The Premiere of 'The People v. O.J. Simpson' Sets FX Record

It's been over 20 years and people are still endlessly fascinated by the O.J. Simpson case. Case in point: All the hype surrounding the new true crime anthology series American Crime Story and its critically-lauded first season, The People v. O.J. Simpson, which follows the Simpson murder and the trial that became a national phenomenon. And all that hype wasn't for nothing; the numbers are in and they're here to prove our perpetual obsession with the celebrity murder scandal.

The series debuted on FX on Tuesday night, Feb. 2, and brought in a record-setting 5.11 million viewers. The network has seen higher viewership for season premieres of returning shows but this is the most people have tuned in for a series premiere. Holding the record previously was The Shield, which premiered in 2002 as the network's first drama.

The O.J. Simpson story transcends the "you had to be there" factor, proving fascinating for even those who were too young to remember. In case you missed it, read our interview with the executive producer of the station that broke the news in '94 and if you're already tuned in to the show, check out our extensive fact-check of the first episode.