Nearly half a million viewers tuned in for the launch of Dead Boss, the brilliant new series from Sharon Horgan, it has been revealed.

Just short of 500,000 people watched the opening double bill of the murder mystery sitcom on BBC3 last night, which is a fantastic result for a late night slot on a digital station.

TVO has been keeping an eye on the show for a while – formerly known as Life Stories and briefly known as Bitches, it is the first of two Horgan projects set to hit our screens this year, with her collaboration with Julia Davis, Bad Sugar, due any time soon.

Directed by none other than Steve Bendelack, who shot The Boosh pilot episode all those years ago, but is perhaps best known for his work with The League Of Gentlemen, and script edited by League member Jeremy Dyson – the pedigree of Dead Boss was sky high even before it was revealed that its cast would be augmented by comedy legend Jennifer Saunders.

And it seems viewers loved the results, though the critical opinion of the show is somewhat divided at present – with positive reviews from the likes of The Telegraph tempered by somewhat more negative thoughts from the Radio Times.

If you missed the show, you can make up your own mind via BBC iPlayer now – with the first two episodes available already, and the promise of Series Catch-Up keeping them online for the duration of the run.  You may also wish to cast your eyes over this rather positive article from The Guardian, which cites Horgan, Davis and Wix & Crilly amongst the key players making the term ‘comedienne’ less of a stigma by being so brilliant.  Enjoy.