The 'True Detective' Season 2 Premiere Is HBO Drama's Second Highest-Rated Episode

Not even negative reviews can stop "True Detective." The second-season premiere was HBO anthology series' second-most-watched episode to date.

"The Western Book of the Dead," the Season 2 premiere, was watched by 3.2 million viewers during its first airing at 9 p.m. on Sunday, reports Deadline. That number is down from the brooding drama's first-season finale, which drew 3.5 million and remains the show's most-watched episode. However, the second-season premiere was up by 36 percent from the series premiere, which drew 2.3 million viewers in January 2014.

This season, "True Detective" stars Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams and Taylor Kitsch. Trading the greasy Louisiana setting of the first season for a fictional corrupt California town, the new season follows three police officers (Farrell, McAdams, Kitsch) who are drawn into an investigation after a city manager is found murdered. Many critics have found the new season disappointing so far, with some noting how the show feels a bit like every other cop drama.

"True Detective" was one of the breakout shows of 2014. Critics loved it, some calling it one of the best shows of the year, and the performances by Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, Cary Joji Fukunaga's direction, Nic Pizzolatto's writing and other technical aspects earned the show multiple awards nominations and a few wins.

On Sunday, HBO also premiered two comedies. "Ballers," which stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, debuted with 2.2 million viewers in its first showing, making it HBO's highest-scoring half-hour comedy debut in six years. "The Brink," a political satire starring Tim Robbins and Jack Black, drew 1.6 million viewers.