'Game of Thrones' breaks audience record with season finale

NEW YORK — HBO's "Game of Thrones" set yet another audience record Sunday with its seventh-season finale. Nielsen says an all-time high of 12.1 million viewers were tuned in to the wildly popular fantasy drama. An additional 4 million caught the episode on streaming channels.

The seven-episode season began with 10.1 million viewers, while episode 5 drew 10.7 million.

This image released by HBO shows Aiden Gillen in a scene from the season finale of "Game of Thrones." The series set yet another audience record Sunday with its seventh-season finale. Nielsen says an all-time high of 12.1 million viewers were tuned in to the wildly popular fantasy drama. An additional 4 million caught the episode on streaming channels.Helen Sloan/HBO via AP

This image released by HBO shows Vladimir Furdik as The Night King on the season finale of "Game of Thrones." The series set yet another audience record Sunday with its seventh-season finale. Nielsen says an all-time high of 12.1 million viewers were tuned in to the wildly popular fantasy drama. An additional 4 million caught the episode on streaming channels.HBO via AP

This season "Game of Thrones" has regularly ranked as the second-most-viewed series each week among all programs, both cable and broadcast. Its eighth and final season is scheduled to air next year.