Game Of Thrones set another ratings record with its next-to-last episode. The HBO juggernaut gathered its biggest audience ever for a first airing of an episode Sunday, drawing an all-in figure of 18.4 million viewers. That’s about 600,000 more than the previous high of 17.8 million for the season’s third episode. (THR / Live Feed)
The penultimate episode, titled “The Bells,” was watched by 12.48 million viewers during its initial broadcast, which handily trumps the previous record of 12.07 million, held by the Season 7 finale. (Variety)
The second-to-last episode of the eighth and final season of the series executive produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss rose 6 percent in viewership from last week’s episode “The Last of the Starks.” Topping Sunday night on cable and broadcast, that 12.5 million is also the best any HBO show has done—ever. (Deadline)