'Swamp People' Sets Ratings Record for History

Premiere of Louisiana Bayou series gives net best original debut in key demos

By Marisa Guthrie -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/24/2010 12:11:53 PM

Swamp People gave History Channel its best series premiere ever.

The Aug. 22 series premiere of Swamp People, about the denizens of the southern Louisiana marshlands and bayous, garnered 4.2 million total viewers with 2.5 million of them among 25-54-year-olds and 2.3 million among 18-49-year-olds. Those numbers were enough to make Swamp People the top-rated show on cable among total viewers and the 25-54 demo for its 10 p.m. Sunday time period.

History has ordered 10 episodes of the series.