Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, has had a successful week with three of its series topping the charts on different streaming platforms. “We Were Liars” made its debut on Prime Video on June 18, while “The Waterfront” was released on Netflix on June 19. Additionally, Season 3 of “The Gilded Age” premiered on HBO on June 22.
“The Waterfront,” created by Kevin Williamson, achieved a remarkable feat by becoming one of only four new dramas this year to reach the top spot on Netflix’s global Top 10 list. The show garnered an impressive 53.3 million hours of viewing in its first week. On the other hand, “The Gilded Age” quickly made its way to the top 10 Max list within 24 hours of its release, attracting 2.7 million cross-platform viewers in the United States within the first three days.
“We Were Liars,” adapted from E. Lockhart’s bestselling novel and overseen by showrunners Julie Plec and Carina Adly MacKenzie, has also received positive feedback. In a recent interview with Variety, the creative team expressed their optimism for a potential second season while also ensuring that the current ending could serve as a satisfying series finale if needed.
MacKenzie stated, “Emily wrote three books and we love this world. We love our cast. Weâd love the opportunity that exists for more story, so weâre hopeful that weâll get to come back and do more. But also, should this be a limited series, I think itâs a beautiful story.”
In addition to these successes, Universal Studio Group’s other divisions also saw positive results over the weekend. “The Survivors” from Universal International Studios maintained its position in Netflix’s Top 10 for the third consecutive week, while UCP’s “Resident Alien” secured a spot in the Top 10 on Peacock. Furthermore, the reality competition series “Destination X” from Universal Television Alternative Studio also appeared in the Top 10 rankings.
All four studios, under the leadership of Pearlena Igbokwe, have been thriving in the entertainment industry. Erin Underhill serves as the president of Universal Television, Toby Gorman as the president of Universal Television Alternative Studio, and Beatrice Springborn as the president of UCP and Universal International Studios. Their collective efforts have undoubtedly contributed to the success of Universal Studio Group’s diverse range of content across various platforms.