HBO has renewed their successful Game of Thrones series for a third season. Season two of the drama kicked off on April 1st and drew a whopping 2.0 in the 18-49 demographic with 3.86 million total viewers. That was strong enough to make it the top cable show (paid or free) for that night. It also happened to beat NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice in the demo. Compared to last year’s Game of Thrones debut, HBO was up by 122% in the demo and 73% in total viewership.
There’s no word on how many episodes have been ordered for season three or when they’ll air but the existing seasons have had 10 installments each and have kicked off in April. The season two finale is expected to run on June 3rd.
Here’s the press release from HBO:
HBO RENEWS “GAME OF THRONES” FOR THIRD SEASON
First Episode Of The Second Season Has Already Grossed 8.3 Million Viewers
LOS ANGELES, April 10, 2012 – HBO has renewed GAME OF THRONES for a third season, it was announced today by Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming.
“Series creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss raised our expectations for the second season – and then surpassed them,” said Lombardo. “We are thrilled by all the viewer and media support we’ve received for the series, and can’t wait to see what Dan and David have in store for next season.”
Based on the bestselling fantasy book series by George R.R. Martin, GAME OF THRONES is an epic drama set in the world of Westeros, where ambitious men and women of both honor and ill-repute live in a land whose summers and winters can last years. The Emmy(R)- and Golden Globe-winning fantasy series began its ten-episode second season Sunday, April 1 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), with other episodes debuting subsequent Sundays at the same time.
Among the early critical praise for the second season, Newsday called GAME OF THRONES “the best show on television,” while the Los Angeles Times termed the series “a cinematic feast” and “masterful.” The Wall Street Journal hailed the show as “magnificent” and USA Today called it “near perfection.”
According to early data, GAME OF THRONES’ season two premiere has already accumulated a gross audience of 8.3 million viewers, and is on track to easily surpass the season one average of 9.3 million viewers.
Season two cast members include: Emmy(R) and Golden Globe winner Peter Dinklage, Michelle Fairley, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Aidan Gillen, Iain Glen, Kit Harington, Richard Madden, Maisie Williams, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Sophie Turner, Jack Gleeson and Alfie Allen.
Season two credits: The executive producers of GAME OF THRONES are David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Carolyn Strauss, Frank Doelger; co-executive producers, George R.R. Martin, Vanessa Taylor, Alan Taylor, Guymon Casady, Vince Gerardis; produced by Bernadette Caulfield.
What do you think? Are you glad to hear that Game of Thrones has been renewed for season three? How does this compare to the other HBO shows?
Image courtesy HBO.
I have not been and still am not a big fan of television programming,on the air or cable;having said that,I have become fanatical for ‘Game Of Thrones’.I am breathlessly waiting for season 3.
Meantime,back to my DVD collection.MMM… love Dexter also.
love this show.
This is the best thing i have watched on tv for ages. Just watched the last episode in season 2 and already online trying to find out when season 3 is on. Hope it’s not to long
Game of Thrones makes True Blood suck!!!! Pun intended. Especially, considering that I like True Blood.
I watched the Emmys and saw Peter Dinklage won an award. I had wanted to watch but i am not really into the genre…… however… i watched the whole first season before the 2nd season came on…. from the first episode i was hooked … and the moment the words “previously on Game of Thrones” until the credits at the end i didn’t move a hair on my head… I found it enthrawling…. and Peter Dinklage …. drinkable!! I have no problem with the nudity… it is on HBO and at night…. and since i like it… it is not… Read more »
Need to settle ourselves in for the long haul. there are 5 books and he is apparently writing the 6th. The books are so complex and intertwined, so its impossible to miss out too many facets of the story. This is not a story that can be hurried or skipped, so I foresee seasons 8, 9 and 10 in the future!!
mY DAUGHTER GOT ME HOOKED ON THE SHOW. iT IS GREAT
[…] UPDATE: HBO has renewed the series for a third season of 10 episodes. […]
Like there was any doubt? This is one of the best shows on tv, free or cable. The books are long, so I can see book 3 running into 2 seasons. To drop the show anytime soon would result in thousands of viewers left hanging.