The Game of Thrones final season premiere was watched by 17.4 million people on HBO April 14, surpassing the 16.9 million who watched the season seven finale and the 16.1 million who tuned in for the season seven premiere.
It set a record for an HBO series episode.
The 17.4 million includes linear, HBOGo and HBO Now viewing.
The 9 p.m. airing was viewed by 11.8 million, ahead of the 10.1 million who watched the season seven premiere.
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There are six episodes in the final season.
Based on the novel series by George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones was created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. Several families from different kingdoms scheme to sit on the Iron Throne. The cast includes Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage and Emilia Clarke.
The HBO Now streaming service saw a jump of approximately 50% in viewing when compared to last season’s finale and nearly doubled (97%) when compared to the seventh season premiere.
Elsewhere in the HBO stable, Barry drew 2.2 million viewers April 14 and 1.8 million at 10 p.m. HBO said that more than quadrupled the previous week’s audience.
Veep had 1.5 million viewers for the night and a million at 10:30.
The comedies did not have a Game of Thrones lead-in the previous week.
At 11 p.m., Last Week Tonight with John Oliver was watched by 1.7 million viewers for the night, and 1.3 million at 11 p.m.
