'Big Little Lies' was a very big hit for HBO

pulse

April 3, 2017 9:23 PM

The finale of "Big Little Lies" caps off a three-week consecutive rise in ratings for the drama starring Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon.

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"Big Little Lies" ended its critically acclaimed run with huge ratings.

Sunday's finale episode was watched by 1.9 million people, according to Deadline. That's a 34% rise in viewership over the previous week's episode. But what's even more astounding about the finale ratings is that the episode tops a three-week streak of ratings highs for the show. In fact, Sunday's ratings were 64% higher than the show's premiere episode in February.

What that typically means is that positive word of mouth contributed to a huge increase in people tuning in to "Big Little Lies" about halfway through the seven-episode season.

As we argued earlier, while the show was intended for just one season, the willingness of its stars to return and its high ratings performance mean that HBO will almost certainly explore how to extend the story.

If "Big Little Lies" were to be renewed for another season, it would follow a similar decision by HBO for "True Detective," which was intended for a limited run but is currently being eyed for a third season. "The Night Of," which aired as a one-season series originally, is also reportedly being considered for a second season.

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