The Walking Dead is almost bigger than football

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

The Nielsen year-end rating lists are up, and The Walking Dead has devoured the competition. Topping the list at number one entertainment show in the coveted demographic of adults 18-49, the series' landmark 19.7 million viewer average was only bested by Sunday Night Football, The Big Bang Theory, and NCIS, because old people still watch TV.

The Walking Dead did, however, beat out ratings powerhouse Empire (at 17.8 million), further proving the zombie apocalypse's ever-tightening hold over the viewing public. Its spin-off, Fear the Walking Dead, didn't hit the same highs, although it did break cable records in its premiere episode. So it's not exactly dead in the water, like certain well zombies I could mention.

The Walking Dead stars Andrew Lincoln, Steven Yeun, Norman Reedus, Chandler Riggs, Lauren Cohan, Danai Gurira, Melissa McBride, Sonequa-Martin Green, Michael Cudlitz, Ethan Embry, Merritt Wever, Xander Berkeley, and Tom Payne.

The second half of season 6, which will feature "much more Daryl Dixon," will return to AMC on February 14, 2016. For pretty obvious reasons, the show has already been picked up for a seventh season.