 The series received mixed reviews ; critics were divided on how well the source material translated to animation . The premiere episode had a Nielsen rating of 9 @.@ 5 million viewers , but the ratings later dropped and the last four episodes averaged only 4 million viewers . The series ranked sixth in viewership among teenagers . In the United States , Napoleon Dynamite originally ran on Fox 's Animation Domination lineup from January 15 to March 4 , 2012 for six episodes , before being cancelled . The show is now airing reruns in Canada on Adult Swim . 
