Knuckles had the most-viewed opening weekend of any Paramount+ original series to date

02.05.2024 - 20:37 / videogameschronicle.com / Chris Scullion

Paramount’s Knuckles TV show enjoyed the best opening weekend of any Paramount+ original series to date.

According to Paramount, the show – which appeared on the streaming service on April 26 – set a new global record as “the most-watched Paramount+ original series of all time”.

Over the course of the show’s first three days, more than 4 million hours were streamed, also making it the most-watched Paramount+ ‘kids-and-family’ title ever (including all shows, not just Paramount+ originals).

Paramount says the show’s release also had a knock-on effect on other Sonic titles on the streaming platform, with viewership up more than 278% globally over the daily average.

Paramount+ executive vice president of programming Jeff Grossman said: “The Sonic the Hedgehog fans came out in full-force. We’re so thrilled with the record-breaking performance of Knuckles and the incredible lift the whole Sonic universe has experienced following Knuckles’ premiere.”

The six-episode series currently has a mostly positive Rotten Tomatoes score of 72% among TV critics and 73% among the audience, though video game publications appear to have been a little harsher on it.

“Ultimately, this series isn’t the knockout that fans were hoping for,” according to VGC’s Knuckles review. “Despite a brilliant start, It’s difficult to shake the feeling that Knuckles was originally intended for theatrical release, with momentum killing filler and heinous product placement the resulting collateral damage.”

The Sonic the Hedgehog hit cinemas in 2020 and grossed almost $320 million at the box office, despite the closure of most cinemas a month into its run due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its sequel followed in 2022 and generated over $405 million.

It was announced in late March that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has wrapped filming ahead of its release in cinemas on December 20, 2024.