After being off air for more than a year, “Mad Men” isn’t losing its charm. The critically acclaimed drama series even gains more audience which is marked with record ratings set by the season 5 premiere.
The Sunday, March 25 outing delivered 3.5 million viewers, which hit an all-time high for the show. The number was up 21% from the season 4 premiere. In the coveted 18-49 demographic, the two-hour premiere lured in 1.6 million viewers or up 30% from last season opener.
Commenting on the show’s performance, AMC’s president Charlie Collier said in a statement, ” ‘Mad Men’ set the bar high and we are incredibly proud that it continues to engage audiences looking for unexpected, unconventional and uncompromising television.”
The Sunday return, which had been long awaited, saw Jessica Pare’s Megan sexy rendition of “Zou Bisou Bisou” which caused fans buzzing. Speaking about her feelings doing the musical number, the actress who joined the show in season 4 admitted, “I was intimidated by it.”
She continued sharing, “It was a daunting proposition, especially given that I don’t dance or sing professionally. But it’s exciting. It’s a different challenge… and any awkwardness that I felt, any embarrassment, only served to bring the scene more to life.” She additionally revealed that she worked with choreographer Mary Ann Kellogg for the scene.
On Don and Megan’s steamy sex after a heated argument, Pare gushed, “It’s so powerful. There’s something quite shocking in it.” She added, “Obviously, Don and Megan have this great physical connection. That is part of the foundation of their relationship. Here, she’s stuck in the position where she’s sort of lost the upper hand and is blatantly making a play to regain it.”
The 29-year-old actress further hinted that the couple will face more problems as she said, “Obviously, there will be some friction between them. I think the seeds of it are pretty well sown in this first episode.”
