Series-Best Ratings for Mad Men Premiere

NEW YORK: The third season of AMC’s acclaimed original drama Mad Men opened with a series best of 2.8 million viewers on Sunday night, a 34-percent increase on the second season premiere.

Meanwhile, across the three airings of the premiere on Sunday night, a total of 4 million people tuned in. Season two of Mad Men average 1.5 million viewers. In the cable landscape, the season three premiere narrowly beat E!’s Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami with 2.7 million viewers.

Awareness of the Lionsgate-produced drama has been building since its Emmy and Golden Globe wins, and AMC offered up a slew of social networking applications this summer to promote the show. Click here to read World Screen’s recent Q&A with Mad Men’s creator, Matthew Weiner.