'Game of Thrones' draws series high ratings for Season 2 launch
Emmy-winning drama routs 'The Killing' on Sunday
Richard Madden of "Game of Thrones"
Credit: HBO
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Nearly 10 months of anticipation, plus ample Emmy and Golden Globe love, plus an HBO record-breaking DVD launched culminated in series high ratings for Sunday (April 1) night's second season premiere of "Game of Thrones."
The critically acclaimed "Game of Thrones" return drew 3.9 million viewers in its 9 p.m. Sunday airing, making it the week's most watched scripted cable series. Adding in the night's three additional plays, the gross premiere night audience for "Game of Thrones" rises to 6.3 million viewers.
"Game of Thrones" was up by 74 percent over last April's series premiere, 53 percent over its Season 1 averages and 27 percent over last June's finale.
Those numbers far outshine the 1.8 million viewers averaged by Sunday's season season return of "The Killing" on AMC.
With "Game of Thrones" continuing to expand from niche success to breakout hit for HBO, can a Season 3 (or Season 3 and 4 as some have speculated) renewal be far behind?
Stay tuned...
A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login Signupgregory_seifert
April 3, 2012 at 1:54PM EST Reply to CommentI'm surprised HBO hasn't had their usual post episode press release. I'm quite sure they'll be renewing it for at least another season, but I'm hopeful they renew it for the speculated two season pickup that we're all hoping for. A Storm of Swords is definitely my favorite book of the series, and it's also the longest. They could easily turn that book into two seasons of programming. Not to mention, George RR Martin needs all the time he can get to finish the books ahead of the show.
Happy
April 3, 2012 at 2:12PM EST Reply to CommentAMC and Veena Sud take note: THIS is how you manage viewer expectation, also by not showing us crap and telling us it's a special and unique snowflake that is not formula and will not be tied up in a nice bow.
mrbilliam But Veena Sud does not believe/realize it is crap.
April 3, 2012 at 5:26PM ESTWar Chief Shake Zula Secondment on Mrbilliam. The interview she did w/ Sepinwall is infamous for blind, unintentional deflection of the point of his questions.
April 3, 2012 at 11:48PM ESTKaryn
April 3, 2012 at 2:16PM EST Reply to CommentIt's a crossover hit. It's not just for fantasy enthusiasts; they're telling human stories in fantasy world.
troopermsu
April 3, 2012 at 2:28PM EST Reply to CommentMy 77-year-old mom hates fantasy and science fiction and she has become interested in the show. She plans on watching season 1 to catch up so she can watch S2. So, I think crossover is the proper term.
Andy
April 3, 2012 at 4:11PM EST Reply to CommentI, like Gregory, am quite surprised we've not seen the renewal as of yet. It's normal HBO policy these days so I'm just left tapping my toes...
However, as a non-reader, I have a question that may seem a fair bit pessimistic:
I don't want any spoilers, but were the series' popularity to wane before the books worth of stories are told on screen - are there any "clear" endings as such that could fit this?
Or is it just, as it seems to me, like one long giant rolling story that may (probably even won't then) come to some sort of "end" after the seventh book.
zoider the story only gets more complicated, mire involved and more intense as it progresses. There are still 2 more books to come (5 have been completed) and the story hasn't even begun winding down. We need those books.....
April 3, 2012 at 4:37PM ESTdan Andy - I think Benioff and Weiss (and HBO) will be smart enough to read the signs and respond accordingly if:
April 3, 2012 at 4:45PM ESTA) Ratings dwindle and it becomes unclear if audiences/HBO will be willing to stick with the show for eight seasons and if a cancellation decision has to be made due to numbers. So far, we aren't close to that.
B) If it becomes clear if Martin may not be able to finish the books in time and the TV show catches up and/or surpasses his writing. We're a number of years from that even hypothetically becoming an option.
And probably they'd finesse the story towards an ending in either of those cases.
Like you and Gregory, I'd have expected a renewal today, as goes with HBO's MO. But if there were still contractual details being worked out or something, there's not much HBO can do...
-Daniel
Sareeta Andy,
April 3, 2012 at 6:12PM ESTIn several interviews with Weiss and Benioff, they say GRRM (the author) has revealed the ending (i.e., fates of all the characters and general idea of the ending) to Benioff and Weiss, so even if the series catches up to the books, if the series is going strong, they know how to end the series and just need to fill in the details on how to reach the endpoint.
I'm surprised about the lack of renewal announcement. I wonder if they were hoping for better numbers...
Tom3345 There was a story I read a while back that said the producers wanted Seasons 3 and 4 to be renewed at the same, presumably so the third book can be guaranteed to be told in two seasons. Even with these ratings, HBO probably isn't sure they can bank on two more seasons of this show.
April 3, 2012 at 6:58PM ESTAndy I admit my comment may have been misconstrued as to anxiety a cancellation was any time soon having read it back. It was more two separate notes that link tangentially on the same theme...
April 3, 2012 at 8:13PM ESTI don't think we'll be anywhere near a cancellation for a few years yet at least, though was anticipating the renewal already as said, more just random pointless fearfulness were the TV saga to "only" have, say, a five year lifespan and not get through the whole fire/ice story.
...So thanks for the responses.
Carter The 3rd book was originally supposed to be followed by a 5 year gap, because of that, most of the characters are in somewhat stable positions at the end of it. While it wouldn't come close to a "here's how everything turned out" type of ending, it doesn't have anyone dangling off the side of a cliff or whatever and it would give viewers of the show an idea of the paths characters are on. If the show can't go the distance, that's the most natural stopping point I can think of.
April 4, 2012 at 6:21AM ESTCarter The 3rd book was originally supposed to be followed by a 5 year gap, because of that, most of the characters are in somewhat stable positions at the end of it. While it wouldn't come close to a "here's how everything turned out" type of ending, it doesn't have anyone dangling off the side of a cliff or whatever and it would give viewers of the show an idea of the paths characters are on. If the show can't go the distance, that's the most natural stopping point I can think of.
April 4, 2012 at 6:21AM ESTCaptain Hammer
April 3, 2012 at 5:41PM EST Reply to CommentTreme and Boardwalk Empire were both renewed for season 2 days after their pilots. The renewals for season 3, on the other hand, came a few weeks after their season 2 premieres.
That appears to be HBO's gameplan for these situations, so I imagine events will play out similarly here.
AManWithAKilt Agreed HBO has said in the past that for the money they put into their shows it makes more financial sense for them to do two seasons. So season 2 was kinda a given. I have every confidence we'll be getting a season 3 and hopefully beyond but it might take them longer.
April 3, 2012 at 10:38PM ESTNeil Can't wait
April 5, 2012 at 1:41PM ESTNeil
April 5, 2012 at 1:42PM EST Reply to CommentGot!
April 5, 2012 at 2:09PM EST