While it still remains the biggest show currently shuffling onto TV screens around the world, The Walking Dead continued to shed viewers with its 100th episode, and season 8 premiere, ‘Mercy’.
According to Variety, and the Nielsen Live+Same Day Data ratings system, the premiere garnered 11.4 million viewers on Sunday night and 5.0 rating in the all-important 18-49 demographic. This is the third lowest rating in the history of the show after the debuts of seasons 1 and 2, and dips below the 2012 season 3 premiere total of 10.86 million viewers.
The much ballyhooed, and divisive season 7 premiere, in which Lucille doled out her barbed wire Russian roulette to some of our favourite survivors, drew 17.03 million, meaning a steep 40% decline from a year ago.
The full rundown of season premiere figures can be found below.
Season 5 (8.7, 17.29 million)
Season 7 (8.4, 17.03 million)
Season 4 (8.2, 16.11 million)
Season 6 (7.4, 14.63 million)
Season 3 (5.8, 10.86 million)
Season 8 (5.0, 11.4 million)
Season 2 (3.8, 7.26 million)
Season 1 (2.7, 5.35 million)
So what do you think is the reason for the slow decline of The Walking Dead? Apathy? Repetition? Negan? As always, leave your comments below…
