The season premiere of American Horror Story: Hotel starring Lady Gaga was not only well-received by fans and critics alike, but also a ratings hit, drawing over 5.8 million viewers according to Nielsen. The episode, which marks Gaga's television debut, is the second most watched episode of the entire series -- the top spot belongs to Freak Show's opener with 6.1 million.

Watch: 'American Horror Story: Hotel' season premiere

These early numbers don't include non-live viewers, so Hotel still has a chance to surpass Freak Show's rating once three days of DVR playback are factored in.

Additionally, "Checking In" topped the social ratings last night, driving 878,000 tweets seen by over 5.4 million people.