Game of Thrones Finale Set for Record Ratings

Written by Jon Williams

This Sunday begins the long-awaited and highly anticipated eighth season of the hit HBO show Game of Thrones. The abbreviated final season will consist of just six episodes (although four of those will run around 80 minutes, 20 more than the typical episode) and will culminate in the series finale on May 19. Over the course of the show’s seven seasons to date, its ratings have continued to climb, making it one of the most-watched cable series. With nearly two years of hype building up since the Season 7 finale that aired on August 27, 2017, plus the anticipation of who—if anyone—will survive to take the Iron Throne, the eighth season’s viewership numbers are sure to set new records, and the series finale will likely go down as one of the most watched of all time.

On network television, of course, those numbers are untouchable. The series finale of M*A*S*H on February 28, 1983, drew upwards of 105 million viewers, making it the most-watched television episode ever. The only other broadcasts that garner that type of viewership are the Super Bowl each year. The closest any show has come since was ten years later, with the series finale of the hit sitcom Cheers, which came in at 84 million on May 20, 1993. Before M*A*S*H, the record was held by the wrap-up of The Fugitive on August 29, 1967, watched by 78 million people. Rounding out the top five most-watched series finales are two more sitcoms: Seinfeld (May 14, 1998) with 76 million and Friends (May 16, 2004) with 52 million. In the realm of science fiction and fantasy, the record is held by Star Trek: The Next Generation, which came to an end on May 23, 1994, with an audience of 31 million.

Network broadcasts, though, have always had the advantage of being available to anyone with a television set, without the necessity of additional equipment or subscription fees. That’s why ratings for shows airing on cable networks are measured in a category of their own. For cable series, the top two most-watched series finales belong to HBO, the same network that airs Game of Thrones. First up is the mob drama The Sopranos, whose controversial blackout ending aired June 10, 2007, to 11.9 viewers. Coming in second, and holding the top spot until The Sopranos came along, is Sex and the City, which bowed to an audience of 10.6 million on February 22, 2004. Those numbers are especially impressive considering HBO is a premium network which has traditionally required an additional subscription fee on top of a cable package. Then in third place is the acclaimed AMC drama Breaking Bad, which, like Game of Thrones, started off to relatively modest ratings and then steadily built over time. That show finished up on September 29, 2013, with 10.3 million viewers.

So how will the Game of Thrones finale fare? Obviously it won’t approach the numbers of network shows like M*A*S*H or even Friends, but it has an excellent chance of setting a new record for cable shows. Season 7 averaged upwards of 10 million viewers, and the season finale drew over 12 million. With anticipation at an all-time high, the numbers for Season 8 should leave those behind easily. And with two more novels to come in George R.R. Martin’s novel series and a spinoff series in production from HBO, the fever is sure to last for years to come.

Comic-Con Heavy on TV

Written by Jon Williams

Comic-Con International kicked off yesterday in San Diego. Beginning in 1970 and initially focused primarily on comic books, SDCC has evolved into a preeminent pop-culture showcase extravaganza that goes far beyond just comics (although they are still a large part of the show) and into the realms of movies and TV. Here is a quick look at some of the television titles, both beloved favorites and soon-to-be breakthroughs, that will be holding panels and releasing news as the convention progresses through Sunday.

A natural outgrowth of comics is into animation, a format that is often associated with children’s entertainment. A number of animated children’s television shows will be at Comic-Con. One of those is Adventure Time, the beloved cartoon whose tenth and final season is all set to wrap up, with just the series finale remaining. Lego’s animation has become quite a force in entertainment, and Lego Ninjago will be represented at Comic-Con as well. Fans will also be able to hear about the upcoming seventh season of Voltron: Legendary Defender, a reboot of the classic Voltron series from the ‘80s. Another reboot comes in the form of DuckTales, the new adventures of Scrooge McDuck and his nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie. And in a bit of surprise news, it was announced yesterday that Star Wars: The Clone Wars will return for one final 12-episode arc to complete the series.

Of course, cartoons aren’t just for kids anymore, and animated entertainment for grown-ups is very much on Comic-Con’s agenda. The Simpsons is the longest-running sitcom in American history, animated or otherwise, and at Comic-Con will be looking ahead to its 30^th season. In addition, creator Matt Groening (who also created Futurama) will be presenting his new series, Disenchantment. Similarly long-running Seth MacFarlane staples Family Guy (going into its 17^th season) and American Dad (13^th season) will be represented, as will Bob’s Burgers (9^th season) and Archer (10^th season).

Horror television is a genre that has seen quite a bit of growth lately, and that will be reflected in big panels for both The Walking Dead, which will undergo some big changes in its upcoming ninth season, and Fear the Walking Dead, which returns for the second half of its fourth season on August 12. Carrying on the zombie theme is Z Nation, soon to return for its fifth season. From the mind of Stephen King comes the second season of Mr. Mercedes, based on his book trilogy, as well as Castle Rock, a new series not directly from King’s writings but set in and around a town that features prominently in many of his works. Also making the leap from the page to the screen are The Passage, from Justin Cronin’s vampire trilogy, and Nightflyers, based on a novella from Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin.

Then there’s sci-fi and fantasy TV, which has perhaps the largest presence at this year’s convention. The granddaddy of them all is Doctor Who, which will have a huge panel in preparation for its eleventh season and first female Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker. Fans can also look forward to panels on Star Trek: Discovery, the latest series in that massive universe, as well as the Trek-inspired homage from Seth MacFarlane, The Orville. Legion and The Gifted both tie into the X-Men universe, while Preacher is adapted from the Vertigo comics series. A Charmed reboot is coming this fall, and fans of witches can also look forward to A Discovery of Witches, adapted from Deborah Harkness’s novels. Finally, The Magicians, a series based on Lev Grossman’s novels, recently wrapped its third season and will return next year for a fourth.

And there are also plenty of shows that don’t easily fit into any of these categories. Riverdale makes perfect sense for Comic-Con, as it is based on classic Archie Comics characters. Breaking Bad’s panel will celebrate ten years since the show premiered, and the spinoff/prequel, Better Call Saul, will be there as well to focus on the upcoming fourth season. The surreal life-after-death comedy The Good Place will look ahead to its third season, while the historical drama Vikings prepares for its midseason premiere. And the trend of reboot continues with a new iteration of Magnum P.I. coming in September.

That’s a lot of TV—and that’s just a small portion of all the movie, comic, and other pop-culture media properties that will be exhibiting at Comic-Con International in San Diego this year. What are you and your patrons looking forward to hearing about? Let us know, and stay in touch with Midwest Tape for all the latest news as these shows and more make their way onto DVD and Blu-ray.

Period Dramas Draw TV Viewers

Written by Jon Williams

Based on a series of memoirs by Jennifer Worth, the hit TV show Call the Midwife focuses on a group of midwives and nuns working at Nonnatus House, a convent in post-WWII London. The show debuted to high ratings in 2012, and it has steadily gained popularity ever since. The sixth season currently airing on PBS (it concluded in March on BBC One in the UK) takes place in 1962 and sees the first effects of the cultural changes that took place in that tumultuous decade.

This sixth season is notable for another reason, as it will be the last as a series regular for Ben Caplan. The actor, who previously starred in HBO’s World War II drama Band of Brothers, has played policeman Peter Noakes since Call the Midwife’s first season in 2012. He’s looking to add some more variety to his acting career, but fans can rest easy. With the show already renewed through Season 9, Caplan is certain that his character will resurface somewhere down the line. The same is true of another fan-favorite that left the series previously. Miranda Hart, who played Sgt. Noakes’s wife Chummy, left the show after Season 4. Like Caplan’s character, a reappearance for Chummy is not out of the question for the show’s future.

British period dramas are very popular for PBS right now. The trend got rolling with Downton Abbey, which ran for six seasons beginning (on PBS) in 2011. That show was both critically acclaimed and very popular, leading the way for the current wave of shows, including Call the Midwife. The series Poldark follows a man returning to the shattered remains of his former life in Cornwall following America’s Revolutionary War. Beginning in 2015, it’s an update of a 1975 BBC series, and both are based on a series of novels by Winston Graham. Beginning earlier this year, Victoria details the early life of the UK’s long-serving queen. Former Doctor Who companion Jenna Coleman plays the role of the queen in question, and there’s also a companion novel by show creator Daisy Goodwin.

Of course, the phenomenon isn’t limited to just PBS. With the popularity of these shows and others like them, it’s no surprise that the streaming services have jumped in to bring some to their audiences as well. When the show Ripper Street was threatened with cancellation after its second season, it was picked up by Amazon Video in the UK (the series has been available on BBC America in North America). Focusing on the aftermath of Jack the Ripper’s reign of terror, the recently concluded sixth season was the show’s last. Still in progress, on the other hand, is Peaky Blinders, a show about a criminal organization in the days after World War I. The first three seasons are available from Netflix in the US, and at least two more seasons are in the offing.

This is just a small sampling of the period dramas that are so popular right now. TV lovers will love to see these in your library so they can check them out and binge-watch, and that’s especially true for shows on cable and streaming services, which everyone may not have access to. What’s popular in your library right now? Let us know your patrons’ current favorites in the comments section below.