Despite season 2 opening stronger in the ratings, 'True Detective' closed weaker

True Detective type TV Show network HBO genre Crime

You don’t need to be much of an investigator to see a story forming in HBO’s True Detective finale ratings.

Sunday’s season 2 finale had 2.7 million viewers — down 23 percent from the first season’s finale.

What’s really unusual about this is that the current season started with higher ratings than season 1.

The current season launched to 3.2 million viewers, a huge boost compared to the first season, which opened with 2.3 million viewers. Season 1 initially dipped after the premiere, before gradually climbing in the ratings and peaking with 3.5 million viewers for the finale. Season 2 largely declined throughout the season (hitting 2.2 million the previous week), then had a spike for the finale that was still below the first season’s ending.

Fans largely derided the second season as difficult to follow, with grim unlikable characters. HBO has not yet made a decision on whether to bring the crime anthology back for a third season.