Showtime posted some killer ratings Sunday night, apropos of its bleak content.
The 90-minute finale of the Claire Danes terrorism drama "Homeland" was the cable station's highest-rated finale for a freshman series, drawing 1.71 million total viewers with its initial 10 p.m. airing, and grabbing 2.03 viewers overall across the night's multiple airings.
Sunday night's finale also represented a 58 percent increase over the series' October premiere, and a season high for the series.
Over the course of its first season, "Homeland" has become Showtime's second-highest-rated series, behind only "Dexter."
Speaking of Showtime's veteran serial-killer drama, "Dexter" sliced a big, juicy chunk out of the ratings with Sunday night's season six finale providing Showtime with its most-watched telecast of the year.
The initial 9 p.m. airing drew 2.23 million viewers, with that number jumping to 2.71 for the night. The season has averaged 5.4 million total viewers across all platforms -- a 10 percent improvement over last season.
