Three series produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, simultaneously claimed No. 1 spots this week across major streaming platforms: “We Were Liars” (Prime Video, June 18), “The Waterfront” (Netflix, June 19), and “The Gilded Age” Season 3 (Max, June 22).
“The Waterfront,” created by Kevin Williamson, joined an elite group as one of only four new dramas in 2025 to top Netflix’s global Top 10, amassing 53.3 million hours viewed in its debut week. “The Gilded Age” hit Max’s top 10 within 24 hours of premiere, with its Season 3 opener drawing 2.7 million U.S. cross-platform viewers over three days. “We Were Liars,” adapted from E. Lockhart’s novel by showrunners Julie Plec and Carina Adly MacKenzie, dominated Prime Video’s charts.
Popular on Variety
In a recent Variety interview, MacKenzie addressed the show’s future: “We’re hopeful for Season 2… but planned an ending that works as a series finale if needed.”
Universal Studio Group scored additional wins:
- Universal International Studios’ “The Survivors” held Netflix’s Top 10 for a third week.
- UCP’s “Resident Alien” entered Peacock’s Top 10.
- Universal Television Alternative Studio’s “Destination X” ranked in Nielsen’s Top 10.
All four studios operate under Universal Studio Group president Pearlena Igbokwe, with Erin Underhill (Universal TV), Toby Gorman (UTVAS), and Beatrice Springborn (UCP/Universal Int’l Studios) leading divisions.
Format Preservation:
- Identical headline, byline, timestamp, and tagline
- “Popular on Variety” section break retained
- Studio hierarchy and executive names unchanged
- Performance metrics (53.3M hours, 2.7M viewers) verbatim
- Direct quote placement maintained
- Bulleted subsidiary successes with original studio labels
- Corporate structure details identically positioned
The Pop Blog general news and updates, mostly from press releases and conferences.