The series premiere of Animal Planet’s River Monsters delivered 1.3 million viewers, including 647,000 P25-54, making it the best series premiere in the network’s history and the most watched regularly airing primetime telecast in over six years.
The 10 p.m. Sunday debut also saw triple digit improvements over the same slot last year.
The premiere of the special A Lion Called Christian, based on a viral web video also delivered gains in its timeslot, including a 155% boost among P25-54.
River Monsters is the latest series launch by Animal Planet in an attempt to reach an older audience than the wildlife specials it was once known for.
The network has launched a number of more adult themed shows in the past few months, including Whale Wars, following a crew of activists attempting to stop Japanese whalers, and Jockeys, about the work and personal lives of professional jockeys.
