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Streamers Prefer Feel-Good Genres Over Crime and Horror While in Quarantine

If you're wondering what everyone is watching in COVID-19 quarantine, it turns out we prefer comedy and animation over horror and crime.

Jason Cohen
 & Jason Cohen Senior Editor, Help & How To

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Now that we're all stuck inside, streaming video has become more popular than ever. But what is everyone watching while they wait out the COVID-19 pandemic in front of a screen? Though there has been a huge focus on apocalyptic film in the media, it seems that most Americans prefer feel-good content right now.

ReelGood, a streaming hub service, has released behavioral data for its 4 million users to deliver some insight into America's current streaming habits. By comparing the seven weeks before quarantine to the seven weeks during, it determined that people are watching more family-friendly movie and TV shows and less mature content overall.

Receiving the biggest boosts over this time are animation (21 percent) and family (16 percent), with musicals also seeing a 12 percent increase in viewership. Meanwhile, genres including crime and horror have fallen in viewership by 11 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Other mature genres, such as history, romance, and war, have also fallen.



As for the most popular genres, drama and action/adventure remain at the top. But while comedy, sci-fi, and fantasy have increased in popularity, thriller, mystery, crime, and horror have decreased.

Wondering which light TV shows people are watching specifically? ReelGood has the answers. At the top of the list is the ever-popular Rick and Morty, which may have gained an increase in streaming on Hulu now that Season 4 is airing. After that is Mae Martin's Feel Good on Netflix, which debuted back in March and is still going strong.

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After that is a collection of long-running comedy shows, including Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Schitt's Creek, Community, The Good Place, The Office, The Simpsons, Modern Family, Parks and Recreation, and Friends. While the data can't tell us this, we'd guess many of us are returning to familiar shows we love during these uncertain times. 

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About Our Expert

Jason Cohen

Jason Cohen

Senior Editor, Help & How To

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As PCMag's editor of how to content, I have to cover a wide variety of topics and also make our stories accessible to everyday users. Considering my history as a technical writer, copywriter, and all-around freelancer covering baseball, comics, and more at various outlets, I am used to making myself into an expert.

I believe tech corporations are bad, but you might as well know how to use technology in everyday life. Want more how to content delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the tips and tricks newsletter that I curate twice a week.

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My job as how-to guru means I use just about every gadget under the sun, so I can figure out how everything works. I work from a Lenovo ThinkPad running Windows 11, but also have a very large Dell Inspiron 17 3000 and Apple silicon MacBook. I also have a Google Pixel 6a for personal use and use a Galaxy Z Flip 4 for additional Samsung-related testing. For iOS coverage, an iPhone 13 mini works like a charm, though it's already becoming a little long in the tooth.

My desktop situation includes a dual monitor setup with a modest Acer monitor. I also use a Logitech mouse (who can use these ThinkPad trackpads) and a Havit keyboard (my first mechanical keyboard; I love it but my wife hates it!). I'm a recent convert from wired headphones; I have Anker Soundcore Liberty Air wireless earbuds for personal use and have taken to the Sennheiser HD 450BT headphones for work.

Whenever I have a second to myself, I'm probably gaming on my Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, or Xbox Series S. I also still have a bunch of classic consoles lying around as well.

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