AMC’s hit seriesThe Walking Deadalmost beat its astonishing ratings record on Sunday night, when the show aired its long awaited Season 7 premiere, which revealed the identity ofNegan’s victimthat was teased in the Season 6 finale cliffhanger. Early ratings number reveal that 17 million viewers tuned in for the long-awaited episode, with a whopping 8.4 ratings and 10.7 million viewers in the all-important 18-49 demographic. The episode was easily the highest-rated program among broadcast and cable shows alike.
Deadlinereports that the 17 million viewers for theThe Walking Dead Season 7premiere is up 16% from the 14.6 million viewers who tuned in for the Season 6 premiere last year. It was also up 20% in total viewers and 22% in the 18-49 demo from last year’s Season 6 finale, but it fell just short of the show’s all-time record of 17.3 million viewers, 11 million in 18-49 and 8.7 rating, set by the Season 5 premiere. The show managed to crush a number of high-profile competitors, like NBC’s ratings juggernautSunday Night Football(5.3 rating) and the Season 3 premiere ofEmpire(4.2 rating).
The live after-showTalking Deadfared well also, with an extended 90-minute episode that was filmed at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, California. Despite unexpected rainfall that surprised the assembled cast and the 2,000 people who attended the event at Hollywood Forever, the after-show was also a ratings hit, with 7.6 million viewers, 4.6 million viewers in 18-49 and a 3.7 rating. The show featured all 11 cast members whose fate was left up in the air after the Season 6 finale, along withJeffrey Dean Morganas Negan and executive producersRobert KirkmanandScott M. Gimple.
We saw in the Episode 2 preview that fans will get their first look atThe Kingdom, which is run by the new character King Ezekiel (Khary Payton). The preview showed Morgan (Lennie James) pushing Carol (Melissa McBride) around in a wheelchair, as he takes her to see King Ezekiel. Since these two are currently separated from Rick and the main group, which is now being controlled by Negan, it remains to be seen if they’ll reunite at some point this season.
The show has already beenrenewedfor Season 8, which will kick off next year with the show’s 100th episode. While the network didn’t announce a premiere date, the show has always debuted as part of AMC’s FearFest programming lineup that airs throughout the month of October, leading into the Halloween holiday.The Walking DeadSeason 7 continues Sunday, October 30 at 9 PM withThe Well, only on AMC.
