As if anything else were possible for a season premiere installment of “The Walking Dead.”
Like each of those that preceded it, Sunday’s fifth “The Walking Dead” season opener scored a series high audience.
According to AMC, the initial 9PM airing drew 17.3 million viewers. The network specifies that 11.0 million of them fell within the adults 18-49 demographic, which should result in a monstrous 8.7 rating for the broadcast.
Last October, the fourth season of “The Walking Dead” opened to an 8.2 rating and viewership of 16.1 million.
“It’s a Dead man’s party. Who could ask for more?” said Charlie Collier, AMC president. “Enormous thanks to our friends and executive producers Robert Kirkman, Scott Gimple, Greg Nicotero – who also directed last night’s terrific premiere – Gale Anne Hurd, Dave Alpert and Tom Luse and all of their fellow producers, cast and crew for everything they do to make the #1 show on television such a unique and incredible experience for the fans. ‘The Walking Dead’ is one of those increasingly rare shows today that can command a live audience not significantly cannibalized by time-shifted viewing. Who would have thought that cannibalized television could be curtailed by cannibal-ized television?”
AMC followed “The Walking Dead” with its “Talking Dead” recap show. Sunday’s edition drew 6.9 million total viewers, 4.5 million of whom (approximately a 3.5 rating) fell in the adults 18-49 demographic. The 3.5 rating exceeds that drawn this past week by everything but “The Walking Dead,” the NFL, “The Big Bang Theory,” “The Voice” and “Modern Family.”
