TorrentFreak

The place where breaking news, BitTorrent and copyright collide

Top 10 Most Pirated TV Shows on BitTorrent

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

heroesSimilar to last week, Heroes is leading the chart. Prison Break is missing since there wasn’t a new episode. A notable newcomer is Californication, which makes its first entry in the top 10.

The data presented here is collected by TorrentFreak from a representative sample of BitTorrent sites and is for informational and educational reference only.

Top Downloads October 12 – October 19
Ranking (last week) TV-show
torrentfreak.com
1 (1) Heroes
2 (3) Dexter
3 (back) House
4 (7) Desperate Housewives
5 (6) Smallville
6 (back) Fringe
7 (5) Grey’s Anatomy
8 (back) Entourage
9 (new) Californication
10 (8) Stargate Atlantis

Related Posts

Previous Post | Next Post

  • BSG

    A lot of people have started watching Californication, due to the much announced addition of Callum Keith Rennie (Battlestar Galactica’s Leoben)to the cast.

  • NastyBedazzler

    Dexter and Californication are excellent shows. I don’t get the hype still surrounding Heroes, season 1 was good but it’s been all downhill since then

  • http://www.eZee.se www.eZee.se

    Is it just me or has SGA gone right down to the dogs?

    Its hard trying to to watch that show now without getting irritated esp after watching other quality shows on TV… oopps, make that BT ;)

  • Gonz

    It’s a pity SGA doesn’t get too much credit. I personally think it beats Heroes blindfolded… But that’s just me.

    (PS: I’m kind of a long-time fan of the Stargate series ;])

  • ChillyConCarne

    @#1 >>> Callum Keith Rennie (Battlestar Galactica’s Leoben)

    Who the f-ck is he??? I started watchin Cali, great show/cast/script/etc. but rest assured, it’s not because of him it’s because of the sexrehab news … poor smock who thinks a noob would make a difference ….

    btw looking forward 2 final BSG… liked the season where the cylons occupied them and tried to rule the ppl w/o understanding them, and the ppl fighting back with any means available… it made you rude for the oppressed/BSG… the funny thing that during the hot phase of the us occupation of irak… wondering how many got the parallels?

  • its not easy being green

    @3

    when they didn’t pick up the season 3 story arc and invented stupid michael that was the end for me, plus they started to give more and more screentime/lines to Rachel Luttrell (Teyla), made me puke…

    and plz for the love of god, they should give ronan 50+ extra iq points so he can stop acting like a five year old… worked wonders for the character of Teal’c

  • well

    there should be Merlin(pretty cool british story about the wizzard Merlin) in that top but it wasn’t made in theire air date

  • will

    merlin sucks

  • Gruntled

    How was the sampling created to get these stats? It’s a fascinating form of zeitgeist.

  • HappySadFace

    I wish Pushing Daisies and True Blood would be on the list I know True Blood has been picked up for a second season but Pushing Daisies could use the audience. Would be a tough loss since there is nothing else like it.

  • Anonymous

    No Shield? Madness!

  • Idiot

    What no Little Britain USA?

  • http://www.eZee.se www.eZee.se

    @4, Am myself a longtime SG and SG1 fan (although even SG1 screwed up things in the end with the Ori crap… think about it, even Continium rocked coz the Ori arc was out) but SGA has just been goin down the dogs, i think its after the wraith became less bad ass when a bullet or two could take them out unlike the first eps.

    @its not easy being green, Bang on!
    And here i was thinking that i was the only one really pissed with Rachel Luttrell tilting her feking head,half opening her mouth and looking dazed for no reason every 1 min of screentime.

    Its liek the show’s cast and crew know its their final season so lets just get it over with.

  • well

    Just to let you all know incase you didnt..

    Theres new episodes each of the new season of these shows:

    Family Guy
    American Dad
    The Office

    DOWNLOAD EM cause there awesome. The shows above suck huge drama balls.. stress me the f*ck out watching them.

    These shows have started back up so remember to check the schedule and add those RSS feeds so you dont even have to download the torrent. There usually downloaded within minutes after the live air.

  • Pingback: Top 10 Most Pirated TV Shows on BitTorrent, October 12- 19, 2008: Heroes, Dexter, House, Desperate Housewives, Smallville, Fringe, Grey's Anatomy, Entourage, Californication, Stargate Atlantis

  • well, well

    thanks for suggesting a bunch of primetime shows that are broadcast for free to anybody with an antenna. I’m sure you’re opening a lot of people’s eyes.

  • PrisonBreakArtist

    Argh, one week off the air and Prison Break and Family Guy are knocked off. Pfffft.

  • dPsychc

    Heroes all the way

  • Flyer

    Unfortunately they don’t make any good SF and Fantasy TV-shows anymore.

    Battlestar was great – but Stargate Atlantic sucks – Why do they have to add pityful morons like McKay and D. Jackson – Woolsley and Sheppard? – Their characters suck – same ole mimics every show – no depths – so predictable. – Didn’t Mamoa had a character in Andromeda? – a very good old SF show

    And Smallville? – puleeese!!!! – that’s for 10y olds

    If you ask me the best show on the list is definately Grey’s Anatomy second and third by two not on the list – Boston Legal – and Bones.

    If you haven’t seen “The Closer” – make the effort to dl the seasons available – Kyra Sedgwick – plays a great character as Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson

    Other – not ongoing – but great shows I can recommend:
    Medium – Band of brothers (wwII) – Generation Kill (Invasion of Iraq) and a very old one Xena Warrior Princess all 6 seasons of her are still available – Lucy Lawless is great as Xena – some episodes in the 6 seasons are maybe not always worth to watch – but the overall impression is that it’s a good show – combines laughter with sentiment

    Enjoy!!

  • Flyers

    Re Stargate shows –
    Would we (earth that is) really send a lil group of people armoured with those ridiculous automatic guns they wear around? – What? – Haven’t we far better weapons today? – Why don’t we ever see any heavier stuff going thru the gates – like tanks for example? – What’s the matter with these screenplay writers? – *lol*

  • thats not goin to fly

    @18 Flyer

    > Battlestar was great – but Stargate Atlantic sucks

    BSG is still great
    its Stargate Atlantis (eith a ‘S’ at the end)

    > their characters suck

    no they don’t, but Andromeda sure does.

    > Best shows Grey’s Anatomy, Boston Legal and Bones

    GA, good show – BL firsts seasons good, last 2 = awful – Bones stereotypes + bad acting (dechanel? or whats her name) and mind numbing pseudo intellectual dialog

    >The Closer

    makes me want to blow my brains out. watched half a show… “can u proof u r innocent, no? lock him up 4 life”, “u gave up ur right, when bla bla” … her accent is soooo annoying, don’t get me started…

    > Other – not ongoing – but great shows I can recommend

    Smallville is 4 kids but xena isn’t? yeah right :D

    good shows:
    -The Wire – best show ever, not the usual stuff, get it on dvd
    -NCIS – love how the characters mock/tease each other, well written/acted/produced
    -Dexter – great premise (dexter the character and the whole thing) but has some stupid/ridiculous dialogs
    -Californication-Mad Men-Craig Ferguson-Daily Show-Colbert-House and the 1st season of prison break

    #######################################
    #######################################

    One thing I _ h_a_t_e _ that more and more show incorporate, are those 2 minute segments where they play a song just to play some song.
    I understand that the sound engineer/technician has to put sound in so the restaurant sounds like a restaurant and not like a set. but please stick to dished jingling, ppl talking in the background/waklin by, if they r outside bird singing wind brushing through the tree, ppl laughing/shouting, cars driving by etc
    But don’t fill in the blanks with some stupid, annoying and unnecessary music. In many cases it music style doesn’t even fit the style of the show or context … Leave the music segments and excessively bright colors and overly simplistic dialog to CSI

  • Anonymous

    @13 yup, wraith have become less and less bad in these days… Thank God we have the replicators! LoL!

    [ps: in my country, we are in season 4]

  • Anonymous

    gotta check out True Blood

  • Pingback: ??? Top 10 Most Pirated Movies on BitTorrent - ?????? HOME

  • Anonymous

    I suppose I’ll have to post my complaint like I have the past couple of weeks….

    Where are True Blood & Sons of Anarchy? Not to mention Supernatural.

    WTF?

    The Desperate Housewives thing makes me wanna puke!

  • Flyer

    thats not goin to fly
    Don’t you ever make a typo? Thanks for pointing out the S in Atlantis for me I had no idea *lmao*

    For the rest – Sure you’re entitled to your opinion – I stick with mine though

    Re Xena
    It’s Fantasy and not much worse then for example the recent movie “In The Name Of The King” I admit that many episodes in the 6 seasons long show are bad but:
    a) I like the story of the 2 women who stick together no matter what
    b) I like all the great costumes in the show
    c) I like the fighting – it always has a humorous angle and Xenas battle cry is cute
    d) I like the way the stories sometimes mingle with historic events and with various mythologies
    e) And oh Did I mention that Xena isn’t the most beautiful woman in the world – but she’s the sweetest smile and lovely eyes and very often she shows remarkable acting talents

    Re “The Closer”
    You’re missing the point Her southern accent and her “Thank you Thank you sooo much” is SUPPOSED to be annoying Geeeez *lol*

  • OM

    I dont understand why people download so many tv shows when you can watch the shows online at sites like tvduck.com

  • by any chance…

    Yesterdays CSI:NY was great, but last weeks episode was utter and complete BS, awful in so many ways…
    Are there different writers for different episodes???

  • BurningDownTheHouse

    Who the hell is downloading House? That shit SUUUUUX!
    Every episode is the same as the last but with a new patient. damnit.. i hate it

  • MRX

    Carpoolers – Great show
    Not on list ..

  • BTGuard - BitTorrent Anonymously

NewsBits

Even more news...

  • Blu-ray Anti-Piracy Tech Stops Discs and Promotes Purchases

    An anti-piracy system present in all official Blu-ray players since 2012 has received a fresh update...

  • Foxtel Breeds Pirates by Locking Up Game of Thrones

    One of the main reasons why people turn to piracy is the lack of legal alternatives....

  • UK Student Admits Breaching Sony Copyrights With Leak of PS3 SDK

    Last year an Internet user known as El Nomeo leaked version 3.70 of Sony’s Playstation3 SDK...

  • Pirates Can Be Identified Despite Sharing IP Addresses, ISP Claims

    Carrier-Grade Network Address Translation is a network mechanism through which many Internet subscribers can share the...

  • Feds Seize Cash from Major Bitcoin Exchange’s Dwolla Account

    The U.S. Government has taken a significant action against the web’s top Bitcoin exchange by seizing...

MostDiscussed

Below are TorrentFreak's most discussed articles of the past month. Join the discussion if you like.

CopyQuote

Left Quote

“The Pirate Bay has been one of the most important movements in Sweden for freedom of speech, working against corruption and censorship.

Peter Sunde Left Quote

PopularArticles

A selection of some TorrentFreak's classics dug up from our archives.