Last night, from 9pm-11pm, AMC premiered Season 6 of Mad Men, delivering a 2.5 HH rating with 3.4 million viewers. Among the core demo of adults 25-54, Mad Men delivered 1.7 million viewers. For adults 25-54, the series is up 30% when compared to Season 5's full series average, which was 1.3 million viewers. For total viewers, Mad Men is up 29% when compared to season five's full series average, which was 2.6 million viewers. With Live+3, the series typically adds at least 1.2 million viewers.
Mad Men Season 6 premiere is currently listed on iTunes as #1 for Top TV Episodes and #1 for Top TV Seasons. Mad Men marked its claim as the most upscale drama series on cable television, with 49% of its Adult 25-54 audience maintaining a household income of $100K+.
Here's what AMC president Charlie Collier had to say in a statement.
"Mad Men has returned for a sixth season, and so has its passionate audience, the most upscale audience for drama on television. At a time when viewers have a variety of options in terms of how to watch their favorite shows, Mad Men continues to drive an engaged audience to the live, water cooler event. This is a true testament to the power of this iconic series. Matthew Weiner and his remarkable writers, cast and crew have again delivered brilliant, distinctive television, and we are as excited as our viewers for another season."
Key Nielsen Highlights for Mad Men's Season 6 premiere:
- 9pm: 2.5 HH rating with 3.4 million viewers
- 9pm: 1.7 million Adults 25-54
- 9pm: 1.4 million Adults 18-49
Source: The Nielsen Company. Live Same Day. Mad Men Season 6 Premiere (4/7/13). Mad Men Season 5 (3/25-6/10/12). % comp of A25-54 HHI $100K+ of Mad Men Season 5 compared to all basic cable original drama series with at least 10K impressions from 1Q11 through 6/10/12. Premiere episodes.
Created by Emmy and Golden Globe winner Matthew Weiner and produced by Lionsgate, Mad Men is the only cable series ever to win the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series in four consecutive years. Set in 1960s New York, Mad Men is a sexy and provocative drama that follows the lives of the ruthlessly competitive men and women of Madison Avenue advertising. The season premiere episode is also available on AMC.com.
Season 6 has already received rave reviews and critical acclaim with Rolling Stone deeming Mad Men, "the greatest TV drama of all time." The New York Daily News said, "it's good news for viewers of what remains the best-crafted show on television." The Boston Herald said "Weiner's ability to weave drama and dark comedy here is exceptional and makes this episode pure Emmy bait." The Houston Chronicle stated that, "the show is, of course, already a classic because of great writing, direction, performances and design but also because Weiner has consistently nurtured it as a piece of literature." And, The New York Times said, "it's a tribute to the writers and the show's creator, Matthew Weiner, that most characters are so well imagined and enigmatic that they never seem like mere caricatures of the period."