You'l like it.
MORE than 1.3 million Australians watched the premiere of the controversial Melbourne crime drama Underbelly, despite it being banned from viewing in Victoria because of a court order.
The Nine Network's dramatisation of Melbourne's infamous gangland wars was the most watched show in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth in the 25-54 age group, OzTam figures showed.
TV viewers in the city where the show is set, Melbourne, did not see Underbelly, although some watched it illegally via the internet.
The Supreme Court has banned showing of the TV series in Victoria because of fears it could prejudice an upcoming trial. Nine will appeal the ruling.
The show attracted its biggest audience in Sydney, where it was the most watched drama premiere among people aged 25-54.
Over the two hour premiere about 617,000 Sydney viewers tuned in.
In Brisbane, Underbelly attracted 293,000 viewers, Adelaide 189,000 and Perth 226,000.
Nine in Victoria on Wednesday night screened the movie The Shawshank Redemption in its place.
But the film only managed to attract 174,000 viewers to be the seventh most watched show of the night in Melbourne in the 25-54 age group.
Despite its popularity, Underbelly was not the most watched show of the night.
While it attracted an average national audience of 1.32 million viewers in the capital cities where it was shown, the Seven News took top spot with 1.436 million viewers.
The premiere of Ten's US comedy show Back To You was second with 1.344 million viewers.
Ten's US drama House, which was in Underbelly's timeslot, secured 1.257 million viewers, to come in eighth for the night.
Wednesday night's two-hour premiere of Underbelly showed the first two episodes of the 13 part series.
It told the story of career criminal Alphonse Gangitano, "the black prince of Lygon Street", played by Vince Colosimo.
The show showed Gangitano murdering a fellow criminal at a St Kilda party and ended with his murder by gangland figure Jason Moran.
Underbelly is based on a series of books written by journalists Andrew Rule and John Silvester.
