Just when you think it’s gotten as big as it can get, Jersey Shore is still managing to surprise.

The popular reality show increased its audience by half-again on Thursday night, pulling in 578,000 viewers on MTV Canada. Its premiere episode on Jan. 6 attracted 377,000 viewers. According to MTV, 331,000 of Thursday night’s viewers were in the 12-to-34 demo, and 245,000 were in the 18-to-34 demo.

The episode won its timeslot on specialty and ranks as the second-highest audience ever for MTV Canada. Its highest remains the season 6 finale of The Hills.

Jersey Shore has a chance to up the ante again tonight at 10 p.m. with an episode featuring Snooki’s much-publicized disorderly conduct arrest. It returns to its regular Thursday night slot on Jan. 20.

From Media in Canada.