“Game of Thrones” Finale Sets HBO Ratings Record, Bests “Big Bang” Finale

When you play the Game of Thrones, you draw huge ratings. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sunday’s Game of Thrones finale brought in a whopping 13.6 million viewers for its initial airing on the premium cable network, making it the most-watched program in HBO history. The previous viewing record for an HBO show was set in 2002, when the season 4 premiere of The Sopranos brought in 13.43 million viewers.

Meanwhile, Forbes notes that when viewership across all HBO platforms is considered, the GoT finale drew 19.3 million viewers, edging out the Big Bang Theoryfinale on CBS, which brought in about 18 million viewers.