Oscars 2023 see ratings bounce, hit 3-year high

nypost.com:

aired Sunday night on ABC, was viewed by an estimated 18.7 million, according to preliminary Fast National Live+Same Day numbers released Monday by ABC.

That’s up 12% from last year’s show — and was a three-year high — but was still low compared to most years.The evening’s main counterprogramming, the season finale of “The Last of Us” pulled in 8.2 million viewers across HBO and HBO Max.

The show began at 9 p.m. EST, an hour after the Oscars started.A frequent criticism of the Oscars is that the show celebrates films that don’t have wide appeal.

This year was markedly different, however, with two billion-dollar blockbuster sequels in the mix: “Top: Gun Maverick” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” were both nominated for best picture.