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Top 10 Most Pirated TV Shows on BitTorrent (wk29)

TV shows are by far the most wanted files via BitTorrent, and according to some, it’s fast becoming the modern day TiVo. But what are all those people downloading?

top gearThe data is collected by TorrentFreak from a representative sample of BitTorrent sites and is for informational and educational reference only.

At the end of the year we will publish a list of most downloaded TV-shows for the entire year, like we did last December.

TV-shows such as “Lost” and “Heroes” can get up to 10 million downloads per episode, in only a week.

Top Downloads June 13 – July 20

Ranking (last week) TV-show
1 (1) Top Gear
2 (2) Weeds
3 (3) Stargate Atlantis
4 (new) Generation Kill
5 (back) The Daily Show
6 (new) Psych
7 (7) So You Think You Can Dance
8 (9) In Plain Sight
9 (back) The Colbert Report
10 (4) Burn Notice

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  • http://www.eZee.se www.eZee.se

    Hmmm, i think i’ll check out “Psych”, never heard of it before

  • lolman

    first!!!! anyways… where are these stats gotten from

  • http://torrentfreak.com Ernesto

    @1 “The data is collected by TorrentFreak from a representative sample of BitTorrent sites”

  • lolman

    wow you reply quick! thanks

  • nick

    haha at lolman
    Ernesto is always watching >.>

  • Binsy

    Topgear is awesome.

  • Sam

    Hurray for Top Gear!

  • Viper007Bond

    No surprise with Top Gear!

  • Kos

    You have to see Generation Kill. If you loved Band of Brothers, you have to see it.

  • Digg

    Why call it ‘pirated’?
    It’s not piracy, not anymore than watching a show on my DVR.

  • Anonymous

    to see more good videos on–EUAGELESS.COM ..here you can find the surprises…

  • bubbles

    It would be cool if you could give a rough estimate of downloads per show too.

  • @ Digg

    Although I agree, its called pirated because theres no adverts, all commercials are taken out, also its not controlled like on your DVR, they dont know how many times you watch it or when you watch it ect ect.

    Its all about control, and we tell them to go ‘stick the law up ur bum!’.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLZpxVI7Pa8

  • Killer Tree

    @ 10
    “Pirated” is ok, we’re taking it back! ;-)

  • Anonymous

    Topgear over Stargate Atlantis? Strange, the seeds on all of the private trackers I am on, lets see 3 to 4 times more SGA snatches then Topgear.

    Just my 2ct

  • MacBeth

    If you live in the states you don’t have to pirate Psych or Burn Notice, just go to Hulu.com you can watch it for free. It is usually up the next morning, like American Gladiators which was on last night has been up since 9 am and I’m going to watch it later today.

  • zom

    Seeing “So You Think You Can Dance” on any top 10 list makes me sad.

  • pirated

    @14 You porch monkey

    @13 It’s the same as sharing VHS taped recordings of a on air show, and that’s deemed as legal. (as long as the files you get are TV-rips, which in some cases are better quality than DVD-rips anyway)

    @16 While that’s true, and I think that they finally have the right idea, the quality still isn’t the same. Not only that, but I don’t have to deal with streaming cause the internet connection speeds aren’t really there either. I use a computer with Linux (Ubuntu) on it to watch such files on the TV, and it’s much easier to deal with an Xvid.

  • TorrrrrentFrrrrreeeak

    Hey Ernesto,

    These guys here think that your chart is BS…

    http://newteevee.com/2008/07/19/top-bittorrented-tv-downloads-this-week-3/

    I think their chart is BS.. doesnt make any sense to me.. thought I would let you know.

    Cheers…

  • Anonymous

    Who cares? The only one I’d download would be SA if there wasn’t so many episodes

  • MacBeth

    @18
    You must have a terrible connection. I use the one at my work which is a public wireless network and I get a pretty bad signal and it works out fine for me. The quality may not be that great but most of the new episodes they have on there can be turned up to 480p which may not be full HD but its better than waiting a week or two or more for the really high quality HD. When I do watch Hulu at home I have no trouble using my TV its just as good as any xvid.

  • Bard

    How is downloading from bittorrent any different from recording it on my PVR?

    I already PAY to see the shows – I just find bittorrent a lot more convenient.

  • bayan

    PSYCH FTW!!!

  • Anonymous

    @pirated:
    “and it’s much easier to deal with an Xvid”

    ew i cant deal with xvid. x264 ftw!

  • Ryan

    “It’s the same as sharing VHS taped recordings of a on air show, and that’s deemed as legal. (as long as the files you get are TV-rips, which in some cases are better quality than DVD-rips anyway)”

    That’s NOT legal in the UK you’re not allowed to share VHS recordings and you HAVE TO destroy the tape or record over the show within 28 days of recording it.

  • Nobiwankenobi

    This list albiet maybe accurtate for the time. It’s not a true definition of the most downloaded torrents, only the most at that particular time. I’m sure as hell that when LOST, Battlestar Galactica, Heroes, 24, Family Guy, The Sheild, Nip Tuck, and many other shows are running in primetime, that they are the most downloaded….Again only at that particular time thou.

  • Johnny

    Great list! I am finding that you don’t even have to go on torrents to watch these, I can watch everyone of these tv show episodes and virtually any tv show online free at Yidio.com – http://www.yidio.com/tv-shows

    Enjoy, cheers!

  • pirated

    @21
    Admittedly, I didn’t even know they had that ability to turn it up a bit. Even so the quality still isn’t the same as even the small rips. Although, the quality is at least the same as my actual DVR if not a bit better. I just tested out the newest Burn Notice on there, and I didn’t see any hiccups so I guess it’s either the fact that this is a new show or they were just having problems with whatever it was that I was trying to watch before. I’ll try to watch it using Hulu this Friday, just to see an actual run with it on some new material. But like I said, I just compared the first several minutes extensively and it didn’t come close to the Xvid.

    @24 Honestly, while there is a difference it’s still generally from the same source so while it will be better it’s not going to make your eyes bleed to use the xvid. The xvid is still better than what I get out of my cable.

    @25 Who said they were in the UK? And that sounds like a terribly arbitrary rule. I wonder how many people actually followed it in the UK when VHS tapes were common. Does that mean you could download and watch as long as you delete in 28 days to do the same thing?

  • Genetic

    Where the hell is lost??

  • Anonymous

    even so 24 this year wasn’t aired..it would be in the top 3, probalby after topgear.

  • zom

    Four of Five Dentists surveyed said “1 outta 10 of these shows grow hair on your pussy.”

  • Kris

    Where is Battlestar Galactica?

  • zom

    shouldn’t we be hyping the stuff we like

  • zom

    rather than playing follow the leader

  • MPAA Agent

    You all gonna be buttfucked

  • toddlorensinclair

    Lots of the shows are available for free viewing online … so in my opinion it shouldn’t matter whether you choose to view them on your tv, hulu, one of the many other internet tv options or on a file from your pc you got from a torrent.

  • zom

    and tell a friend.. even if the show sux

    and don’t forget to spend all your base

  • Chris Albrecht

    @TorrrrrentFrrrrreeeak and Ernesto,

    NewTeeVee does not think your chart is BS.

    We just have a different list is all.

  • a

    weeds such a good show have every epp :) plus great speeds on demonoid 600kbs i downloaded at

  • Gigi

    What!? House should definitely be up there.

  • sko11ie

    GO TOP GEAR ;)

  • DigitalKaizer

    YES! GO ATLANTIS!

    Chevron 3 Encoded.

  • AMontoth

    SYTYCD is #7 and the scene forgets to cap a whole week?

  • David

    Psych is cool.

    legal schmegal, the whole dam has bust, don’t you get it?

  • amy

    i agree with the first two. not really checked out the other ones. =p

  • BTGuard - BitTorrent Anonymously

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