With the ratings in for HBO when it came to the premiere of A Game of Thrones this past Sunday, as the opening episode had 2.2 million viewers for it’s 9 PM airing, the channel has renewed the series for a second season. While the ratings aren’t exactly what some fans would hope for, as it’s not as high as True Blood, it’s definitely higher than what True Blood started at with its premiere a few years ago when it netted 1.4 million viewers. And as Deadline notes, A Game of Thrones didn’t get the same overall kind of push its more “mainstream friendly” shows like the Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire get when it comes to promotions. It was heavily pushed towards the obvious fans, and fans knew well enough about it.
What also needs to be considered is that there is more than just the domestic audience for it. A Game of Thrones is reportedly selling in international distribution markets for upwards of $2 million an episode and there’s going to be a significant home video run for this as well. While the show will likely perform strong over time, it’s one that HBO may see as more of a marquee title that gives it more credibility, which it already has a ton of, and to help boost overall performances across the board. For fans of the property, this gives them some breathing room to know that there’s much more ahead but that the show will have to really grow and improve itself with audiences as it progresses. Word of mouth is what the show really needs at this point and a strong first season home video push.
Update: The Hollywood Reporter has the numbers on the UK debut and it clocked in at 800,000 there, which is on the new network that launched earlier this year. Prior to this, the big numbers came from Boardwalk Empire which premiered at 483,000 viewers, so A Game of Thrones eclipses it nicely.
