Watchmen finale gets series high ratings

Watchmen has been a terrific ride over on HBO, a bold new show that pays homage to Alan Moore’s landmark 1985 comic book of the same name but still forges its own path and tackles unique subject matter, all while delivering plenty of black humor and kickass action. And it looks like audiences have agreed, rewarding the show with solid ratings and lots of online chatter.

And the season (series?) finale, “See How They Fly,” was the most-watched episode yet, according to Deadline. Around 935,000 people tuned in for the 9:00 p.m. telecast, up 14% from last week and 17% from the series premiere. Meanwhile, people watching the preliminary digital premiere were up 8% from last week and 31% from the premiere. Across all platforms, this added up to 1.6 million viewers, up 19% from the penultimate episode.

Watchmen has averaged seven million viewers per episode once you allow time for people to watch on a delay, and I imagine the finale bested everything before it. This is all good news for HBO, which has been looking for hit shows to fill the gap left by the ratings bonanza that was Game of Thrones. The problem is that we don’t know if Watchmen is going to get a second season.

And the thing is, after the season 1 finale, I’m betting more people than ever want one. That episode wrapped up the nine-episode story very well, with a lot of splashy sequences, major deaths and enough unanswered questions to make another season worth it. But showrunner Damon Lindelof remains noncommittal, saying he’s open to returning if he gets the right idea. C’mon, Lindelof. Don’t you want to be a critical darling again?

While we wait for word on that, please enjoy this special effects real from the first (and only?) season of the show:

I always like learning about the the moments that I don’t expect to involve CGI. Like, of course the scene where Doctor Manhattan creates new life on Europa was done with special effects. But Mirror Guy’s mask? The cows fro the first episode? Hooray for movie magic!

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