AMC's The Walking Dead shed 1.4 million total viewers Sunday but still managed to draw an impressive 9.5 million total viewers in its second week.
The zombie drama based on the comic series by Robert Kirkman collected 9.5 million total viewers and 6.5 million in the coveted adults 18-49 demographic and 5.5 million among the 25-54 set.
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Thus far this fall, The Walking Dead ranks as the No. 1 program of the season among the 18-49 demo, excluding sports. Sunday's episode, which revealed Hershel's fate after his leg was amputated in the opener, collected 14 million total viewers when adding encores of the episode at 10 p.m. and midnight.
The second episode was down from the record-breaking season three premiere, which now stands as the biggest telecast for any drama series in basic-cable history with 10.9 million total viewers tuning in to the Oct. 14 season premiere. In the demos, the opener scored 7.3 million in 18-49 and 6.1 million in 25-54, all series bests.
Season to date, The Walking Dead is up 45 percent in total viewers, 47 percent in adults 18-49 and 41 percent in 25-54.
A formal renewal has not yet been announced but AMC has already offered lucky blood donors a chance to win a trip to the set of The Walking Dead season four.
Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit
