The Walking Deadis still a big show, but it is getting less big. Once again, AMC’shit zombie series, which is based on the long-running Image Comics series of the same name, has encountered a sharp decline in ratings. So just how bad is it?The Walking Deadhas now hit a new four-year low, with ratings worse than they have been since the show’s third season.
According to Forbes, last Sunday’s episode ofWalking Deadbrought in just 10.16 million viewers. That is the lowest ratings forThe Walking Deadseason 7 since the episode “Swear,” which brought in 10.4 million viewers and was the sixth episode of the current season. More than 10 million viewers is still a big audience, but given how big the numbers have been forThe Walking Deadin the past, these steep declines could signal that the show is past its prime.
The Walking Deadseason 6 ended with a massive cliffhanger. Who was Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) going to kill? In order to get the answer to that question, fans turned out in droves to watchThe Walking Deadseason 7 premiere, which brought in a very impressive 17 million viewers. For whatever reason (or reasons), fans didn’t feel the need to continue watching after seeingNegan’s trusty bat Lucillebash some skulls in what some have argued was an overly gratuitous manner. What is also interesting to note is that the Negan storyline inThe Walking Deadcomics is one of the most beloved runs, but for some reason, it hasn’ttranslated to TV. Or at least it appears that way. It is also possible that thezombie serieshas just grown tiresome for certain viewers and that AMC may just have to get used to declining ratings. It may not be a reflection on the quality at all. It could just be fatigue.
Even though the series is continuing to show a very steady decline in ratings, that doesn’t necessarily mean that AMC is going to bail on it anytime soon. 10 million viewers is still a big number in the modern cable landscape and the show is still coming out on top Sunday nights. It has even less competition now thatSunday Night Footballis on hiatus. What’s more is that the after show,Talking Dead, is still pulling in huge numbers, averaging around 4 million viewers. AMC may need to worry a bit if ratings continue to decline, but for the network to even consider endingThe Walking Deadthings would likely have to get much worse.
AMC still has a lot of faith inThe Walking Deadeven with this decline in ratings. The spin-off seriesFear The Walking Deadis still soldiering on despite the fact that the ratings haven’t really come close to matching the original series. It also doesn’t seem to be enjoying the same level of feverish love from critics or fans. The next episode ofThe Walking Dead, “The Other Side,” is set to air on AMC this Sunday. If the trend continues, don’t be surprised if the series winds up dipping below 10 million viewers as we ramp up toThe Walking Dead season 7finale.
