HBO’s ‘Succession’ Season 2 Premiere Sets Series Ratings Records

Emmy-nominated drama’s Sunday return earns 1.2 million multiplatform viewers

Succession Season 2
HBO

“Succession” was a success in its Season 2 premiere. The Emmy-nominated HBO drama drew 1.2 million multiplatform viewers on Sunday, a new series record.

That overall-sets-of-eyeballs tally — which includes those who tuned-in for the pay-TV channel’s 9 p.m. airing and encores, as well as data from streaming platforms HBO Go and HBO Now — is up 32% from the series premiere (which aired June 3, 2018) and 22% from the Season 1 finale (Aug. 5, 2018).

When just counting the 9 o’clock telecast on HBO, the episode, titled “The Summer Palace,” averaged 612,000 viewers.

Last month, “Succession” landed five Emmy nominations for its first season, including the highly coveted Outstanding Drama slot. Creator Jesse Armstrong received a nod for writing, and Adam McKay got one for directing.

“Succession” stars Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Nicholas Braun, Alan Ruck and Matthew Macfadyen.

“Succession” Season 2 begins where the 10-episode Season 1 dramatically left off, per HBO’s description. We don’t want to say anything else that could potentially spoil the freshman year’s finale, which took a hard right turn. (Those who didn’t miss Season 1 might find a joke there.)

The sophomore run follows the Roys as they struggle to retain control of their media empire, the premium cable channel continued. While the future looks increasingly uncertain, it is the past that threatens to ultimately destroy them.

Armstrong, McKay, Frank Rich, Kevin Messick, Will Ferrell, Jane Tranter, Mark Mylod and Tony Roche are Season 2 executive producers.

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