'True Detective: Night Country' finale sees viewer’s surge

HBO's crime drama series True Detective: Night Country concluded its first season on Sunday night with a season-high in viewership. The finale, titled The Long Way Down, drew in an audience of 4.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings.

This marks a significant increase from the season premiere, which drew in 2.5 million viewers. The viewership has steadily grown throughout the season, with each episode attracting a larger audience than the previous one.

In addition, Night Country concludes as the most watched of True Detective's four seasons to date. Since the season premiered on January 14, it has averaged 12.7 million viewers for each episode, surpassing the 11.9 million averages for the first season in 2014. HBO tracks viewers for ninety days following the start of a season.

The season concluded with 3.2 million viewers on Sunday, capping a viewership that grew over the course of six episodes; the finale attracted almost 57% more people than the 2 million that saw the season opener. Additionally, it had increased by 55% since the February 2019 season three finale.

Season two of The White Lotus (10.1 million viewers immediately before its finale) and the last season of Succession (8.7 million) are both behind Night Country's season average of 12.7 million viewers. 

The Last of Us set a record for the highest number of viewers for any HBO series since the conclusion of Game of Thrones in 2023, with over 30 million viewers each episode across all platforms in the first ninety days of the season.

True Detective: Night Country stars Jodie Foster and Kali Reis as two detectives investigating a series of murders in Alaska. The series has been praised for its performances, writing, and atmosphere.