While retaining the crown of the best rated cable show of the night, the inevitable drop from the premiere happened this week when it comes to the number of viewers for the initial airing. However, it is likely a bigger drop than some expected. The second episode of season 5 was watched by 6.81 million people, more than a million fewer than last week. Another 0.7 million watched the repeat, just like last week, for a total of 7.5 million.

The number is still high, and somewhere around the last season average. I have no doubt that the discussion will be ripe now as to how much the four-episode leak contributed to the numbers (it happened mere hours before the premiere, so it is reasonable to expect an effect only now).

Hear Marko Roar: Well, I hoped for the number to stay above 7 million. But if it stays stable for two more weeks and climbs from there, I won’t mind much.