‘Sons of Anarchy’ series finale scores further FX record; great gift for Charlie Hunnam, cast

Even though it has already drove out into the sunset, “Sons of Anarchy” still continues to be the gift that keeps on giving for FX.

The latest live+3 numbers for the series finale were made official today, and with those, the series finale now is the most-watched episode of the show ever. In total, more than 9.2 million caught the end of the story for Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam), that includes more than 6 million in the 18-49 demographic. It fell just short of a demo record, which was set previously by the season 7 premiere.

In total, the ratings averages for FX are such that this final season is now officially the most-watched and highest-rated season of any show ever on the network. With this being said, it is probably safe to say that the network is going to miss having this around.

In a statement today, FX CEO John Landgraf had the following to say about this milestone:

“It’s a rare and remarkable accomplishment for a television show to generate its – and our channel’s – highest ratings in its final season … We thank Kurt Sutter and his team for an epic ride.”

Obviously, this sets the bar high for Sutter’s next series “The Bastard Executioner,” which already is in development but has yet to secure a full cast. We imagine that this show will be a success, but it is unfair to compare it properly to what “Sons of Anarchy” brought on board. That show built up to these numbers over time, and certainly did not first have them when it launched all the way back in 2008. A mark of a good show is that it builds its viewership so dramatically over time.