The sequel TV series to Mel Brooks’ 1981 film also earned the most social media engagements of any Hulu Original on its premiere day
“History of the World, Part II” has become Hulu’s most-watched scripted original of 2023 in its first week of launch, TheWrap can exclusively report.
The eight-episode comedy received the most hours watched when compared to any other Hulu scripted original series within the first week of its launch. Premiering March 6 with the first two episodes, and subsequently dropping two episodes nightly through Thursday, March 9, the week-long viewership tally includes the entirety of the show’s release.
The series also made a splash on social media as the show’s accounts earned the most video views and engagements of any Hulu Original released in 2023 on premiere day.
Picking up 40 years after Mel Brooks’ 1981 film, “History of the World, Part I,” the sequel series features a wide slate of sketches that launch viewers through different periods of human history. Brooks, Wanda Sykes, Nick Kroll and Ike Barinholtz star in the series with a rotating door of guest stars, including Quinta Brunson, Dove Cameron, D’Arcy Carden, Danny DeVito, Hannah Einbinder, Jay Ellis, Josh Gad, Poppy Liu, Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman, among many others.
While Hulu does not provide specific viewership data, “History of the World, Part II” ranked in sixth place in last week’s Parrot Analytics data series showcasing the most in-demand new series, just behind Apple TV+’s “Shrinking.” The satire series ranking 20.7 times the average series demand in the U.S. during the week of the show’s launch from March 4 to March 10.
Brooks serves as writer and executive producer alongside with Kroll, Sykes, Barinholtz, and David Stassen, with Kevin Salter and Christie Smith also executive producing. Hailing from Searchlight Television and 20th Television, “History of the World, Part II” is directed by Alice Mathias, David Stassen, Nick Kroll and Lance Bangs.
Hulu will soon release comedy series “Up Here” on March 24 as anticipation for “Only Murders in the Building” Season 3 builds following the announcement that Meryl Streep and Ashley Park will join the murder mystery series.
“History of the World, Part II” is streaming Hulu now.
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Loree Seitz
Loree joined TheWrap as a reporter in 2022 after interning at the publication during the summer of 2021. Loree has covered entertainment, film and television for TheWrap and has reported on the media industry and the cable news beat. She has also written for MovieMaker Magazine, where she interned in 2020.