Cinemax's new historical medical drama The Knick debuted on Friday to solid numbers in the ratings.
The series, which stars Clive Owen, drew 1.7 million viewers spread across the weekend, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which is a solid start, considering the series airs not on HBO, but the sister network Cinemax. Fridays are also notoriously difficult for television programs.
The premiere telecast dew 354,000 viewers in live+same day ratings, with three additional airings pulling in an additional 303,000 viewers. The Knick was boosted even further when HBO aired it on Saturday, averaging 533,000 viewers.
The Knick was originally meant to air on HBO, but director Stephen Soderbergh let the series slide to the smaller Cinemax, which currently airs dramas Strike Back and Banshee.
The fairly solid start is good news for networks executives since The Knick was renewed back in July, nearly a month before it even debuted. The second season will also be 10 episodes.
Soderbergh has already committed to directing all of the second season's episodes, much like he did with the first. "There's a positive aspect to having a visual language that is very, very specific and very, very unified throughout the show," he explained back during the Television Critics Association summer press tour. "In this case, it's not only creatively satisfying but it's practically speaking a better way to work."
Owen stars in the turn of the century medical series, along with Andrew Holland, Cara Seymour, Maya Kazan and Eric Johnson.
The Knick's debut episode is currently available for all to check out on YouTube.
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