The Walking Dead Premiere Has Record Numbers

I’ve never been a fan of zombie movies or stories but The Walking Dead just looked too good to be true. Was it? Not according to the numbers.

AMC’s The Walking Dead premiere ratings are enormous: The 90-minute Halloween night debut delivered 5.3 million viewers and 3.6 million adults 18-49.
That’s the largest demo audience for any series premiere on any cable network this year.

It’s also the highest numbers for any series in AMC’s history.

The critically acclaimed zombie drama was by no means a sure-fire ratings victory. Industry insiders wondered whether female viewers would be drawn to the gory and apocalyptic subject matter. But mounting buzz on the show ever since its trailed debuted at Comic-Con made Walking Dead a must-see among genre fants.

“It’s a good day to be dead. We are so proud of this series, its depth of storytelling and the remarkable talent attached,” said Charlie Collier, AMC’s president. “As the network dedicated to bringing viewers the best stories on television, we are so pleased to have the opportunity with ‘The Walking Dead’ to raise the bar within this popular genre and continue our commitment to being the home of premium television on basic cable.”

“’The Walking Dead’ is that rare piece of programming that works on so many levels. It is legitimately great storytelling that is not only highly entertaining, but incredibly thought provoking as well. People who are familiar with the comic books know what’s coming, but suffice it to say, this is only the beginning of a long, intense, and powerful ride. Long live ‘The Walking Dead’,” said Joel Stillerman, AMC’s SVP of original programming, production and digital content. THR

Did you watch it? What did you think? I hope the ratings continue to be strong for this show. I thought the premiere was excellent and can’t wait to see more of it. I think it was a beautifully shot episode and hope the quality remains the same throughout the series.