HBO’s sci-fi epic “Westworld” opened Sunday, and the series already has some good news on the ratings frontier.
The premiere drew 3.3 million on TV and on the HBO Go/HBO Now streaming platforms, according to data obtained by TheWrap.
That makes “Westworld” HBO’s most-watched drama premiere since the critically acclaimed Season 1 roll-out of “True Detective,” which also drew a combined viewership of 3.3 million.
It also more than doubled the turnout for “Vinyl,” the music drama from director Martin Scorsese, which garnered an anemic 1.4 million total viewers for its premiere. That show drew underwhelming reviews and wound up getting canceled earlier this year, with HBO executives reversing previously announced plans for a season 2 revamp.
HBO is seeking a long-term drama replacement for “Game of Thrones,” which will premiere its seventh and next-to-last season next year.
This past summer, the “GoT” season 6 finale drew nearly 9 million total viewers on the night of the original airing alone. However, it took years for the fantasy epic to build to that level; its first season, “GoT” averaged just 2.5 million total viewers, according to Nielsen.
“Westworld” is based on Michael Crichton’s 1973 movie about a theme park populated by robots that end up killing human beings. It stars Evan Rachel Wood and Anthony Hopkins.
'Westworld' First Look: Who Are All the Characters on HBO's Sci-Fi Western? (Photos)
"Westworld" is the name of a futuristic fully immersive park with a Wild West theme. Its robot inhabitants are called "hosts" and are there to serve at the pleasure of the human guests.
Anthony Hopkins plays Dr. Robert Ford, the brilliant founder and chief programmer behind Westworld, with a singular creative vision for his controversial park.
HBO
Sidse Babett Knudsen plays Theresa Cullen, Westworld Quality Control supervisor, who's tasked with making sure the park doesn't spiral out of control.
HBO
Jimmi Simpson as William, a new park visitor who's wary at first, but ultimately finds deeper meaning in the park.
HBO
Behind the scenes of Westworld, Simon Quarterman is Lee Sizemore, responsible for the various storylines in the park designed to entice guests.
Shannon Woodward as Elsie, a Westworld employee, and Sidse Babett Knudsen as Theresa Cullen.
HBO
Anthony Hopkins plays Dr. Robert Ford, the brilliant founder and chief programmer behind Westworld, with a singular creative vision for his controversial park.
HBO
Jeffrey Wright's Bernard Lowe is the park's Head of Programming, and he must closely observe human behavior in order to create artificial intelligence.
Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden and Anthony Hopkins star on controversial drama based on classic film
"Westworld" is the name of a futuristic fully immersive park with a Wild West theme. Its robot inhabitants are called "hosts" and are there to serve at the pleasure of the human guests.