Ratings Review: THE WALKING DEAD (Season Five - Spring 2015)

There is no doubt that THE WALKING DEAD is TV's #1 series. it easily attracts the most viewers in the coveted A18-49 demographic, and it battles NCIS for the most viewers per episode, in the Live+7 ratings. It is no wonder AMC is wanting another series set in the same universe.


The back half of the fifth series was a tough one for THE WALKING DEAD. After the mid-season premiere, the next three sundays would have big TV events, going head to head, with the series. You had the GRAMMYS, The OSCARS and a huge SNL 40th Anniversary celebration. Yet, the ratings held strong. The season finale was the most watched finale in series history and was the second best overall rated episode in series history. A total of 21.4 million viewers watched the last episode, within 7 days of the airing of the episode.

For the season, THE WALKING DEAD averaged 14.20 million viewers and a 7.3 rating in Adults 18-49, in Live+SD rating. After three days, the viewership rose about 5 million more viewers and 37% in the demo, from the initial numbers.

Season sic of the series will begin in October, but first, we will get the first 6 episode of the new prequel series, FEAR THE WALKING DEAD, this summer.

THE WALKING DEAD (Sundays at 9 p.m., on AMC)

Date	Viewers*	A18-49	L+3	L+7
02/08/15	15.64	8.0
02/15/15	12.27	6.2
02/22/15	13.44	6.8
03/01/15	14.43	7.5
03/08/15	14.53	7.3	19.13 (9.8)
03/15/15	13.78	7.0	18.98 (9.8)
03/22/15	13.76	7.0	18.17 (9.4)
03/29/15	15.78	8.2	20.52 (10.7)	21.43 (11.1)

* - in millions