AMC renews The Walking Dead for a third season

With “The Walking Dead” continiously pulling in greater numbers than AMC has ever seen, it’s no surprise that they’ve just announced plans to keep those dead moving.

“Today we are pleased to announce that the ‘dead’ shall live as we proudly renew ‘The Walking Dead’ for a third season on AMC and, globally, with our terrific partners at Fox International Channels,” said Charlie Collier, AMC’s President. “We are thankful for everyone’s contribution in front of and behind the camera as we continue to make ‘The Walking Dead’ a unique television experience. And, we are so proud as it continues to set viewership records around the world.”

Thankful to everyone but Frank Darabont, it seems. But hey, maybe the show will finally get the budget it deserves now!

These aren’t just the greatest viewership records that AMC has ever seen, it’s bigger than that. The show has absolutely shattered a long-standing record for adult viewers ages 18-49 on basic cable that “The Dead Zone” set nearly a decade ago. You had to know that something big was coming when last season’s finale of “The Walking Dead” drew in more people than “Mad Men”‘s. The second season premiere of “The Walking Dead” rustled up 10 million viewers in 122 countries. Never would have imagined that zombies would become so mainstream!

Glen Mazzara will continue his showrunner duties as taken over from Frank Darabont.

So what do you folks who’ve read the comic think? Will we finally get to the prison, or see Michonne? Or is the series getting so vastly different than the comic that it’s going to go somewhere completely different?