Skip to content
Entertainment
Link copied to clipboard

‘True Detective’ bows big for HBO

The series with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson opens large

True Detective's premiere on Sunday was watched by 2.3 million viewers. That's remarkable for two reasons. It was on the pay cable service HBO, so playing to a smaller universe. That was the best debut by an HBO series since Boardwalk Empire which drew 4.8 million in 2010.

The second thing to remember is that it came on one of the most log jammed hours of the TV year. The Good Wife, Downton Abbey, The Golden Globes, Revenge and Shameless, all competing for eyeballs with True Detective. Locally, the Flyers game was still winding down. How many DVRs does a person need?

That makes the live viewing all the more impressive. When you add in HBO GO and ON Demand, the eerie crime series drew 3.3 million. It also boosted the season opener of Girls, which followed it, to 1.1 million viewers, a 28 per cent increase from last year's debut.

Lena Dunham, you should send a box of cigars to the guys.

Read more Dave on Demand or follow him on Twitter @DaveOnDemand_TV