With the first season of "Empire" behind him, you should know that Terrence Howard co-stars in another new TV series that debuts, also on Fox TV, in May – the M. Night Shyamalan-produced thriller serial "Wayward Pines." 

Based on the best-selling novel, "Wayward Pines" follows a Secret Service agent who arrives in the pastoral town of Wayward Pines, ID, on a mission to find 2 other agents who’ve gone missing. His investigation leads to even more questions, as the agent comes to grips with the terrifying reality that he actually may never be able get out of of this countryside locale alive. 

Howard plays Wayward Pines’ Sheriff Pope, who takes offense at the Secret Service agent showing up on his turf. The actor joins Matt Dillon (who stars as the agent), as well as Carla Gugino, Toby Jones and Melissa Leo, all residents of the peculiar small town that no one seems to be able to leave. 

The 10-episode psychological thriller premieres on Thursday, May 14, at 9pm/8c.

But Fox has released episode 1 today, although for a limited time (through the 30th of April). You can watch it below (courtesy of Hulu), or on FOX NOW, FOX On Demand, and a few other platforms. I’ll be checking it out tonight via my Roku player, which has Hulu on it, so that I can watch it on my TV screen.

More and more TV networks are releasing the first episodes of their new shows early, on VOD, which I suppose works as a way form of marketing leading up to each series’ TV premiere.

Watch the full first episode below, and feel free to share your reactions in the comments section, if you get to it early: