When it came to shows about the recently deceased, Sunday (March 30) night's episodes of “The Good Wife” and “Resurrection” couldn't come close to matching the fourth season finale for AMC's “The Walking Dead.”
Per AMC, Sunday's “Walking Dead” finale drew 15.7 million viewers, including 10.2 million in the 18-49 demographic. That wrapped up a season that averaged 13.3 million Live+Same Day viewers, including 8.6 million in the 18-49 demographic, numbers up 24 percent and 22 percent over the show's Season 3 averages.
The finale was right in line with the 15.8 million viewers and 10.4 million viewers in the 18-49 demo who watched the February premiere for the season's second half and was, like that premiere, significantly up from the 12.1 million viewers and 7.7 million in the key demo who watched December's midseason finale. And, like the premiere, it was still short of the series high of 16.1 million and 10.4 million in the key demo who watched last October's season premiere.
However, AMC is trumpeting this as a finale record for “Walking Dead,” which seems right.
“The linear television business is Dead and well,” blurbs Charlie Collier, AMC president. “Thanks to Robert Kirkman, Scott Gimple, the other terrific executive producers and the entire cast, crew and network for working together to bring the fans (myself included) another unforgettable season of ‘The Walking Dead.” To see this show serve as the centerpiece of a truly historic night on AMC is truly gratifying. So many played a role in this success, across all three shows, in giving the fans a reason to continue to return in ever-greater numbers. And so we say, until next fall, ‘Welcome to Terminus.””
While “Walking Dead” didn't set a series record, “Talking Dead” did hit new highs with 7.3 million viewers, including 4.7 million in the 18-49 demo. “Walking Dead” beat its 9 p.m. network competition both overall and in every imaginable demo and although “Talking Dead” was outdrawn by “The Mentalist” on CBS, the chat-fest's 3.7 key demo rating comfortably ruled the 10 p.m. hour.