Boardwalk Empire

This past Sunday, America waited anxiously for the highly anticipated premier of HBO’s new series and without fail HBO delivered yet another successful series.  With over 4.8 million viewers Boardwalk Empire became HBO’s highest series launch in six years.  Taking place in 1920 during the Prohibition-era in Atlantic City, this series is suspected to be filled with drama, romance, actions and phenomenal sets and costumes making you feel as though you are part of this important time in history. 

After airing the first episode, HBO immediately signed on for a second season due to the extremely high number of viewers.  Boardwalk Empire’s premier cost an estimated $18 million to make and became an instant success.  With Martin Scorsese as the director, the public had huge hopes for this show as it took HBO’s other hit series True Blood.  Because HBO has become televisions must-see TV for Sunday nights, there were big shoes to fill, and Scorsese completely delivered.

HBO did their research in seeing that their Sunday night line-up is extremely popular.  These results come though in ratings, Emmy’s and viewer satisfaction.  With the series finale of True Blood and Entourage the week before HBO took full advantage with the fact that their Sunday line-up is so widely watched and replaced those time slots with Boardwalk Empire. 

Because the rating for the premier was so high HBO automatically signed on to another season, but was this the best idea?  Due to the fact that everyone was curious about the show and what it would be like, the ratings could have been higher this week than it will be in previous weeks.  After hearing mixed reviews from friends and peers, HBO may have jumped the gun green-lighting a second season.  HBO is also manipulating viewers into wanting to watch the new series because of the day and time slot it is in, and viewers probably think it good because of the immediate go for a second season. 

HBO who is owned by the world’s second largest conglomerate, Time Warner has numerous hit TV series such as The Sopranos, Entourage, Big Love, True Blood, Sex and the City and Hung which were all huge hits and Emmy winners.