MANILA – Filipinos were among the top downloaders of the much-anticipated final episode of the Emmy-winning series "Breaking Bad," according to a report released Monday.
The online piracy news website TorrentFreak said the last episode of the fifth and final season of “Breaking Bad,” which aired Sunday in the US, resulted in a record number of pirated downloads for the popular TV series about a chemistry teacher turned drug lord Walter White, played by Emmy winner Bryan Cranston.
“Data gathered by TorrentFreak shows that 12 hours after the first copy of the episode appeared online, more than half a million people has grabbed a copy through one of many torrent sites. Never before have so many people downloaded a ‘Breaking Bad’ episode, making it a strong contender for a top spot in our most-pirated TV-shows of the year chart,” the TorrentFreak report said.
The Philippines ranked No. 8 on the list of top downloaders of the episode, accounting for 2.3% of the total.
Australians were the top downloaders of the “Breaking Bad” finale with 18%, followed by the United States with 14.5% and the United Kingdom with 9.3%.
The other countries in the Top 10 are Canada, India, Netherlands, Poland, France and South Africa.
Despite being one of the most-pirated TV episodes of the year, the “Breaking Bad” finale still managed to draw 10.3 million, making it the largest-ever audience for the series, which was awarded the best drama at the recent Emmy Awards.
In doing so it drew 3.7 million more viewers than the penultimate episode seven days earlier, which itself had set a series record at 6.6 million, the ratings tracker Nielsen said, cited by industry journal Variety.
"Breaking Bad," set in the dangerous world of crystal meth trading, which White rises to dominate, mesmerized viewers with a cocktail of meticulously crafted plot, fine acting and scenic camera work.
But it was the stunning metamorphosis of White's average guy persona into that of a veritable monster that ultimately captivated audiences. White became a meth manufacturer in the New Mexico city of Albuquerque, having learned at age 50 that he had terminal lung cancer.
With his bank account all but empty the lead character outwardly took the drastic decision to pay for his treatment and provide for his family, but the underworld he enters eventually captures him in unanticipated fashion, catapulting him into the role of a criminal kingpin feared by his rivals.
But much as he manages to achieve his original goal -- at one point raising around $80 million for himself -- his life spirals out of control and ends in tragedy for many of the characters involved in the show. – With a report from Agence France-Presse
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
