It was a positive start for FX’s new spy drama, The Americans. According to the cable channel, 4.7 million people tuned in to watch the series premiere on Wednesday night.

Here’s the press release:

“THE AMERICANS” CAPTURES STRONG DEBUT

New FX Drama Series Draws 4.7 Million Total Viewers Wednesday Night

Tops the Premiere of American Horror Story and Sons of Anarchy

January Marks FX’s Highest-Rated Month in Its 18-Year History

LOS ANGELES, JANUARY 31, 2013 – FX’s critically acclaimed new drama series The Americans got off to a strong start Wednesday night, drawing a combined 4.7 million Total Viewers and 2.54 million Adults 18-49 for its first-run episode and encore telecasts.

The series premiere telecast, which ran from 10:00-11:38 PM, delivered 3.22 million Total Viewers and 1.57 million Adults 18-49, which outperformed the premiere of American Horror Story in Total Viewers (3.18 million), and Sons of Anarchy in Adults 18-49 (1.55 million). The first encore telecast of The Americans at 11:38 PM delivered 1.01 million Total Viewers and 643,000 Adults 18-49, and the final encore at 1:14 AM posted 470,000 Total Viewers and 319,000 Adults 18-49. The Americans topped all broadcast networks in the 10 PM time period in delivery of Men 18-34 (407,000).

“We’re very happy with premiere ratings for The Americans and, just as importantly, we’re proud of the widespread critical acclaim the show has received,” said John Landgraf, President and General Manager, FX. “We have no doubt that when we get the Live+7 time-shifted ratings from last night, The Americans will rank among the best series debuts ever on FX. We’re grateful to Executive Producers Joe Weisberg, Joel Fields, Graham Yost, and to our outstanding cast led by Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys and Noah Emmerich, as well as the entire team behind this great show.”

The lead-in half hour, the commercial television premiere of Knight and Day, drew a very solid 2.25 million Total Viewers and 1.17 million Adults 18-49, and from there The Americans posted gains of +43% and +35% respectively. Retention across the half hours was strong, despite the 98 minute running time with commercials that had the show ending at 11:38 PM, with the episode holding 93% of its Adults 18-49 audience from its first to last full half hour.

FX is coming off of the highest-rated month in its 18-year history. In the month of January, FX recorded all-time highs for a single month in delivery of Total Viewers; Adults and Men18-49; Adults and Men 18-34; and Adults and Men 25-54.

FX vaulted +37% over year-ago January 2012 in Adults 18-49; +40% in Adults 18-34; +33% in Adults 25-54; and +28% in Total Viewers. The Season 4 premiere of Justified was the most-watched episode in its history in Adults 25-54 and Total Viewers. The first two episodes of Archer that have aired this season are the series’ two most-watched episodes in its history among Adults 18-49 and Adults 18-34.

For the month of January, among 99 ad-supported cable networks, FX ranked #3 in delivery of Adults 18-34, #4 in Adults 18-49 and #4 in Adults 25-54. It ranked #1 in Adults 18-49 the week of Jan. 14-20.

About FX

FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from Fox. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in nearly 98 million homes. The diverse schedule features a growing roster of critically acclaimed and award-winning hit dramas series Sons of Anarchy, Justified and The Americans; the mini-series American Horror Story: Asylum; and the acclaimed hit comedy series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, Louie, Archer, Wilfred, Legit, BrandX with Russell Brand and Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. The network’s library of acquired box-office hit movies is unmatched by any ad-supported television network. FX’s other offerings include the acquired hit series Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother, and live sports with UFC and NCAA football.

SOURCE: Nielsen

What do you think? Did you watch the premiere of The Americans on FX? Will you watch again?