Breaking Bad Viewership Comparison (US Millions)
Compare 15 Breaking Bad episodes by US Nielsen viewers, from the 1.41 million pilot to the 10.28 million Felina finale. Linked converter with ratings sources.
Visual comparison
All values
Click any row to load it as Entry A.
| Name | Value | Context | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot Directed by Vince Gilligan. Aired Jan 20, 2008. | 1.41 million viewers | Season 1 episode 1, series premiere | AMC / Nielsen ratings via List of Breaking Bad episodes |
| Cat's in the Bag... Slight rise over the pilot. | 1.49 million viewers | Season 1 episode 2 | AMC / Nielsen ratings via List of Breaking Bad episodes |
| Gray Matter Series low among rows on this page. | 0.97 million viewers | Season 1 episode 5, Skyler baby shower | AMC / Nielsen ratings via List of Breaking Bad episodes |
| A No-Rough-Stuff-Type Deal Closed season 1 at 1.50 million. | 1.5 million viewers | Season 1 finale, first Tuco deal | AMC / Nielsen ratings via List of Breaking Bad episodes |
| Seven Thirty-Seven Opened season 2 above season 1 levels. | 1.66 million viewers | Season 2 premiere, tortoise scene | AMC / Nielsen ratings via List of Breaking Bad episodes |
| ABQ Matched the season 1 finale figure. | 1.5 million viewers | Season 2 finale, plane crash | AMC / Nielsen ratings via List of Breaking Bad episodes |
| No Mas Season 3 opened at 1.95 million. | 1.95 million viewers | Season 3 premiere, Walt back home | AMC / Nielsen ratings via List of Breaking Bad episodes |
| Full Measure Closed season 3 at 1.56 million. | 1.56 million viewers | Season 3 finale, Gale shooting | AMC / Nielsen ratings via List of Breaking Bad episodes |
| Box Cutter Then a series high at 2.58 million. | 2.58 million viewers | Season 4 premiere, Gus box cutter scene | AMC / Nielsen ratings via List of Breaking Bad episodes |
| Face Off Closed season 4 at 1.90 million. | 1.9 million viewers | Season 4 finale, Gus death | AMC / Nielsen ratings via List of Breaking Bad episodes |
| Live Free or Die Opened the final season at 2.93 million. | 2.93 million viewers | Season 5 premiere, magnet heist setup | AMC / Nielsen ratings via List of Breaking Bad episodes |
| Blood Money Doubled the season 5 premiere. | 5.92 million viewers | Season 5 episode 9, final run opens | AMC press release Aug 12, 2013 / Nielsen |
| Ozymandias Then a series high at 6.37 million. | 6.37 million viewers | Season 5 episode 14, Hank confrontation | AMC / Nielsen ratings via List of Breaking Bad episodes; EW Sep 16, 2013 |
| Granite State Beat Ozymandias with 6.58 million. | 6.58 million viewers | Season 5 episode 15, penultimate | AMC / Nielsen ratings via List of Breaking Bad episodes |
| Felina Series record. AMC announced 10.3 million; table gives 10.28. | 10.28 million viewers | Season 5 episode 16, series finale | AMC press release Sep 30, 2013 / Nielsen; Reuters Oct 1, 2013 |
About this converter
Breaking Bad started small. The pilot drew 1.41 million US viewers on AMC. Season 1 averaged 1.23 million. Growth was slow for years: the season 4 premiere drew 2.58 million and the season 5 premiere drew 2.93 million. The final run changed everything. Blood Money opened with 5.92 million, Ozymandias drew 6.37 million, Granite State drew 6.58 million, and the Felina finale drew 10.28 million, the series record. All figures are Nielsen live plus same day US TV ratings.
How to use it
Pick two entries and a unit in the top row. The three boxes below stay linked. Change any box and the other two update. Try 1 Felina against 1 Pilot to see how much the audience grew from start to finish. Values are in millions of US viewers, so 10.28 means about 10,280,000 people.
Nielsen numbers measure the original US broadcast only. DVR playback and streaming views are excluded, which matters for a show many fans found on Netflix after it aired. Press releases round the figures (AMC announced 10.3 million for Felina), while episode tables give two decimal places, so this page uses table precision in the rows. Gray Matter at 0.97 million is the series low among rows here.
FAQ
What was the most watched Breaking Bad episode?
Felina, the series finale, with 10.28 million US viewers on Sep 29, 2013.
How many people watched the pilot?
1.41 million US viewers. The season 1 average was 1.23 million.
How many watched Ozymandias?
6.37 million US viewers, then a series record before the final two episodes beat it.
Do these numbers include Netflix views?
No. These are Nielsen live plus same day broadcast ratings only. DVR and streaming views are excluded.
Sources
- AMC press releases (Aug 12, 2013; Sep 30, 2013), Nielsen Media Research
- Reuters, Breaking Bad finale ratings (Oct 1, 2013)
- Entertainment Weekly, Ozymandias ratings (Sep 16, 2013)
- List of Breaking Bad episodes, US viewers table (citing Nielsen)
Last verified: 2026-10-03 · 15 entries
More arcade scores converters
100m Sprint Record Comparison (Seconds)
Compare 10 fastest legal 100 meter sprint times in seconds, from Bolt at 9.58 to Greene at 9.79. World Athletics marks in a linked tool here. right now.
100m World Record Progression Comparison (Men)
Compare 15 mens 100m world records, from Lippincott 10.6 to Bolt 9.58. World Athletics progression data in a linked tool. See bars. Verified now. Verified.
12 Monkeys Episode Count Comparison (Seasons)
How many 12 Monkeys episodes per season? Compare all 4 season counts plus the 47 total, from 10 in season 3 to 13 in early years, using Syfy guides. Data.
← Breaking Bad Episode Runtime Comparison (Minutes) · Breakout Point Value Comparison (Arcade Scores) →