‘Mad Men’ midseason finale ratings get a major DVR boost

Quick! Somebody, tell Michael Ginsberg that technology is not the enemy.

Same-day ratings for the midseason finale of “Mad Men,� “Waterloo,� which aired Sunday night were relatively soft, with just 1.9 million viewers tuning in to watch.

But once viewing within three days (or Live +3, to use industry jargon) is factored in, the numbers nearly double to 3.6 million. What’s more, just over half of those viewers (1.84 million) fall into the sought-after 18-to-49 demographic.

“Mad Men,� whose modest ratings have never quite matched its cultural cachet, has long been a DVR favorite, and it makes sense that an episode airing on Memorial Day weekend -- a first for a “Mad Men� finale, midseason or otherwise -- would enjoy a considerable delayed-viewing boost.

On Friday, AMC president Charlie Collier touted the delayed-viewing numbers.

“It comes as little surprise to see the ‘Mad Men’ audience, the most upscale audience on television and some of the most elusive live-television viewers anywhere, grow by triple digits in key demographics in just three days,� he said, praising series creator Matt Weiner for “a remarkable seven episodes and a midseason finale that is as creatively bold and emotional as a ‘Mad Men’ episode can be.�

“Waterloo� capped off a seven-episode cycle in which the rise of technology, from computers to the Apollo 11 moon landing, has been a major theme. Chances are the series, which will return for its final seven episodes next spring, won’t fast-forward to see how Don Draper, Peggy Olson, et al., respond to the rise of the DVR -- but they should probably embrace it.