Westworld | John P Johnson/HBO
Last Sunday’s “Westworld” was widely regarded as the best of the four second season episodes, but the buzz did not help reverse the show’s live+same-day ratings downturn.
This week’s episode – the fifth of the new season – endured slight losses in adults 18-49 and overall viewership.
According to live+same-day data posted by Showbuzz, the May 20 “Westworld” drew a 0.59 adults 18-49 rating and averaged 1.55 million overall viewers.
Last week’s episode drew a 0.63 rating and 1.59 million viewers.
Granted, the declines are not significant. The episode also faced additional competition in the form of the Billboard Music Awards and NBA Playoffs.
“Westworld,” moreover, draws far more viewers from encore, streaming and on-demand than it does the live TV broadcast.
There is also one other relevant piece of information to consider: “Westworld” has already been renewed for season three.
Still, it is hard to completely ignore the live+same-day ratings downturn. Given the substantial buzz stemming from season one and the lengthy binging window for non-fans, it was not unreasonable (and, in fact, quite logical) to expect an increase from the first season.
Instead, the second season trails the first season’s averages in adults 18-49 and overall viewership.