- HBO (TWX +0.1%) flagship series Game of Thrones easily reached yet another ratings high and set network records with its seventh season finale Sunday.
- The show drew 12.1M viewers as it aired, the most-watched episode in HBO history. That's up 36% over last year's season 6 finale, and up 13% from a previous linear viewership high from two weeks ago.
- Counting night-of streams, the show drew 16.5M viewers. Delayed viewing will add millions more.
- Overall, despite news dominated this year by episode leaks and security breaches, GoT season 7 has been very good to HBO, with ratings up 20% overall in total numbers as well as the key 18-49 demographic.
- The finale was its longest ever, approaching a hour and a half after years of mostly hourlong episodes. A final season of just six episodes (likely also longer than average) is expected by many next year, though a lengthy shooting schedule makes it also possible that the final season is delayed further.
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