Lots of viewers caught ‘Under the Dome’ in CBS’ summer hit

CBS trapped a lot of people “Under the Dome.”

Monday’s premiere of the thriller about small-town folk suddenly trapped under a massive transparent dome captured 13.4 million total viewers, according to Nielsen. “Dome” is based on a Stephen King novel.

The numbers made it the most-watched summer drama premiere on any network since 1992. And it was CBS’ best-performing summer premiere in any genre since the start of “Big Brother” back in 2000.

PHOTOS: Cable versus broadcast ratings

“Dome” achieved that result even though it aired opposite NBC’s Stanley Cup finals, with the Chicago Blackhawks beating the Boston Bruins (final ratings are not yet available).

The show is an important test for the broadcast networks, which have lately had dismal results with original dramas during summertime. As a result, many viewers have defected to cable networks during the warm months.

What did you think of “Under the Dome”?

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Twitter: @scottcollinsLAT