Just like FX’s American Horror Story, The Walking Dead TV series on AMC continues to smash previous records. Moving into season five, which premiered this past Sunday, the season delivered the highest ratings in series history.
Over 17 million viewers tuned in at 9:00 p.m. to watch the very first episode titled “No sanctuary”, and 11 million adults aged 18-49, an increase of 7% and 6%, respectively, over the season four premiere. TWD continues to be the No.1 show on television among adults those adulst. It outperformed everything else on television in this key demographic, including Sunday Night Football, by over 2.5 million adults 18-49. With time-shifted playback, the season five premiere should exceed 22 million viewers.
AMC President Charlie Collier gave a shout out to fans and executive producers:
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?
In addition to breaking the networks records, TWD was the series’ most talked about episode ever, dominating social media activity for all of scripted television in 2014 as well as for the night. The premiere telecast garnered a total of 1,320,056 Tweets, making “The Walking Dead” the #1 new season drama premiere for 2014 in terms of Tweets.
TWD season five returns this Sunday at 9:00 p.m. with episode 2 titled “Strangers” on AMC.
Make sure you don’t miss it!
