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Beyonce Documentary Earns Record Ratings for HBO

'Life Is But a Dream' had 1.8 million viewers during premiere

Beyoncé in the HBO Documentary 'Life is But a Dream'
Courtesy of Parkwood Entertainment
February 20, 2013 11:10 AM ET

Beyoncé's self-directed Life Is But a Dream documentary resulted in record ratings for HBO when 1.8 million viewers watched the premiere last Saturday, according to The Hollywood Reporter. That marks the largest audience for an HBO documentary since Nielsen changed the way it measures viewership in 2004. 

12 Albums We're Looking Forward to in 2013: Beyoncé, TBD

Life Is But a Dream topped Spike Lee's 2006 miniseries on Hurricane Katrina, When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, which pulled in 1.7 million viewers. The documentary also scored ratings three times as high as recent episodes of Girls.

Beyoncé's overall allure was even bigger: her interview with Oprah on Oprah's OWN network also aired earlier that night, drawing slightly more than 1.3 million viewers.

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