Some early ratings have come in for the premiere of “Westworld” on HBO, and they look pretty strong — but beware of imprecise comparisons to previous shows on the channel.
The series drew 3.3 million viewers over three airings Sunday night and early viewing on HBO’s streaming platforms. That’s the best series premiere on HBO since “True Detective” put up that same multi-play number in January 2014. (It’s unclear from contemporary sources whether “True Detective’s” 3.3 million includes streaming or only linear viewing.)
The 9 p.m. ET/PT on-air premiere drew 1.96 million viewers, off a little from “True Detective’s” 2.33 million, and a 0.8 rating in adults 18-49. It tied for third among originals in the 18-49 demographic, behind the two-episode season finale of “Fear the Walking Dead” (1.6 and 1.3).
“Westworld’s” premiere audience compares favorably to recent HBO dramas like “Vinyl” (764,000, 0.2) and “The Night Of” (774,000, 0.3) and is pretty well in line with the debut of “Game of Thrones” (2.2 million) in 2011. “Thrones” had a fairly strong showing over multiple airings, pulling in 4.2 million total viewers for its premiere night.
Top 100 cable programs among adults 18-49 for Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016
| Show | Net | Time | Total Viewers (000s) | 18-49 rating |
| FEAR THE WALKING DEAD | AMC | 9:00 PM | 3,671 | 1.6 |
| FEAR THE WALKING DEAD | AMC | 9:59 PM | 3,048 | 1.3 |
| BIG BANG THEORY, THE | TBS NETWORK | 10:00 PM | 2,181 | 0.8 |
| BASKETBALL WIVES LA 5 | VH1 | 8:00 PM | 1,678 | 0.8 |
| BIG BANG THEORY, THE | TBS NETWORK | 9:30 PM | 2,089 | 0.8 |
| BIG BANG THEORY, THE | TBS NETWORK | 10:30 PM | 2,022 | 0.8 |
| WESTWORLD | HBO PRIME | 9:02 PM | 1,963 | 0.8 |
| BIG BANG THEORY, THE | TBS NETWORK | 11:00 PM | 1,665 | 0.7 |
| ROB & CHYNA | E! | 9:00 PM | 1,368 | 0.7 |
| REAL HSWIVES OF NJ | BRAVO | 8:00 PM | 1,802 | 0.7 |
| FAMILY GUY | ADULT SWIM | 10:30 PM | 1,634 | 0.7 |
| FAMILY GUY | ADULT SWIM | 10:00 PM | 1,573 | 0.6 |
| BIG BANG THEORY, THE | TBS NETWORK | 9:00 PM | 1,731 | 0.6 |
| BIG BANG THEORY, THE | TBS NETWORK | 8:30 PM | 1,591 | 0.6 |
| BREAK | HBO PRIME | 8:58 PM | 1,321 | 0.6 |
| RICK & MORTY | ADULT SWIM | 11:00 PM | 1,287 | 0.6 |
| HALLOWEEN WARS 6 | FOOD NETWORK | 9:00 PM | 1,576 | 0.5 |
| AMERICAN DAD | ADULT SWIM | 9:30 PM | 1,263 | 0.5 |
| TALKING DEAD: FEAR | AMC | 11:00 PM | 1,276 | 0.5 |
| NASCAR SPRINT CUP RACE L | NBC SPORTS NETWORK | 2:23 PM | 2,558 | 0.5 |
| SHAMELESS S7 | SHOWTIME PRIME | 9:03 PM | 1,241 | 0.5 |
| DEADPOOL | HBO PRIME | 7:10 PM | 1,079 | 0.5 |
| TBS PRIME MOVIE | TBS NETWORK | 11:30 PM | 906 | 0.5 |
| FX MOVIE PRIME | FX | 6:59 PM | 1,139 | 0.5 |
| BEACHFRONT BARGAIN HUNT | HOME AND GARDEN TV | 8:30 PM | 1,626 | 0.4 |
| 90 DAY FIANCE | TLC | 9:00 PM | 1,181 | 0.4 |
| 90 DAY FIANCE: HAPPILY EV | TLC | 10:01 PM | 1,155 | 0.4 |
| BEACHFRONT BARGAIN HUNT | HOME AND GARDEN TV | 8:00 PM | 1,674 | 0.4 |
| SPONGEBOB | NICKELODEON | 10:30 AM | 1,669 | 0.4 |
| LAW & ORDER: SVU | USA NETWORK | 8:00 PM | 1,371 | 0.4 |
| YOUR PRETTY FACE/HELL | ADULT SWIM | 11:30 PM | 1,012 | 0.4 |
| LAST WEEK TONIGHT | HBO PRIME | 11:30 PM | 1,097 | 0.4 |
| SPONGEBOB | NICKELODEON | 10:00 AM | 1,647 | 0.4 |
| LAW & ORDER: SVU | USA NETWORK | 9:00 PM | 1,263 | 0.4 |
| LAW & ORDER: SVU | USA NETWORK | 10:00 PM | 1,252 | 0.4 |
| BIG BANG THEORY, THE | TBS NETWORK | 8:00 PM | 1,239 | 0.4 |
| LAW & ORDER: SVU | USA NETWORK | 7:00 PM | 1,392 | 0.4 |
| SPONGEBOB | NICKELODEON | 9:30 AM | 1,563 | 0.4 |
| BREAK | HBO PRIME | 10:10 PM | 1,119 | 0.4 |
| FRIENDS | NICK-AT-NITE | 11:30 PM | 1,009 | 0.4 |
| WAGS MIAMI | E! | 10:01 PM | 696 | 0.4 |
| CARIBBEAN LIFE | HOME AND GARDEN TV | 9:00 PM | 1,532 | 0.4 |
| FAMILY GUY | ADULT SWIM | 2:00 AM | 867 | 0.4 |
| FEAR THE WALKING DEAD | AMC | 8:00 PM | 943 | 0.4 |
| SQUIDBILLIES | ADULT SWIM | 11:45 PM | 924 | 0.4 |
| MANZOD WITH CHILDREN | BRAVO | 9:00 PM | 974 | 0.4 |
| GEORGE LOPEZ | NICK-AT-NITE | 5:29 AM | 870 | 0.4 |
| NASCAR SPRINT CUP START L | NBC SPORTS NETWORK | 2:00 PM | 1,714 | 0.4 |
| GEORGE LOPEZ | NICK-AT-NITE | 4:57 AM | 853 | 0.4 |
| FAMILY GUY | ADULT SWIM | 2:30 AM | 835 | 0.4 |
| GEORGE LOPEZ | NICK-AT-NITE | 6:30 AM | 816 | 0.4 |
| GEORGE LOPEZ | NICK-AT-NITE | 4:24 AM | 824 | 0.4 |
| SPONGEBOB | NICKELODEON | 9:00 AM | 1,433 | 0.4 |
| GEORGE LOPEZ | NICK-AT-NITE | 6:00 AM | 823 | 0.4 |
| STRAIN | FX | 10:00 PM | 796 | 0.4 |
| BOBS BURGERS | ADULT SWIM | 9:00 PM | 948 | 0.4 |
| SPORTSCENTER 1AM L | ESPN | 12:30 AM | 748 | 0.3 |
| FRIENDS | NICK-AT-NITE | 12:00 AM | 856 | 0.3 |
| GUYS GROCERY GAMES | FOOD NETWORK | 8:00 PM | 1,237 | 0.3 |
| CARIBBEAN LIFE | HOME AND GARDEN TV | 9:30 PM | 1,421 | 0.3 |
| BASKETBALL WIVES LA 5 | VH1 | 9:00 PM | 748 | 0.3 |
| AMERICAN DAD | ADULT SWIM | 1:30 AM | 797 | 0.3 |
| GEORGE LOPEZ | NICK-AT-NITE | 3:51 AM | 793 | 0.3 |
| LAW & ORDER: SVU | USA NETWORK | 6:00 PM | 1,217 | 0.3 |
| TEENAGE MUTAN NINJA TRT12 | NICKELODEON | 11:00 AM | 1,246 | 0.3 |
| COMEDY CENTRAL STAND-UP | COMEDY CENTRAL | 10:30 PM | 668 | 0.3 |
| INTERSTITIAL BREAK | SHOWTIME PRIME | 8:59 PM | 902 | 0.3 |
| BOBS BURGERS | ADULT SWIM | 1:00 AM | 751 | 0.3 |
| CHESAPEAKE SHORES | HALLMARK CHANNEL | 9:00 PM | 2,188 | 0.3 |
| MIKE TYSON MYSTERIES | ADULT SWIM | 12:00 AM | 796 | 0.3 |
| FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR | NICK-AT-NITE | 2:45 AM | 734 | 0.3 |
| SUNDAY MOVIE | FREEFORM | 9:00 PM | 884 | 0.3 |
| GEORGE LOPEZ | NICK-AT-NITE | 3:18 AM | 744 | 0.3 |
| HOUSE HUNTERS | HOME AND GARDEN TV | 7:30 PM | 1,368 | 0.3 |
| FRIENDS | NICK-AT-NITE | 12:33 AM | 762 | 0.3 |
| SPONGEBOB | NICKELODEON | 11:30 AM | 1,251 | 0.3 |
| ISLAND HUNTERS | HOME AND GARDEN TV | 10:00 PM | 1,252 | 0.3 |
| FRIENDS | NICK-AT-NITE | 11:00 PM | 846 | 0.3 |
| NFL COUNTDOWN L | ESPN | 11:00 AM | 817 | 0.3 |
| MIKE TYSON MYSTERIES | ADULT SWIM | 12:15 AM | 767 | 0.3 |
| SPORTSCENTER WEEKEND-AM L | ESPN | 9:00 AM | 718 | 0.3 |
| NFL INSIDERS: SUNDAY L | ESPN | 10:00 AM | 708 | 0.3 |
| LAW & ORDER: SVU | USA NETWORK | 5:00 PM | 1,103 | 0.3 |
| BOBS BURGERS | ADULT SWIM | 12:30 AM | 736 | 0.3 |
| HART OF THE CITY | COMEDY CENTRAL | 11:30 PM | 656 | 0.3 |
| WORST BAKERS IN AMERICA | FOOD NETWORK | 10:00 PM | 1,025 | 0.3 |
| FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR | NICK-AT-NITE | 1:06 AM | 669 | 0.3 |
| LOUD HOUSE | NICKELODEON | 4:30 PM | 1,392 | 0.3 |
| LOUD HOUSE | NICKELODEON | 5:30 PM | 1,434 | 0.3 |
| SPORTSCENTER MORNING L | ESPN | 2:06 AM | 720 | 0.3 |
| AMERICAN DAD | ADULT SWIM | 5:00 AM | 570 | 0.3 |
| LAW & ORDER: SVU | USA NETWORK | 4:00 PM | 1,024 | 0.3 |
| KING OF THE HILL | ADULT SWIM | 5:30 AM | 597 | 0.3 |
| ISLAND HUNTERS | HOME AND GARDEN TV | 10:30 PM | 1,260 | 0.3 |
| ALVINNN!!! AND THE CHIPMU | NICKELODEON | 7:00 AM | 783 | 0.3 |
| SUNDAY MOVIE | FREEFORM | 4:30 PM | 870 | 0.3 |
| FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR | NICK-AT-NITE | 1:39 AM | 635 | 0.3 |
| COMEDY CENTRAL STAND-UP | COMEDY CENTRAL | 12:00 AM | 583 | 0.3 |
| SPONGEBOB | NICKELODEON | 4:00 PM | 1,365 | 0.3 |
| LAW & ORDER: SVU | USA NETWORK | 12:00 PM | 949 | 0.3 |
Source: The Nielsen Company.
