The finale of 'House of the Dragon' might have left a few viewers feeling slightly unfulfilled, yet its magnetic pull remained undeniable, as scores of avid watchers tuned in. On Sunday, the HBO sensation secured its most substantial first-night audience of the season, amassing a staggering 8.9 million viewers across various platforms. This marked a triumphant 14% surge compared to its June season premiere and surpassed the previous season's peak of 8.1 million for the fourth episode by a healthy 800,000 viewers.
Despite a slight dip in the average per-episode viewership, tallying at 25 million compared to the first season's 29 million, HBO boasts that 'House of the Dragon's' second season remains one of the most watched in the network's post-'Game of Thrones' era. The colossal success story continues, solidifying its place among HBO's elite series.
While a detailed breakdown of Sunday's audience distribution across platforms is yet to be disclosed, it's highly plausible that the majority of those 8.9 million viewers flocked to HBO Max for their streaming fix. The previous seven episodes of the season averaged around 1.25 million viewers during their initial HBO broadcasts, suggesting that even with a finale-induced surge, less than 20% of the night's colossal audience tuned in live on TV. The remainder indulged in streaming or caught up via replays on HBO post-premiere.
Moreover, Sunday's episode served as a pivotal moment for 'House of the Dragon,' as showrunner Ryan Condal revealed to reporters the following day that the series is poised to conclude after four exhilarating seasons. Season three, meanwhile, is all set to embark on its production journey in early 2025, promising fans yet another chapter filled with intrigue, power struggles, and the fiery passions that have come to define this epic tale.
