‘Somebody go check on Agatha’: ‘The Penguin’ episode 1 numbers are in, and the Marvel vs. DC streaming war has already declared a winner

With Agatha All Along and The Penguin dropping on streaming services in the same week, the age-old Marvel vs. DC rivalry has reignited. Now that the viewership numbers of both series have been revealed, it’s time to declare a winner.

According to data released by the Walt Disney Company, Agatha All Along generated 9.3 million views in its first seven days on Disney+. This figure represents views rather than unique viewers, as streaming services often calculate viewership by dividing total watch time by the runtime of the content. Meanwhile, The Penguin waddled its way to an impressive 5.3 million viewers across all platforms in just four days after its release. This number includes viewership on both HBO’s cable channel and its streaming platform, Max.

At first glance, fans might think Agatha All Along emerged victorious in this streaming showdown. However, it’s the other way around. The Marvel Studios series’ figure is a global tally, while The Penguin‘s numbers are specific to the U.S. market. Additionally, The Penguin achieved its viewership in a shorter timeframe, suggesting a potentially higher audience engagement rate. Finally, Warner Bros. Discovery has disclosed the actual number of viewers, while Disney tried to inflate the number by counting views (but let’s be honest, hardcore fans of both brands will rewatch episodes multiple times).

However we approach these numbers, The Penguin is considerably ahead of Agatha All Along. The question, now, is why.

Why is The Penguin the kingpin of the superhero streaming game despite Agatha All Along enchanting story?

To understand the results of the latest Marvel vs. DC dispute, it’s essential to consider each show’s release context. In the wake of Avengers: Endgame, the MCU has struggled to maintain the same level of critical and commercial success that defined its earlier phases. This fatigue has been attributed to an oversaturation of content and a perceived decline in quality, with some recent MCU entries failing to meet box office expectations.

On the other hand, The Penguin rides the wave of success generated by Matt Reeves’ The Batman, which grossed an impressive $772 million worldwide at a time when people had already lost faith in the DCEU. This financial triumph, coupled with critical acclaim, has reinvigorated interest in DC’s Gotham-centric storytelling, providing a solid foundation for spin-off series like The Penguin.

The way Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney distribute content for critics might also weigh this result. Disney is determined to protect the secrecy of Marvel Studios productions, so the company historically only gives critics a few episodes to write reviews. That causes some distrust as no one knows beforehand if TV shows keep their quality and pacing throughout the season. Meanwhile, critics could watch The Penguin in its entirety and have been praising the show over a week before the first episode release – our own review is part of this crowd.

Unfortunately, Agatha All Along failed to get the love it deserves. It is the latest production to be review-bombed by the “anti-woke” gang on score aggregator websites. Even before its release, the Marvel Studios show was attacked for being “too gay,” which probably didn’t help its viewership. So, The Penguin, being great as it is, had to issue to grab the crown.  It will be curious to observe how both Marvel and DC deal with these results.