Advanced Television

Fear the Walking Dead #1 US cable series premiere

August 25, 2015

The global premiere on August 24th of Fear the Walking Dead has made US television history, delivering 10.1 million live/same day viewers and becoming the #1 series premiere in US cable television history for total viewers and all key demographics. The episode delivered 6.3 million adults 18-49. In that coveted demographic, AMC now is home to three of the top five cable series premieres of all time in live/same day viewing – Fear the Walking Dead at #1 (2015), Better Call Saul at #2 (2015) and The Walking Dead at #5 (2010) – which the network describes as “a remarkable accomplishment” so far into the post-DVR era.

“Thank you and congratulations to Robert Kirkman, Dave Erickson, the brilliant executive producers and the entire cast and crew of Fear the Walking Dead,” said Charlie Collier, president of AMC and SundanceTV. “It is increasingly difficult to evaluate a show’s success on night one. However, we are releasing these live/same day ratings because Fear the Walking Dead delivered record-breaking numbers that are all the more special in this era of time-shifted viewing and audience fragmentation. To have a companion series to the #1 show on television driving communal, urgent viewing, social activity and pop cultural relevance of this magnitude is truly differentiating. Of course none of it is possible without the fans, whose passion leads to these remarkable results.”

Key Nielsen Highlights for the Series Premiere of Fear the Walking Dead

  • 9:00 pm airing – 5.0 HH national rating with 10.1 million viewers

  • 9:00 pm airing – 4.9 national rating with 6.3 million Adults 18-49

  • 9:00 pm airing – 5.3 national rating with 6.3 million Adults 25-54

Key Nielsen Highlights for the Series Premiere of Talking Dead Season 6 Preview Special

  • 8:00 pm airing – 2.2 HH national rating with 4.2 million viewers

  • 8:00 pm airing – 1.9 national rating with 2.5 million Adults 18-49

  • 8:00 pm airing – 2.2 national rating with 2.6 million Adults 25-54

The first season of Fear the Walking Dead will run for six episodes this autumn. The show will return for a second season of 15 episodes in 2016.  The series premiered simultaneously on AMC Global in more than 125 countries.

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