By Andrew Wallenstein
 
   The new TBS series "Ripley's Believe It Or Not!" (Wednesdays, 8:05-9:05 p.m. ET) received premiere-night ratings almost as incredible as its content.
    The Jan. 12 episode drew 2.6 million households, basic cable's largest audience ever for a non-sports original series debut.
    "Ripley's" did so well that it even managed to draw 1.3 million viewers in the 18-34 demo, beating out network competitors like NBC ("Dateline") and CBS ("JAG").
    Turner Broadcasting has wisely revived the franchise famous for celebrating feats that defy explanation.
    Started as a comic strip in 1918, "Ripley's" has reared its head numerous times, most recently as TV show hosted by Jack Palance in the early 1980s. 
   Now Columbia TriStar Television Distribution has produced a compelling new version that could probably have found a comfortable home on Fox, given its success with eye-popping "shockumentaries."
    Whether this formula can work on TBS is another question.
    True to the original mission of Robert L. Ripley, the series ropes in strange but true stories from around the globe. Each segment of the debut episode was more amazing than the next, from footage of cannibals in India feasting on human flesh to a legless woman who managed to carry a healthy baby to term.
     Much of the program also takes some turns for the gruesome, including an obscure medical practice involving treating a diabetic's wound with maggots that devour the dead tissue and a performance of the Suspension Club, whose members insert large metal hooks into their skin and hang from what can only be described as a human mobile.
    Hosting "Ripley's" is Dean Cain, a young actor best remembered as the star of the network series "The Adventures of Superman." He's high profile as far as hosts go, which is a plus. Not the best career move, "Ripley's" is likely the shaft end of a larger development deal he's struck with the network to do the original action films that have become a TBS specialty.
     If you can manage to keep your hands from covering your eyes, "Ripley's" is gripping TV. The hour is edited and packaged similar to Fox's notorious reality series, and that's no accident: Among the credits of executive producer Erik Nelson are memorable specials like "Busted On the Job" and "When Good Times Go Bad."
     Hiding behind the Ripley pedigree is a bottom-feeding concept that Fox has used to notch impressive Nielsen scores.
    Savvy on-air promotion will be key.
     TBS should be ecstatic at "Ripley's" opening performance. Its previous original-series effort, "The Chimp Channel," peaked at 1.8. Featuring live-action primates mimicking humans, "Channel" flatlined at 0.8 before getting canceled in late November. 
    Cable networks are learning the hard way that primetime original programs aren't easy, as USA discovered with "GvsE," a sci-fi drama that was shipped to the Sci-Fi Channel after weathering dismal ratings.
    "Ripley's" will serve as a Wednesday lead-in to "WCW Thunder," a wrestling showcase that was recently moved from Thursday.  
    Reversing the order here may have made more sense, but "Thunder" should just be thankful TBS moved it away from "WWF Smackdown!" which has excelled on the same night on UPN. Thursday has now been reserved for the "Movies for Guys Who Like Movies" programming block.

-Andrew Wallenstein covers TV programming for Media Life.