Great news for AMC‘s The Walking Dead coming out of the Television Critics Association press tour: The third season of the show has just gotten a 16-episode order! After a successful second season, the AMC drama has increased its usual season by three episodes, showing faith in the show as well as its new showrunner, Glen Mazzara. That means even more brains, glazed over zombies eyes … and hopefully, more action than we saw in the first half of the second season.
The ever-increasing amount of episodes is a sure sign of The Walking Dead‘s success — the first season was a brief six episodes, the second got 13 (the second half of which will start airing February 12). And now, after original showrunner Frank Darabont was abruptly fired and the second season got some heat for being a lot of talk and not enough action, the ratings hit will get an extra three episodes next year.
After such a big creative shakeup, some wondered if the show would hold up and deliver the same quality show that everyone had fallen in love with in its groundbreaking first season. And while Darabont’s input is missed, Mazzara certainly has no reason to feel like he’s come up short. Not only has he delivered high ratings in the coveted 18-49 age demographic, but this season has had some seriously excellent moments, even if you think it moved too slowly. (Come on, that last episode in the mid-season finale!) We also don’t really know where the second season is headed when it returns next month, and tensions are certainly running high now that the farm isn’t a sure safe haven anymore.
No news about a season three premiere date. But season two continues Sunday, February 12 at 9:00 PM on AMC.
(via Superhero Hype)
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