Viewers divided over "slow" start to James Norton's McMafia

BBC drama McMafia kicked-off last night in the much-coveted New Year's Day slot previously occupied by Sherlock – but some fans were left twiddling their thumbs, with many taking to Twitter to bemoan the show's "slow" start.

The eight-episode series stars James Norton as a London-based investment banker attempting to escape his mafia family's legacy of violence and crime.

"Is it just me or is McMafia surprisingly dull?" asked user @bergamotandbees on Twitter. "Maybe we've been too lucky with BBC dramas recently. There had to be a dud at some point".

• McMafia: can James Norton really speak Russian?
• McMafia co-creator Hossein Amini: modern day gangsters don't have blood on their hands, they're corporate high-fliers
• Why is it called McMafia?

Check out some of the more scathing responses to McMafia below.

https://twitter.com/katebevan/status/947950350186745856

https://twitter.com/MaxWaltham/status/947943297120645120

https://twitter.com/surfwagen/status/947943696825245696

https://twitter.com/tracydavidson27/status/947955181584568321

https://twitter.com/paulwhitelaw/status/947916322800848896

https://twitter.com/garytaphouse/status/947959976907198464

https://twitter.com/bergamotandbees/status/947947569610620931

https://twitter.com/SarahCure09/status/947949467172589569

https://twitter.com/Salfordmanda/status/947940183671963648

However, after a chorus of moans kicked-off the dialogue online, there was an equally strong response from fans who were impressed by the first episode. These soothsayers assured the detractors that the perceived slow start was just "build up", and that the show would surely get more exciting as it progresses.

https://twitter.com/alstewitn/status/947954613642301445

https://twitter.com/vicderbyshire/status/947951191085998081

https://twitter.com/daveymufc88/status/947946377912430593

https://twitter.com/antant1986/status/947946785502302208

https://twitter.com/AlexPaterson0/status/947946195263115264