Comedian George Lopez debuted his new late-night talk show to 3.2 million viewers when it aired on a cross-network platform on TNT, TBS and TruTv on Monday. The numbers are a little misleading since the program -the first late-night talk show with a Chicano host- aired on three networks yet just looking at the TBS number (the shows will be carried solely on the station going forward), the viewer total still looks solid with 1.7 million. Most of that TBS viewer-ship was from the vaunted 18-49 adult demographic.

Lopez’s numbers are higher than this season’s current average for other late-night competition like ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, CBS’ Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson,  and Comedy Central‘s The Daily Show With Jon Stewart. When using the three-network tally, Lopez’s show ranks slightly higher than Conan O’Brien and even late-night leader David Letterman. (Side note: NBC’s prime-time The Jay Leno Show again came up empty, placing fifth overall in both total viewers and 18-to-49-year-olds.)

Normally TBS airs repeats of My Name is Earl so Lopez Tonight caused a 70% percent spike in viewers during the show’s premier. TBS’s previous late-night show, Frank TV, with comic Frank Caliendo, debuted two years ago and also had strong numbers. The show was canceled after its audience dwindled in the months that followed.

Lopez Tonight opened with guests Eva Longoria Parker, NBA star Kobe Bryant and music legend Carlos Santana and a cameo from Ellen DeGeneres.

“This is what America looks like,” Lopez said. “Making late night different and bringing change to late night TV.” Critics weren’t so kind to the new late night host. To some, the interviews with Parker and Bryant appeared to have been the handy work of the show’s producers. Lopez looked to have “jumped from one talking point to the next, with no transitions and in no discernible order. From start to finish, Lopez appeared to never ask a question for which he didn’t already know the answer.”