Sharp Objects premiere brings in more viewers than Big Little Lies
By Grant Butler
The premiere of HBO’s Sharp Objects drew in about 1.5 million viewers, which is over a full third more than the debut episode of Big Little Lies.
The show is also the highest rated premiere of an HBO series since the first episode of Westworld. Sharp Objects has been frequently compared to Big Little Lies because not only are both shows about a group of women, but both feature the same director. But the shows are also drastically different in terms of tone and characters.
It is also important to note that there is also the number of viewers who view the show on other platforms apart from live television, so the final total of people who watched the premiere across different mediums has yet to be calculated.
More from HBO
- HBO expects House of the Dragon season 2 release in summer 2024
- HBO delays three hit shows to 2025 but one big show is still coming in 2024
- Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty will end its run on HBO
- Winning Time season 2, episode 7 recap: “What Is and What Should Never Be”
- Winning Time season 2, episode 6 recap: “Beat L.A.”
But it is no great surprise that Sharp Objects pulled in far more ratings for a premiere than Big Little Lies. While the latter developed a considerable following during its first season and was a critical smash, at the beginning, it was a new concept.
By contrast, audiences are extremely familiar with Gillian Flynn’s work, as her 2012 book Gone Girl and the subsequent film adaptation were both tremendous hits with both critics and audiences everywhere.
There is one other interesting idea to think about. Since this technically a TV series, will Sharp Objects be picked up for a second season? Big Little Lies has already been renewed for season two, so the idea is a very real possibility.
Next: Sharp Objects premiere recap: ‘Vanish’
By all indications, the show’s writers will have no problem fitting the book into 8 episodes. So if there is a second season of Sharp Objects, hypothetically the show would have to go beyond what is already in the book and explore new storylines.
Did you watch the premiere of Sharp Objects? Be sure to read our weekly recaps of the acclaimed HBO show!