‘Shark Week’ proves sharks are more popular than ever with viewership returning to pre-COVID levels

If you spent the last week getting very familiar with sharks while watching things like Great White Fight Club, Jaws in the Shallows, and Cocaine Sharks, chances are you don’t just know a thing or two about exciting programming — you’re one of the pop culture enthusiasts who look forward to Shark Week every year like it’s an extended holiday of sorts.

Jason Momoa hosted this year’s rendezvous with sharks, and the week of television proves that the majestic, mysterious, and sometimes menacing creatures still have quite a fan base; in fact, it appears to be growing.

SVP of Marketing, US Networks Group, Josh Kovolenko, told Deadline that engaging viewers across every platform was important because Shark Week is about more than just a series of shows stretched across the week:

“We engaged viewers across every brand and platform because we wanted to provide memorable Shark Week experiences for them, including offering an exclusive sneak peek of Meg 2: The Trench, the next big theatrical release from Warner Bros. Discovery. We also brokered various marketing partnerships with influential brands that are organically connected to our long-standing mission to highlight and celebrate sharks.”

Highlighting and celebrating sharks is precisely what draws audiences in every summer, but it goes without saying that the host this year likely drew in quite an audience of his own. Momoa is as charming as he is handsome, and we certainly enjoyed the extra airtime with him this week.

Celebrating its 35th year, Shark Week brought a slew of must-watch options for those fascinated by creatures with anywhere from 2-15 rows of teeth, and each new addition to the lineup was as exciting and mesmerizing a watch as the one before it.

President of Discovery Networks and TLC, Howard Lee, says that the promotion of Shark Week had a lot to do with its success as well:

“We were able to harness the strength of the Warner Bros. Discovery portfolio to cross-promote Shark Week, and now, with double-digit gains throughout the week, it is the highest-rated in three years – with every night outperforming a year ago. It’s a powerful example of how we can use our platforms to showcase high-profile programming events.”

While Shark Week might be over for 2023, you can still catch a lot of programming streaming now on Max.