Fascinating numbers. We live in an era of media fragmentation - people have any number of platforms, channels and screens to divert their attention. Yet these powerhouse shows, broadcast on the original, traditional TV channels, are flourishing. I think it tells us two things ... https://twitter.com/scottygb/status/1322646808783441921

Firstly, it should be acknowledged, these shows are very good. People will always consume good content which is well marketed and available free-to-air. Congrats to the teams working on these shows for putting them together in what must be highly challenging circumstances.

However all of those things were true last year, or the year before or the year before that. We have, for several years now, been living in an era of media fragmentation with massive competition for people's attention. Why now are these shows pulling in these kinds of audiences?

I think it has to do with our inherent need for community. In the face of the biggest threat to normal life most of us have seen people are finding community in these shows. A comfort in watching the same thing everyone else is watching while also following along on social media.

Covid, for the most part, is accelerating tech trends (eg Disney releasing movies direct-to-consumer on Disney+ while cinemas close). But these things are always multi-faceted. There will be quirks and trends that do not neatly fit the general direction of travel.

For example one tech trend which took a slight detour this year was the rise and rise of mobile for our internet usage. That is absolutely still going to be the case longer-term but interestingly lockdown saw a revival for desktop internet use. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/07/technology/coronavirus-internet-use.html

I think we'll see the same with the blockbuster TV shows. The general trend will be media fragmentation and greater competition for attention. But this autumn especially we will turn to these shows for community - and in the absence of normal life, what a good thing that is.