Ratings: Emmys Post Highest Ratings in Seven Years, Dexter Ends on High Note

Sunday's 65th Primetime Emmy Awards is on track to hit a seven-year high.

The Neil Patrick Harris-hosted telecast, which clocked in at three hours and 15 minutes, averaged 15.3 million viewers and a 4.3 in the adults 18-to-49 demographic, according to preliminary numbers. The show was delayed for about five minutes because of a football overrun.

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It's the ceremony's best numbers since Conan O'Brien hosted in 2006 and marks a 10 percent improvement from last year's Jimmy Kimmel-fronted telecast.
Sunday Night Football won the night with 18.7 million viewers and a 6.9.

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The series finale of Dexter also hit a high note, grabbing the biggest audience ever for an original episode in Showtime history and delivering the show's highest ratings ever. Dexter's last hour attracted 3.3 million viewers over multiple airings Sunday night. The Season 1 finale of Ray Donovan also broke a record — drawing 2.1 million viewers to make it the best finale night for a freshman series on Showtime.

A week ahead of its swan song, Breaking Bad also grabbed its largest audience ever — 6.6 million viewers. That's up from the record-breaking 6.4 million viewers that tuned in last week.