Game of Thrones sets new record; Ballers season 4, Insecure season 3 renewals official
There’s a ton of news to report in this piece when it comes to HBO’s entire Sunday night lineup, but let’s start with another Game of Thrones ratings record.
Sunday night’s new episode “Spoils of War” ended up generating 10.2 million viewers, the largest audience for the show ever. Given that there was all that hype surrounding the episode leaking online early, this is a HUGE victory for HBO and a reason for them to strut their stuff. Game of Thrones viewers want to watch the show in the best possible venue, which is why we weren’t all that considered about a version of the show leaking online early. Who wants to sit at their computer and watch a low-quality version when you can see it on your TV in high definition? Maybe really impatient people, but that takes away from the experience.
For those wondering, “Spoils of War” came close to setting a record in the 18-49 demographic, but fell just short of the premiere episode with a 4.6 rating. We personally believe that the show is going to break both records later this month when the finale airs, and then again when the first of the final six episodes airs either in 2018 or early 2019. (There’s no official timeline just yet for these episodes, given that there is a lot that is going to go into them.)
As we reference in the title, though, this isn’t the only good news coming out today…
Ballers and Insecure are both renewed!
We can’t exactly say that this news is a surprise by any stretch of the imagination, given the fact that these two comedies have surged in the ratings thanks in part to airing after Game of Thrones. Ultimately, they have a lot to be excited about in that they’ll be back at some point in 2018 presumably.
In a statement, Amy Gravitt, executive vice president, HBO Programming, had the following to say about the two shows each coming back for more:
“We’re thrilled that the summer lineup of BALLERS and INSECURE connected with our viewers out of the gate … We’re so proud to work with Dwayne [Johnson], Issa [Rae], and all of the amazing talent in both shows.”
Both of these shows are locked in at this point seemingly for however long they want to last. They appeal to very different audiences, but have strong creative bases. Insecure in general is one of the funniest shows out there at the moment, and we remain very much surprised that it doesn’t generate even more awards buzz than it has so far. Hopefully, this platform after Game of Thrones aids it, and allows for even more attention to come its way down the line.