Rowan Atkinson’s New Holiday Comedy Dethrones Stranger Things on Netflix

Netflix has a surprising new champion topping its global charts, and it’s not the sci-fi juggernaut everyone expected to stay there. While the fifth season of Stranger Things has dominated viewership since its late November premiere, Rowan Atkinson’s fresh holiday series Man vs. Baby has officially stolen the number one spot.

This new show serves as a direct sequel to Atkinson’s 2022 hit Man vs. Bee and brings back the bumbling Trevor Bingley. In this installment, Trevor finds himself working as a school caretaker who inadvertently ends up responsible for an abandoned baby. Things escalate quickly when he accepts a lucrative offer to house-sit a luxury London penthouse over Christmas, bringing the infant along for the chaotic ride.

The series’ sudden rise suggests a shift in viewer habits as the holiday season swings into full gear. While Stranger Things demands close attention to a complex narrative, Man vs. Baby offers four bite-sized, 30-minute episodes that are perfect for casual family viewing. The lighthearted slapstick seems to be exactly what audiences are craving right now, offering a breezy alternative to the intense drama of Hawkins, Indiana.

However, Atkinson’s reign at the top might be short-lived given Netflix’s release schedule. The streaming giant plans to drop more episodes of Stranger Things later in December, which will likely send the sci-fi epic surging back up the rankings.

Have you watched Man vs. Baby yet, and do you think it deserves the top spot over Stranger Things? Let us know what you think in the comments.