UnDead City Surpasses TWD in Epic Drama Debut of 2023!

The Walking Dead: Dead City, the latest installment in the franchise, premiered in 2023 and became the biggest cable drama of the year. However, it did not reach the same level of viewership as its predecessor, The Walking Dead. The original series had a peak of 17.29 million live viewers during season 5, episode 1, making it the most-watched cable drama at the time. Unfortunately, The Walking Dead's viewership has declined over the years, with the series finale only attracting 2.27 million live viewers.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Walking Dead: Dead City had 683,000 live viewers on AMC. The total viewership increased to 1.12 million when accounting for simulcasts on BBC America and IFC. While these numbers may seem small compared to the franchise's previous success, it is worth noting that the spinoff also premiered on AMC+, a platform that caters to a smaller audience due to the decline in cable viewership. Despite these challenges, Dan McDermott, AMC's president of entertainment, expressed satisfaction with the debut of The Walking Dead: Dead City.

We are excited about the overwhelming response from viewers who joined Maggie and Negan on the streets of Manhattan for the premiere of The Walking Dead: Dead City. The excitement continues to build as the series unfolds, and we eagerly anticipate fans discovering the unexpected twists and turns within the city that never sleeps. Interestingly, it seems that even the walkers don't rest.

How Dead City's Ratings Compare To The Rest Of The Walking Dead

The viewership ratings of The Walking Dead: Dead City are comparable to those of Fear the Walking Dead season 8, which debuted with 560,000 live viewers. In contrast, when The Walking Dead premiered in 2010, it attracted 5.35 million live viewers. However, the significant difference in viewership between The Walking Dead: Dead City and its predecessor can be attributed to the overall decline in cable viewership in recent years.

The premiere of The Walking Dead: Dead City may not have reached the same level of viewership as its predecessor, The Walking Dead, but it still holds the title of the highest-rated cable drama debut in 2023. This indicates that the franchise is continuing to find success. Despite potentially lower viewership, the first season of The Walking Dead: Dead City promises to deliver action and adventure for fans of characters like Maggie and Negan, as well as for fans of the franchise as a whole. Additionally, the show marks the start of a new chapter in the Walking Dead universe, with upcoming spinoffs featuring Daryl Dixon and a Rick and Michonne story set for release in the near future. While the popularity of The Walking Dead may have waned over time, the impressive debut of The Walking Dead: Dead City demonstrates that the franchise still has a strong following.

Source: THR