'Newsroom' Hits High in Third Episode

Aaron Sorkin drama pulls in 100,000 more viewers than premiere

By Tim Baysinger -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/10/2012 1:28:37 PM

HBO's decision to give its polarizing new series, The Newsroom, a quick second-season order was rewarded on Sunday, as the cable news drama turned in its most-watched episode so far. The episode drew 2.2 million viewers for its 10 p.m. airing, 100,000 more viewers than its premiere.

After debuting to 2.1 million viewers on June 24, The Newsroom fell to a 1.7 million viewers in week two -- one day before HBO renewed the series for a second season.

Despite a mixed-bag of reviews from TV critics, Newsroom -- the first series Sorkin has penned since the failed Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip -- was the network's third-best series launch for HBO since 2008, behind Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones.