Kevin Bacon’s new show The Following had an impressive debut on Fox last night. The new serial-killer drama brought in 10.4 million viewers.
Fox, who has been hyping the show for months, told the Washington Post that The Following had a larger audience than both of its Monday night drama debuts last season. Alcatraz brought in 10.1 million viewers and Terra Nova brought in 9.2 million viewers. Of course, that isn’t that great of an accomplishment considering that Fox cancelled both of those shows after one season.
The Following saw plenty of ads before its premiere but it also got a boost due to the ongoing debate about violence in televisions and movies. The show has been criticized for being unnecessarily violent but it looks like the controversy may have caused some extra people to tune in.
The controversy over the show’s violence may have drawn viewers into the premiere but the show’s creator Kevin Williamson is hoping that they stick around for the other story lines.
Williamson told the Huffington Post :
“I’m excited for people to … see what else is there. You see the previews and it comes off as this scary thriller starring Kevin Bacon. It is that, but it’s also a hybrid show. There’s a drama going on, there’s a love story, there’s all these other elements running through it. There’s a lot more than just sort of the scare and the blood. I’m excited for the audience to see that.”
Did you watch The Following?