePants,' 'Family Guy,' 'South Park,' 'Bob's Burgers' and 'Bluey' | Composite by Animation Magazine. |
Per the report, the 15 most-watched animated series are:
- SpongeBob SquarePants — 70.6 billion minutes viewed
- Bluey — 68B min.
- Family Guy — 65.4B min.
- South Park — 44.5B min.
- Bob’s Burgers — 43B min.
- PAW Patrol — 42.7B min.
- The Simpsons — 28B min.
- American Dad! — 24.8B min.
- Big City Greens — 22.5B min.
- Spidey and His Amazing Friends — 20.7B min.
- Rick and Morty — 20.6B min.
- Mickey Mouse Clubhouse / Clubhouse+ — 20.3B min.
- Peppa Pig — 18.9B min.
- The Loud House — 15.4B min.
- Futurama — 14.5B min.
Seth MacFarlane emerged as the most-watched animation creator, with 92.7 billion minutes combined across Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show. These adult comedy titles are chased up by kids’ (and kids at hearts’) favorites from Stephen Hillenburg, whose SpongeBob SquarePants and its spinoffs remain a swimming success with 73B minutes. Nipping at SpongeBob’s heels is Australian hit Bluey, securing the No. 3 creator’s spot for Joe Brumm with 71.5B minutes.
The output of these three creatives collectively logged 237.2B minutes watched over the 2025-26 TV season, more than the next five creators on the list combined (202.1 billion). Among the 15 most-watched animated series, 44% of all minutes came from the “big three’s” shows. Nielsen’s list also includes Keith Chapman (PAW Patrol), Trey Parker & Matt Stone (South Park), Matt Groening (The Simpsons, Futurama), Loren Bouchard (Bob’s Burgers) and Chris & Shane Houghton (Big City Greens).
Classic franchises touched by many creative hands also remained strong, with Mickey Mouse titles racking up 30.7B minutes viewed. Hanna-Barbera classics like The Flintstones (18.5B min.), Looney Tunes (16.3B min.) and Scooby-Doo (16B min.) also performed exceptionally well across their catalogs.
When it comes to generational preferences, Kids 2-17 account for 29% of the minutes watched for the Top 15 shows, viewers 18-34 for 28%, viewers 35-49 for 23% and viewers 50+ for 20%. On linear TV (broadcast and cable), viewers 50+ drive 36% of the Top 15’s minutes. On streaming, kids (34%) and viewers 18-34 (35%) drove the numbers, with the 50+ accounting for just 9% of minutes watched across these toons.
Per the study, Peppa Pig leans youngest, with kids making up 59% of its minutes — adults account for the other 41%. Bluey splits almost exactly in half, at 51% kids and 49% adults, including 14% from viewers 50+, signally strong co-viewing appeal for these shows. South Park is the oldest-skewing show in the Top 15, drawing 42.3% of its minutes from viewers 50+ and kids viewing just 5% of its minutes (time to check those parental controls…). And The Simpsons is the most evenly balanced, with every age group between 17% and 34%. SpongeBob, launched as a kids’ show in 1999, gets 47.9% of its minutes from adults 18-49 today.
Read the full report at nielsen.com.
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Original source: Animation Magazine.
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