With the amount of media attention that the HBO series “Girls†has received, it would be easy to assume that the show is watched by millions of curious television viewers. But so far, the news media’s enthusiasm for the show has not translated into increased ratings.
The Season 2 premiere on Sunday was seen by 866,000 total viewers, slightly less than the 872,000 who watched the series premiere last year. The next episode will provide another ratings test, as it will be the first opportunity for viewers to tune in after the series, and its star, Lena Dunham, won Golden Globes.
The results for Showtime’s Sunday night lineup were a little brighter, as the Season 3 premiere of “Shameless†drew 2 million total viewers, up from the 1.6 millon who watched the show’s second-season debut. “House of Lies†may also benefit from a Golden Globes bump: its star, Don Cheadle, took home the best actor award in a comedy. The Season 2 premiere was watched by 1.2 million viewers, slightly above the 1 million who tuned in to the series premiere.
