NBC's Manifest has been one of the hottest television shows of 2021... ever since it was cancelled shortly after its Season 3 finale but kept on crushing the competition streaming on Netflix. Nothing on Netflix seems to be able to knock Manifest very far down for long, even the recent release of the five films based on the four books of the Twilight saga. Despite Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn Part 1 and Part 2 taking up half the Top 10 list and even overcoming Manifest for a time, Manifest is crushing the numbers again.
At the time of writing, Manifest currently holds the #3 spot on Netflix's Top 10 list, behind Virgin River and Never Have I Ever. Since both of those shows are Netflix originals, Manifest is #1 when it comes to projects streaming by not produced by Netflix. The Twilight franchise is right behind Manifest, however, with Twilight, New Moon, Breaking Dawn Part 2, and Eclipse holding spots #4 - #7. Apparently Breaking Dawn Part 1 is the least favorite at this point, as it is in the #10 spot behind Heist at #8 and Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans at #9. Sorry, Breaking Dawn Part 1, but you're no Manifest! (Or Trollhunters, apparently.)
Basically, even though the Twilight vampires may have temporarily knocked Manifest down the list of the Top 10, the cancelled sci-fi series is back on top of the movies again. And all things considered, that's not too shocking, even if it would otherwise be odd to compare a cancelled NBC show with a mega hit movie franchise.
According to TVLine, Manifest once again held the top spot in Nielsen's U.S. streaming rankings for the week of June 21, with almost 2.1 billion – yes, billion with a b – minutes viewed, which is even more remarkable for the fact that only the first two seasons are available streaming on Netflix. The Nielsen rankings also account for streamers beyond just Netflix. For example, Disney+'s Luca is #2.
The Nielsen numbers combined with Manifest continuing to hold a prime spot on Netflix's Top 10 are good news for fans still holding out hope for a rescue for the series, particularly since those hopes don't seem as futile now as they did just days ago. Recent reports indicate that both NBC and Netflix are reconsidering the decision to pass on a Season 4 thanks to the streaming numbers that just won't quit. Nothing is guaranteed, but things look about as good for a Manifest renewal as they have since the initial cancellation.
For now, Manifest fans may just want to keep crossing their fingers (and streaming the two seasons on Netflix) that the efforts for the show to be un-cancelled will pay off in the form of a continuation. Manifest showrunner Jeff Rake has even suggested that a movie could work to finish the story that he'd intended to end over the course of three more seasons, so creative compromise is clearly possible. The question is simply whether or not the opportunity will arise.
For now, you can hit up Netflix for all your streaming needs – whether they involve two seasons of Manifest, five movies of vampire romance drama, or any of the streamer's many other options.
