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Braaaaiiiinnnnns

The Walking Dead Is Named the Highest-Rated Cable Drama

by Jamie Frevele | 2:49 pm, November 30th, 2011


Well, this is certainly good news for zombie fans: after its mid-season finale this past Sunday, AMC‘s The Walking Dead was named cable’s top-rated scripted drama, pulling in 6.6 million viewers in the crucial 18-49 age demographic. The episode, entitled “Pretty Much Dead Already,” got almost as many viewers as the second season premiere (7.26 million). Still, a good showing, and good news for the third season, even though that was already happening anyway!

The very heartbreaking-at-the-end mid-season finale proved to be a boon for ratings, making it the most-watched episode of the second season since the premiere in October. The numbers for the returning episode on February 12 should also be higher than usual. (Even though they won’t have that convenient Halloween mood with which to market it.) But here is even better news: More people watched The Walking Dead than the Kardashians, who premiered the second season of Kourtney and Kim Take New York on E! to 3.1 million viewers. So, yay! A larger portion of the television audience actually tuned in to watch things worth watching on television!

As was mentioned before, season three has been a sure thing for about a month now, so even lackluster numbers probably wouldn’t have affected that. That season, according to executive producer and creator of the comic Robert Kirkman, is in the planning stages.

But before we get too ahead of ourselves, what can we expect from the second half of the second season? Will the survivors have to leave Hershel’s farm? What will happen to Carol now that we know what happened to Sophia? What about Lori’s explosive pregnancy? And will Shane get unbelievably cocky now that everyone knows he’s been right this whole time? Kirkman says to expect a “crazy” close to the second season. And we would accept nothing less.

(via Digital Spy, TV by the Numbers on Zap2It)

Previously in The Walking Dead

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  • John Wao

    Highest rated AND biggest disappointment. I hope the first half of the season was a result of the transition from one show runner to another. If it isn’t they better hurry up and bring in the Governor and Michonne.

  • Anonymous

    I think the two most recent episodes did go some way to redeeming the show at least in my eyes. Taking Andrea off the whiny train and ending the Sophia subplot in a decent way. The mid season finale’s ending seemed like a confirmation that the writers know that this is The Walking Dead and what that means.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1705628571 Nichole Filbert

    I do believe Shane is going to try to take over the group. I really, REALLY wish someone would just shoot him, and yelled that to the screen throughout the episode.

    The ending fooled me completely…I was surprised. And I freakin’ cried my eyes out.

  • Anonymous

    While I agree that this season started slow, the last 2 episodes have really brought the show back on track.

  • http://amidstdancers.blogspot.com/ Shard Aerliss

    The episode that was mostly about Daryl hallucinating his brother and the last eight seconds of “Pretty Much Dead Already” were reasonable watching. The rest of that show has been a massive disappointment. I still don’t know half the characters’ names because they’re so boring.

    And yet every week I watch it in the vain hope they’ll do something good this time. I think though, it’s finally found its feet and the next season (half season… whatever) will be good viewing.

    As for Shane; he didn’t prove he was right about anything. First; his opening the shed and letting out the Zeds was not proving they might get out and kill everyone. They were slower than we’ve seen them ever move before and apparently about as dangerous as brain damaged bunnies. Second; even though the Zeds turned out to be virtually harmless he technically put everyone’s life in danger. Third; those last few seconds (exquisitely staged, acted and shot, I have to admit), with everyone except Boss Cop completely incapable of making the hard decision showed his people why he IS the Boss Cop and why Shane is a fool and a coward.

    As for little girl in the barn; called it. Didn’t cry because I feel nothing for anyone but Daryl… and was mostly wondering why no one had yet shot Shane.

    For the next season can we PLEASE get some female characters that aren’t whiny, useless and pathetic?

    Or can we just have the Daryl and Dale kill zombies show?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ray-Sims/100002966799554 Ray Sims

    TOTALLY LOVE THIS SHOW! Guys
    you have to see the Walking Dead texting app: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.zlango.zms&feature

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