The midseason return of the zombie apocalypse blockbuster on Valentine’s Day turned out to be a Silver medal love letter for AMC in delayed viewing results. With 19.1 million total viewers in Live + 3 ratings and 12.1 million among adults 18-49, The Walking Dead had its best numbers since its Season 6 debut on October 11 last year.
In Live + 3 results, TWD’s Season 6 premiere last fall drew 19.5 million viewers with a strong 12.84 million among adults 18-49. Compared to the Live + Same Day ratings of the S6 midseason return. TWD is up 39% in viewership and 41% in the key 18-49 demo. That’s up 6% in both categories from how the S6 premiere rose in its L+3 results.
TWD’s previous second best Season 6 L+3 viewership was the November 29 winter finale’s audience of 18.3 million. That was a rise of 33% over the winter finale’s L+SD viewership results with a 36% jump in the demo to 11.8 million.
Facing the Grammys this year, the return of Better Call Saul on February 15 for a second season didn’t have the luxury of a TWD lead-in like its Season 1 Sunday opener did. However, in delayed viewing the Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould created series had very impressive growth. With 2.7 million among the 18-49s, BCS was up 98% in L+3 results. That’s a 22% increase over how the February 10 Monday debut of Season 1 of the Bob Odenkirk starrer did in the demo in L+3 ratings. The S2 debut of BCS surged 83% in total viewers in L+3 to 4.7 million.
The Season 2 BCS opener was down 19% from its Season 1 Monday debut in total L+3 viewers and dropped 25% in the demo in delayed viewing.
In numbers that would leave many on the Big 4 jealous, TWD aftershow Talking Dead rose 17% in both L+3 viewers and the 18-49s to 7.5 million and 4.6 million. That’s the best the Chris Hardwick hosted show has done all season.
Must Read Stories
Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.