HBO’s new drama series “The Leftovers” premiered to 1.8 million viewers Sunday night at 10 p.m.
That’s less than HBO’s other recent drama premiere, “True Detective” (Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson), which drew 2.3 million viewers last January.
Aaron Sorkin’s “The Newsroom,” meanwhile, averaged 2.1 million viewers in its January 2012 debut.
“The Leftovers” — from “Lost” co-creator Damon Lindelof and based on the book by Tom Perotta — follows the people left behind three years after 2 percent of the world’s population abruptly disappears in a Rapture-like event. Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman and Liv Tyler star.
The series held about 60 percent of its lead-in, “True Blood,” which averaged 3.1 million viewers for the second episode of its final season.