'Breaking Bad': Emmy-night episode busts another ratings record

‘Breaking Bad’: Emmy-night episode busts another ratings record

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Would it surprise “Breaking Bad” fans to know that nearly a quarter of its main stars previously held guest gigs on NBC’s medical drama “ER”? Read on to see the other film, television, theater and even video game voice-over jobs the actors of “Breaking Bad” held before they took on their main roles here. (Chris Pizzello / Invision / AP)

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Long before Anna Gunn played the worrisome wife of Walter White on “Breaking Bad,” she had a career in theater, television, film and even as a voice actress. She rose to fame playing the jealous and perplexed Martha Bullock on HBO’s “Deadwood” (2005). Before that, Gunn made television appearances on “Seinfeld” (1993), “ER” (1999) and “Six Feet Under” (2004). The New Mexico native also starred in films alongside Angelina Jolie in “Without Evidence” (1995) and beside Jon Voight in “Enemy of the State” (1998). Her voice can be heard in the “Legacy of Kain” video game series as the character Ariel. She’s pictured above left in the 1996 Taper play “Hysteria.” (Carol Cheetham / Los Angeles Times / AMC)

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Betsy Brandt plays the self-centered and preachy Marie Schrader on “Breaking Bad,” which happened to be her breakout role as an actress. Before that, her television credits included stints on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (2006), “ER” (2003) and “Judging Amy” (2001). She also starred in feature films like “Memphis Bound and Gagged” (2001) and “Back When We Were Grown Ups” (2004). She’s pictured above in the 2011 Geffen Playhouse production “Next Fall.” (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times / AMC)

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When RJ Mitte moved to Hollywood from Louisiana, he came to support his sister, actress Lacianne Carriere. For fun, he began training with a talent manager in a studio, mostly to meet new people. It turned out he was really good and began scoring guest roles on prominent television shows like ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” and soon after a recurring role as the school bully on Disney’s “Hannah Montana.” (Mel Melcon / The Los Angeles Times / Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images )

By Scott Collins

Sept. 23, 2013 1:53 PM PT

It wasn’t enough for “Breaking Bad” to win the Emmy as best drama on Sunday. It had to go and set another ratings record too.

AMC’s drama about a dying chemistry teacher who turns to the drug trade delivered a series-best 6.6 million total viewers with its next-to-last episode, according to Nielsen.

This despite intense competition that included the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards on CBS, a Chicago Bears-Pittsburgh Steelers game on NBC and the series finale of “Dexter” on Showtime.

PHOTOS: Behind the scenes of ‘Breaking Bad’

Sunday’s episode broke the record that “Breaking Bad” set for itself the previous week, with an episode that drew 6.4 million.

“Breaking Bad” is set to air its series finale on Sunday. Given the attention the show has received this year -- not to mention that Emmy -- it’s possible the ratings could stretch higher than 7 million.

What do you think of “Breaking Bad”?

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