HBO's 'Going Clear' Scientology Documentary: 5.5M Viewers; Film Slammed as John Travolta Stays Loyal

Since its debut a few weeks ago, HBO's documentary "Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief" has been seen by more than 5.5 million people.

As it is still airing, and available on demand and for streaming, it is believed that it will surpass the 6 million people who watched the Hurricane Katrina film, "When The Levees Broke."

This will make "Going Clear" the second most-watched HBO documentary in the past decade, next only to the movie on Beyoncé, which was watched by 9 million people.

It has been a good two months for HBO. Their six-part series on billionaire Robert Durst, "The Jinx," was a sensation with its climax reaching nearly 5 million viewers. Durst was arrested for murder on the eve of the series' last episode, partly due to evidence uncovered by the filmmakers.

Before "Going Clear" premiered, The Church of Scientology ran a full page ad in The New York Times denouncing the film, comparing it to a since-retracted story in Rolling Stone regarding an alleged rape at the University of Virginia.

"I didn't think we expected this kind of noise and this kind of energy, but we'll take it," Sheila Nevins, the chief of HBO's documentary unit said. "I didn't think it would be this controversial."

Director Alex Gibney made "Going Clear," based on the book by Lawrence Wright. Gibney also did "Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God," an investigation into sex abuse in the Catholic Church, for HBO.

Nevins said she's already worrying about what HBO will do next to sustain its success. "How do you match Durst going into the bathroom (and discussing the murders he stands accused of)? How do you match people taking out a full-page ad in the New York Times and it's not your obituary?" she said. "The real problem for anxiety-prone people like me is what comes next."

Meanwhile, prominent Scientologist John Travolta addressed the film and defended his Church in an interview with Tampa Bay Times. He said he has no plans to watch the film and that he won't be speaking out against the church, as some critics urge him to.

"I haven't experienced anything that the hearsay has [claimed], so why would I communicate something that wasn't true for me?" Travolta said. "It wouldn't make sense, nor would it for Tom [Cruise], I imagine."

Travolta claimed that his experiences have been positive. "I've been so happy w