Fear the Walking Dead Opens Up to Massive Ratings, Top Cable Series Launch Ever

AMC’s new series, Fear the Walking Dead, opened up to massive, record-setting ratings of its own on Sunday night. Without a doubt, this companion series to “The Walking Dead” has been anticipated greatly ever since the latter has been in production.

Nielsen has estimated that “Fear the Walking Dead” has become the #1 rated cable series launch with a viewership of about 10.1 million viewers. About 6.3 million of these were adults in the age group of 18-49. Based on these numbers, it has surpassed TNT’s ‘Raising the Bar’ which registered almost 7.7 million viewers in 2008.

AMC’s ‘Better Call Saul’ held the record for the 18-49 demographic with about 4.4 million viewers earlier this year. It must also be said that AMC now has three out of five top cable launches of all times. The Walking Dead ranks in at fifth place.

In terms of both total viewers as well as those in the 18-49 demographic, Sunday’s premiere literally outrated all of the 22 episodes from both season one and two of The Walking Dead. The third season registered a 5.8 demo rating and 10.87 million total viewers.

Apart from this, a special ‘Talking Dead’ that led into the ‘Fear’ premiere had 4.9 million viewers and a 1.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic.

Fear the Walking Dead is set in Los Angeles and also created by Robert Kirkman and Dave Erickson during the time of the outbreak. The cast includes Cliff Curtis, Kim Dickens, Frank Dillane and Ruben Blades.

Fear the Walking will air about six episodes in its first season while Season 2 is slated for 2016.