'Breaking Bad' 2013 Premiere Draws Audience Of 5.9 Million

Breaking Bad's final season premiered to an audience of 5.9 million. The critically acclaimed AMC drama, broke records on Sunday (11th August) by attracting a record breaking number of viewers. The number doubled the number who watched last year's opening episode.

Bryan Cranston (L) and Aaron Paul (R) at an AMC event celebrating the final episodes of Breaking Bad, held at Sony Picture Studios, L.A.

Breaking Bad follows the story of Walter White (Bryan Cranston), the high school chemistry teacher who, with the help of dealer Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), becomes Albuquerque's major crystal meth dealer. 

It hasn't quite broken records for AMC shows overall, The Walking Dead still remains ahead. However, Sunday nights Breaking Bad episode did achieve a higher number of viewers than any Mad Men episode. 

In case you haven't seen Sunday's episode, entitled 'Blood Money', here's a quick synopsis of events (stop reading now if you intend to watch it - spoilers!):

Aaron Paul at the AMC celebration of Breaking Bad.

Hank Schrader, the DEA agent working on the Heisenberg case, realises his brother-in-law Walter White is in fact the man he's been looking for all along.

He does not take his discovery well and, after crashing his car into his neighbour's garden, takes a few days off sick from work. Whilst having a few days off, Hank places a GPS tracker in Walt's car. 

Walt's cancer has returned and whilst he vomits into the toilet, he notices his book Leaves of Grass is gone. Walt's suspicions are further aroused when Skylar announces Hank is working on a case from home. Concerned, he searches his car and finds the tracker hidden under the bumper.

The episode ends with Walt confronting his brother-in-law, pretending to be concerned about his sickness, and it's fairly evident Hank knows. Walt is about to leave but decides better of it, instead in pulls out the GPS tracker and asks Hank if he is under investigation.

Breaking Bad airs on Sundays at 9pm on AMC.

Bryan Cranston at the AMC event held at Sony Picture Studios in L.A.