'Jersey Shore' Premieres to Record-Breaking Ratings and Social Media Involvement

"Jersey Shore" is back with new episodes, and it's back in a big way. The season four premiere on Thursday night was the most-watched premiere in "Jersey Shore" history, drawing in 8.8 million viewers.

That almost made it the most-watched episode of any kind in the show's history, a title currently held by the ep that aired earlier this year when Snooki got out of jail, which earned 8.9 million viewers.

With that big a premiere, the show could set a new single-episode viewership record this season...perhaps for the ep in which Ronnie punches The Situation in the face?

Not only was viewership at almost an all-time high, but social media interaction about the show had the most traffic of any program this year. According to THR, comments on Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets about "Jersey Shore" made up more than half of all comments about all TV shows yesterday.

That's all pretty impressive, and good news for fans that want the show to keep going. But others don't see it as such a good sign. As "Lost" co-creator Damon Lindelof tweeted today, "'Nine million people watched Jersey Shore last night. Let's RIDE, bitches!' -- Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse."