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After a massive promotional campaign and a dash of controversy, HBO’s Game Change premiered with an average of 2.1 million viewers at 9 PM on Saturday to become the network’s most watched original film in almost 8 years, since the 2004 Something The Lord Made (2.6 million). The movie about John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign and the meteoric rise of Sarah Palin from a little known Alaska Governor to super-star Republican running mate, doubled the premiere audience of the previous HBO movie from the same writer (Danny Strong) and director (Jay Roach), Recount, which chronicled events surrounding the 2000 presidential elections. It also outperformed the opening nights of recent HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce (1.3 million), Generation Kill (1 million) and John Adams (1.8 million). For the weekend, Game Change averaged 3.6 million viewers over multiple plays. The movie has been met with criticism by Palin and aids for the McCain-Palin ticket, with the former Alaska governor calling it “Hollywood lies.”
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
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..2.1 Million may be good by HBO Movie terms, but that’s peanuts compared to the rest of cable.
It’s all about repeat airings in cable.
Everyone keeps saying “but this is HBO which is premium cable it should have lower numbers”
Really?
The Sopranos used to average 12 million viewers per episode. May I remind you that The Sopranos was also on HBO.
This Palin movie is a huge flop.
Too bad for HBO.
A bit misleading.
According to Wikipeida, The Sopranos peaked at about 11 million average viewers for its 4th season. Other seasons were closer to 8.5.
Also, I’m not sure it’s really fair to compare a single made for cable movie with an entire run of what many critics believe to be one of the best television series of the last two decades.
How about the fact that it didnt get the ratings that Sarah Palin’s Discovery series achieved or even half of the ratings level. Pretty sad in my opinion, but failure is the new success in Hollywood these days it seems.
“The movie has been met with criticism by Palin and aids for the McCain-Palin ticket, with the former Alaska governor calling it “Hollywood lies.”
It’s been met with criticism by SOME aids for the McCain Palin ticket. Others, like the man and woman portrayed as the leading advisors to each half of the ticket, have stated quite clearly that they find it to be quite accurate.
Watched it last night. Only the McCain staff know for certain what really played out during the campaign. Based on the VERY PUBLIC moments we did get to view during that time, Palin was certainly not prepared or comfortable with the scrutiny. Her apparent lack of knowledge on BASIC issues was startling.
NOW, she knows the game and is playing it like a pro. She is here to stay with the current pundits
of FOX—-earning more money than she ever expected, I’m sure.
She will NEVER hold a public office again.
I’m not a fan of “Caribou Barbie” and I certainly don’t think she’s qualified to be President (I’m not either).
Having said that, I have a certain sympathy and admiration for her that has nothing to do with politics.
Five years ago, Sarah Palin was a few months into a term as governor of the most remote and least populous American state. Prior to that, she had served as the mayor of a crappy little town about the size of Rawlins, Wyoming (home of the Wyoming State Penitentiary). Now she makes nearly $10M annually in salary from Fox and speaker’s fees, travels first-class all over the world and is greeted by adoring crowds wherever she goes.
For me, the most telling moment in the film was when she tells John McCain’s chief campaign strategist “I don’t want to go back to Alaska.” Who would?
Governor Palin would be an underprepared, perhaps even ignorant, head of state…but she’s pretty savvy as an entertainer. Think of her as an actor who grabs a big pay-day in a shitty film and you won’t find her hateful at all.
how about as a shitty actor (but with charisma) who grabs a big pay-day in the biggest film…
BUT – WAIT A MINUTE – it wasn’t a film, it was real-world stakes AKA leading the country and that is why there is nothing funny or charming about her.
Why are you talking about Obama that way????
Oh..wait you said she. You meant Fluke, I’m sorry no Pelosi, forgive me, Palin.
Nope, but she’ll continue to make millions off the free publicity Hollywood and the left continues to give her.
Thanks for that.
Now THAT’s what I call UNDEFEATED.
As much as I can’t stand Sarah Palin, I can’t see myself having any interest in this film. I can guarantee HBO would of made much more money if they just released a soft core version of “Nailin Palin.”
And what’s all the flack from the right and Palin? The movie actually treated her with sensitivity. Although eventually portrayed as somewhat of a diva, she was shown as the victim of a machine for which she was not prepared. They used her and she resisted – hardly a liberal attack on her character.
Wow that’s pathetic! A regular episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey or reruns of Family Guy on Adult Swim have more viewers and a much better demo among A18-49.
Also, The Firm had almost twice more viewers on NBC this Saturday.
thats also because Caroline Manzo is one of the best things about teelvision
It’s all about repeats and On-Demand.
Record ratings just like SNL had when Tina Fey was on doing her Palin impression.
Conservatives like to whine and moan about how the media loves to pick on Palin but the truth is that the media cares about one thing, ratings, and anything Palin-related delivers them. People can’t resist a train wreck.
Yet another shrill, thin-skinned response from Wasilla Sarah. Seriously, she needs to get a grip.
True… OWN gets 3.5mm….
OWN doesn’t “get” 3.5 million…they got it once, and for the first time ever, on Sunday for Oprah’s interview with Whitney Houston’s family weeks after her death. The polar opposite of a norm.
And even if that were a norm for OWN (which, again, it’s certainly not), it’s basic cable vs. premium cable.
You have to pay for HBO, though.
The juxtaposed love/hate fervor associated with Sarah Palin fascinates and confounds.
Her adorned disciples are steadfast. Palin may not be esteemed by the public at-large, but a solid 10% public adulation can sway significant in a close race. Thus, the reason Romney and GOP don’t criticize publicly.
Her detractors scorn her existence and render her insignificant and trivial. The numerous stories this week diminishing her relevance speak to her relevance. Why relegate so much relevance to someone irrelevant? I know why; my point is her opponents place her in the public conscious more than her proponents.
Palin is either the luckiest dunce in history or the savviest media manipulator of recent times. Maybe both. The real commentary here should be stereotypes. Palin could be ingenious and never get elected. She’s too attractive, with or without glasses.
We like our women in power to be serious and matronly. Hilary Clinton, Condoleeza Rice, Madeline Albright, are all accomplished women respected by peers – none of them would be considered attractive.
Don’t be so sure, Jackson. Righties have been trying to cast Condi as some kind of conservative sex symbol for YEARS. Remember her high “dominatrix” boots she wore as Secretary of State?
More proof that Righties live in an alternate universe.
HBO is limited to their subscibers. Most of basic cable is seen in over 100 mil households. Cannot compare
Palin may be a ‘psycho prom queen killer’ type but this movie almost portrays her in a balanced way. She had a baby, a son going to Iraq and a pregnant teenage daughter at the time – no dedicated Mother in her right mind would have accepted the offer! But her ego wanted the attention in a big way and she was clearly being used by a desperate, despicable McCain staff. She’s making money doing the Fox dance but she’s not respected by anyone with a brain.
This movie was more than fair to Palin. If anything, it went too soft on all players, including Schmidt and McCain.
The writers were definitely NOT soft on Palin. However, Julianne Moore has stated that she would only do the film if she learned to love Palin as a person. So, yes, while Palin wasn’t the most informed person in current events, nor was she the brightest politician, Moore played her in a way that made you feel bad for Palin for being thrust into the spotlight. McCain was portrayed as God in the film. If Sarah was screwing his campaign up, he didn’t flip out. He, instead, reunited her with her family.
So, it wasn’t that the movie was soft on Palin/McCain. They were maybe a little soft on McCain. However, they were very critical of Palin. The difference was that Moore did not want to just turn her potrayal of Palin into a personal bash.
Agreed that the film was fair, beyond fairness the movie portrayed full character, a fully fleshed out woman who was both loving and supportive but flawed deeply in her own narcissim. I find it fascinating how representative of a certain comforted Christian archetype she represents that fill our nation. Just because you live a good life and no problems are directly around you, does not mean God is behind everything in your life, or that He is pleased with you endlessly because you’re such a good and deserving person. Such ignorance is really ego masquerading itself and manifesting in an outward projection that you are favored above others, such as with Sarah. The problem is the Christian pastors teach this throughout our land, that Christians are favored just cause. The bible does not teach this. Abraham, David, Joseph, Moses, Jesus all lost everything in order to please God. Here she was thinking it was all planned from God. The moment the movie made that point I knew it was nothing but accurate.
On her relevancy, people see through her extreme divisive language for what it is and no longer respect her. She has her fans, the same dillusional people I wrote about above. But her fab/unfavorable ratings tell a lot. She is forever relegated to the fringe and known as someone destroying the fabric of a party and our own democracy. Please read a diverse variety of opinion and look to the latest opinions coming from voters in primaries to verify my words.
It doesn’t matter what ratings HBO gets – as long as subscriptions keep growing, right?
Sarah Palin Alaska debuted with over 5 million viewers, you were saying?
For once, the actress was LESS attractive than the real-life character. Sandra Bullock might have been better.
Well as far as the film is concerned I believe it portrays a very accurate and finely detailed inside look at Palins idiocy and a better comparison of the type of (ignorance) people on the right who do vote for individuals simply due to looks and religion! This is the way of the right. Sarah had absolutely no diplomatic skill or training both domestic and foreign ! She led on a false ticket of lies and the backbone she had was that of Jesus ,and no way whatsoever a true since or ability to separate church and state ! She was dim witted and complete ignorant to any type of policy or what and how legislation was or passed ! She won in Alaska only because of cheap cheat right wing god fearing I am family pro life anti gay anti moderate anti bipartisan tactics! In witch she did not understand or need to as her state did not require her too! As far as I can detect she was required to know about american government and policies and issues that truly effect our country as a kid running for class president! The SAD truth is that people mainly saw themselves in her ! That is how stupid people are. Her voters understood as much as she did! Americans who give a damn about this wonderful country are sick and I mean SICK of the Republican party churning out canidates who think they don’t need brains and intelligence because god is on there side and god will speak to them that this fundamental trust will carry us all in the right direction! This is very dangerous this what we left 200 plus years ago behind from the eastern hemisphere! It is that very way of governing that creates hate ignorance and war both foreign and here at home! Americans need to understand that when you intend on voting you had better check both sides and UNDERSTAND what is at stake. Americans need to stop looking for them selves in candidates and look for people who care enough to be educated and careful when they run for office! People like Kathryn Harris Ann Culter Sarah Palin just to name a few are playing with fire and I hope and prey they get the hell Burt out of them! I was a republican,but the names I mentioned and oh yes Rush and his dumb fat ass who speaks of the family and drug use ruining America needs to check himself he’s had how many marriges and then divorces,and how many Oxies did he eat every day? These Damn Republicans are contradicting two faces half truth I’m right your wrong ignorant narrow minded screw ups that are no better than the ones that they criticize and scorn! Thank you!