Critics were high up on Sandra Oh's Killing Eve from the jump, and while acclaim doesn't always improve a show's ratings, it looks like that may have happened in this case. The BBC America series continued to increase its viewership from the premiere and now, following its Season 1 finale, has set a record no other series has done in over a decade. Killing Eve became the first series since the inclusion of the Nielsen live-plus-three measurement to experience unbroken weekly ratings growth in the adults 25-54 and 18-49 demographics every episode through its Season 1 finale.
Killing Eve's record was technically already a lock in the penultimate episode ahead of the airing of its Season 1 finale, but the fact the drama managed to keep its streak going through the season's entirety only makes the record all the more impressive. The Season 1 finale drew a series high 1.25 million viewers in the Nielsen live+3 ratings (via Uproxx) with the show's audience up a full 86% from the premiere episode. 545,000 of those viewers came from the 25-54 demo, while 378,000 tuned in from the 18-49 group. The jump in audience between the penultimate episode and Season 1 finale is particularly impressive in the 25-54 demo, as the prior week's tally of 455,000 shows an increase of over 90,000 viewers and a total growth of 127% from the season premiere. Comparatively, the show's slightly younger 18-49 demo still rose between that same gap of time, but only by 11,000 viewers with the total demo growth from the premiere up 100%.
Critical acclaim and audience buzz appear to be largely responsible for Killing Eve's growth in audience, as The BBC now seems wise for renewing the series for Season 2 ahead of its Season 1 premiere. With the drama keeping its record of unbroken ratings growth going heading into Season 2, it's very possible the streak will continue through the show's Season 2 premiere as more audiences tune into the series on-demand throughout the summer. That's especially possible should the series win some awards in the offseason, as that always seems like a surefire way to bring additional audiences to a program. Killing Eve is commissioned by BBC America, which makes it eligible for upcoming Emmy nominations in all relevant categories. A win or two there or even some nominations will go a long way in bringing an even larger audience to the series.
Killing Eve just recently concluded Season 1 on The BBC, but episodes of the drama are still available via the network's on-demand services. Fans of the series needing another show to dive into as they wait for Season 2 can find a slew of dates for new and returning shows via our summer premiere guide. Sandra Oh fans who are hoping that all this success for the actress means she's gearing up for another appearance on Grey's Anatomy shouldn't hold their breath, as the actress has already squashed any rumors that allege she's interested in returning to the medical drama.
