HBO’s disturbing true crime series with an 86% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes breaks a five-year viewership record following its final episode. HBO is home to plenty of high-profile original programs. While their dramas, like the ongoingThe Last of UsorupcomingKnight of the Seven Kingdoms, are what they’re primarily known for, the premium network is also home to a number of documentary series. These shows have explored a variety of topics,from the dark side of vlogging culture inAn Update on Our Family, to the Texas Renaissance Festival inRen Faire.
However, there have also been a multitude ofHBO true crime documentaries, especially in recent years. This includesMcMillion$about what’s been dubbed the “McDonalds Monopoly Scam,” andI’ll Be Gone in the Dark, about a woman named Michelle McNamara searching for the Golden State Killer. The multifaceted docuseries produced by the network, even isolated to just the true crime genre, shows how they’re core elements of the platform. However, one of these crime series has managed to break a major record for the network just weeks after it first premiered.
HBO’s The Mortician Is The Network’s Biggest Docuseries Release In 5 Years
The 3-Episode Series Has Broken A Major Record Already
One June 07, 2025,The Morticianpremiered on HBO, quickly becoming one of the network’s most successful docuseries releases in years.The three-episode show explores thehistory of the Lamb Funeral Home, led by David Sconce, and the criminal actions they went to to make large profits. Interviews were conducted with the now-released Sconce, alongside journalists and victims of the funeral home. The series holds an 86% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, with the final episode having aired on July 05, 2025.
Now,Deadlinehas confirmed thatThe Morticianhas become HBO’s most-watched docuseries in five years. According to the network, the show has garnered 2.6 million cross-platform viewers in the US, its viewership numbers confirming its record-breaking success. This makes it more successful than other recent, high-profile documentary shows they’ve produced in recent years, includingPee-wee as HimselfandChimp Crazy.The show’s Sunday night time slot, which is typically reserved for the platform’s newest drama series, may have contributed to its success.
What The Mortician’s Success Says About HBO’s Docuseries
The Show Proves True Crime Documentaries Are A Core Part Of The Network
The Mortician’s success emphasizes how docuseries are still a core part of HBO’s lineup, even if they’re best known for their dramas. This also shows just how popular true crime shows on the network can be, especially when they’re about cases that most of the general public may not know about. The series only being three episodes long emphasizes this success as well, since it allows for the show to get to the point when it comes to their coverage of the subject at hand.
