FX TCA: SONS OF ANARCHY: L-R: Charlie Hunnam and Ron Perlman at the FX TCA in Beverly Hills, CA. Tuesday, Aug. 3. CR: Ray Mickshaw / FX.

Five-time Emmy Award winner and Academy Award nominee Hal Holbrook has signed up for a guest starring role on the upcoming third season of FX's critically acclaimed hit drama series Sons of Anarchy. Holbrook will appear in a four-episode arc, beginning with the third season premiere episode, which debuts in September.

Tuesday’s 90-minute season two finale of FX’s critically acclaimed drama Sons of Anarchy was cable’s number-one program for the night, delivering 4.33 million total viewers and 2.99 million Adults 18-49.  It was also the top-rated show on television in the 10:00 PM time period among Men 18-49 (1.92 million) and Men 18-34 (1.09 million), beating all three broadcast networks. The episode was the most-watched ever for Sons, surpassing its season two premiere (4.29 million total viewers).

Sons of Anarchy returned with a vengeance Tuesday night, as the second season premiere episode of FX’s critically acclaimed hit drama series stormed out of the gate with all-time series’ high ratings across the board. 

The season two premiere (9/8/09, 10 PM ET/PT) scored 4.29 million total viewers and 3.03 million Adults 18-49.  Its delivery of 1.97 million Men 18-49 is the most ever for a single telecast of an FX series, and it was also the most of any basic cable series in 2009.

This marks a +95% increase in Adults 18-49 against the season one premiere episode (3.03 million vs. 1.55 million, 9/2/08), the largest increase of any FX original series from a first to a second season.  Nip/Tuck posted a +33% in its second season.

Based on Live+Same Day comparison, last night’s premiere registered +94% increases among total viewers over the season one average (2.21 million).  Based on Live+Same Day comparison, last night’s premiere registered +107% increases among Adults 18-49 over the season one average (1.46 million). 

On a time-shifted viewing comparison (Live+Seven ratings vs. Live+Same Day) ratings, in season one Sons gained an average of 18% in Total Viewers (2.61 million vs. 2.21 million), and gained an average of 20%  among Adults 18-49 (1.75 million vs. 1.46).