As AMC said goodbye to its long-running zombie epic The Walking Dead, fans showed up in droves to give it a historic exit on the network's fledgling streaming platform. Variety reports that the finale "Rest in Peace" which aired on November 20 drove the single best day of viewership in AMC+'s history. Although exact numbers aren't known, the finale also became the single most-watched episode on the platform since its October 2020 launch.
The streaming numbers come on the heels of solid linear ratings for the finale, albeit nowhere near the series' prime. The Walking Dead ended life as the #2 cable drama on television with both the 18-49 and 25-54 age demographics. Nielsen’s Live + 3 Day data also saw the finale pull in 3.1 million total for a 36 percent rise from the previous episode. Even the aftershow, Talking Dead, saw a major uptick with over double the viewers of the previous episode.
It's one more solid outing for a series that was known for demolishing cable records. For eleven seasons, the post-apocalyptic series followed an ensemble of survivors and their desperate attempts to survive in a world overrun by the undead. It all kicked off when Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) awoke from a coma to find a world in ruins and a group of survivors in need of a leader, drawing in a then-network high of 5.35 million viewers. From there, the show would peak at a staggering 17.29 million viewers with its Season 5 premiere and experience an unprecedented 75-episode run where the series drew 10 million or more viewers. The show would decline drastically as it went on, but it remains a historic series in terms of its impact on AMC and the wider cable landscape, becoming a cultural touchstone in its heyday.
Dan McDermott, AMC’s president of entertainment and AMC Studios, released a statement celebrating the final major milestone for the series:
What a great conclusion to the ‘zombie show’ that kicked off on Halloween night in 2010 and went on to become the most successful series in the history of cable television. To celebrate this extraordinary series for more than three hours at a live event with thousands of the fans who have driven this series since the beginning was a perfect way to end the flagship series while, at the same time, sharing our collective excitement for the stories and worlds yet to be explored in this growing and vibrant franchise.
The Walking Dead May Be Done, But the Franchise Is Far From Dead
With the parent series finally buried for good, the focus for AMC is now on a horde of spinoffs exploring the world of the dead. Fear the Walking Dead is entering its eighth season, but there's been a heavy emphasis recently on projects following the fan-favorite characters from the main series' legendary run. The Walking Dead: Dead City recently released its first teaser showing Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) in a post-apocalyptic, cut-off Manhattan while The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon will bring back Norman Reedus as the titular Daryl as he explores a new frontier in France. There's also a spinoff in the works featuring Lincoln's return as Rick alongside Danai Gurira as Michonne which has the latter writing and serving as co-creator. This is without counting the recently-aired anthology series Tales of the Walking Dead.
The Walking Dead can now be streamed in its entirety on AMC+. There's plenty more to stay tuned for in this universe though. Check out the Dead City teaser below.