Advertisement

With end in sight, ‘Breaking Bad’ goes on ratings spree

Share

“Breaking Bad” has saved the best for last.

Ending the first half of its last season Sunday, AMC’s drama starring Bryan Cranston as a terminally ill chemistry teacher who turns to meth dealing delivered 2.8-million total viewers for its 10 p.m. airing, according to Nielsen.

That’s a bit higher than “Breaking Bad’s” average this season (2.6 million), which has already been far and away its best in terms of ratings. An episode at the same point in the season last year drew 2 million viewers.

However, fans will have to wait a long time for those final eight episodes. AMC won’t bring them out until summer 2013.

Advertisement

The series premiere in 2008 drew 1.4-million viewers, so “Breaking Bad” has doubled its audience since that time — an unusual achievement during an era of dwindling audiences for most shows. The seventh episode this season, “Say My Name,” gathered 3 million, an all-time record for the show.

“‘Breaking Bad’ began 5 years ago with a pilot that was like nothing we had ever seen on television,” Charlie Collier, AMC’s president, said in a statement. “That ‘Breaking Bad’ continues to deliver at such a remarkable level creatively, now over 50 episodes later, is a rare accomplishment that begins with [creator] Vince Gilligan and the torch is carried by every member of the team on both sides of the camera. We can’t wait to share the final eight episodes with our audience.”

What did you think of the midseason finale Sunday?

ALSO:

The end is near for Walter White and “Breaking Bad”

‘Breaking Bad’ and the Gus Fring issue

Bryan Cranston and other top Emmy Award picks

Advertisement

Aaron Paul says he’ll be a ‘sobbing mess’ when ‘Breaking Bad’ ends

Twitter: @scottcollinsLAT

PHOTOS, VIDEO AND MORE:

PHOTOS: ‘Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars’: Meet the cast


Celebrity meltdowns


VIDEO: Watch the latest fall TV trailers here

Advertisement