Ever since The Walking Dead wrapped its 11-season run on AMC, the franchise has promised to expand some more thanks to countless spinoffs.
The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 1 launched on June 18, and the early numbers are encouraging.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Old Acquaintances” managed 683,000 viewers in its linear airing on AMC.
With simulcasts on AMC Networks cable channels and replays, the number rose to 1.12 million viewers.
While these numbers are way down from the original series’ heyday, it is an improvement on the premieres of Interview With the Vampire (622,000 viewers), Mayfair Witches (577,000), and Tales of the Walking Dead (572,000).
Another thing to consider: The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 1 Episode 1 launched on AMC+ three days earlier than its linear debut.
While the company didn’t provide raw viewership statistics for the Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan drama, it did reveal that it was the top series premiere ever on AMC+ in viewers.
AMC has aired episodes of shows early in the past on its streaming sibling, and it seems many people signed up to watch the latest chapter in The Walking Dead universe.
The series was also the top acquisition, surpassing recent premieres like Mayfair Witches and Lucky Hank.
“We are thrilled so many viewers joined Maggie and Negan in the streets of Manhattan for the first episode of The Walking Dead: Dead City,” said Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks.
“The thrill ride keeps rolling from here, and we can’t wait for the fans to see all the twists and turns in the city that never sleeps. Turns out walkers don’t sleep, either.”
TV Fanatic has screened the entire six-episode season and we can confirm that the premiere was just the tip of the iceberg.
The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 1 is a wild ride from start to finish, and Sunday’s new episode delivers plenty of talking points for fans of the franchise.
AMC also has a Norman Reedus-led Daryl Dixon series in the works (is Melissa McBride returning as Carol?) and an Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira-led spinoff in production.
Fear the Walking Dead is set to wrap up its eight-season run in the fall.
What are your thoughts on the numbers?
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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.