So, how will the child of "Stargate SG-1" do? If the first episode is any indication, quite well.

"Stargate: Atlantis" premiered Friday night on the Sci-Ci Channel with a two-hour episode that pulled in nearly 4.2 million viewers. That's the largest audience for a weekly series ever on the channel, and comes on the heels of its parent show, "SG-1" breaking similar records for its season premiere.

While "Atlantis" didn't top numbers the cable channel received for miniseries like "Taken" and "Battlestar Galactica," it does mark the first time Sci-Fi Channel has ever delivered more than 4 million viewers for a series, and to get better than a 3.0 household rating. Even among the key demographic of adults between the ages of 18 and 49, "Atlantis" broke records for the cable channel.

"Stargate: Atlantis" airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET, immediately following "Stargate SG-1."

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