Country singer Dolly Parton's four-part TV serie "Coat Of Many Colors" based on her poverty stricken upbring in rural Tennessee has proved to be a hit for American broadcast channel NBC, garnering more than 12 million views following the airing of the first episode.
According to Rolling Stone magazine, the show which aired this week and based on Parton's autobiographical song was the most-watched film on the broadcast networks in nearly four years.
The film also marked the first high viewership in four years in the demographic of adult viewers between the ages of 18-49.
The show which earned 12.8million views is a heartwarming drama which is headed by "Stay" country singer Jennifer Nettles whose impressive performance as Parton's mother Avie Lee Parton is believed to have contributed to NBC's best total-viewer result.
During the promotional tour of "Coat Of Many Colors" in Los Angeles in 2014, NBC's Chairman of Entertainment, Robert Greenblatt told the publication that the network hoped to produce more films based on Parton's iconic country songs that had a storyline.
"We have a script underway on a couple of others, like 'Jolene' and 'I Will Always Love You,'" said Greenblatt. While the positive ratings for the movie would suggest more Parton-related films, Greenblatt was cautious in his comments on any future projects.
"Coat is the easiest one in a way because it's literally a story from her life," he said. "The other ones are just completely fictional ideas inspired by the song so they're still forming."
Meanwhile, during an interview with People, Parton said prior to the official screening she watched the show privately with her sister Stella who is also featured in the movie adding that it was too emotional to watch in public.
"It brought us back together as family and made us miss mama and daddy a lot," Parton said. "They're gone now, but we get a chance to see our brothers and sisters again and when we were little, and think of mama and daddy and all that they meant to us."
The movie stars Ricky Schroder as Parton's dad, Robert Lee Parton, Alyvia Alyn Lind, 8, plays the part of Parton when she was young.
Each cast member was individually hand-picked by Parton and she told the publication she could not be more happier with her choice.