“The Walking Dead” is the highest-rated show on television, and it’s birthed a spinoff that could eventually give it a serious run for its money.
“Fear the Walking Dead” has garnered higher ratings and more viewers than the first season of the original series, which first premiered in October 2010.
The spinoff and prequel series is set at the very beginning of the zombie apocalypse which would ultimately claim the human population, save for a few pockets of survivors, led by Andrew Lincoln‘s Rick Grimes on the original series.
The first five episodes of “Fear” were watched by an average 11.4 million total viewers per episode, up 75 percent from the 6.5 million average garnered by the first six episodes of “Walking Dead.”
“Fear’s” viewership in the 18-49 demographic, the most coveted by advertisers, was also higher than “Walking Dead’s” original season. The spinoff averaged 7.4 million 18-49 viewers, 64 percent higher than “Walking Dead’s” 4.5 million.
But “Fear” will have a ways to go before catching up to the numbers of more current seasons of “The Walking Dead.” The Season 5 finale was watched by 15.8 million viewers and drew an 8.2 rating in the 18-49 demo, making it the highest rated finale in the series’ history.
“Fear the Walking Dead” Season 1 finale airs Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on AMC. It has already been renewed for Season 2.
“The Walking Dead” returns for Season 6 on Sunday, Oct 11 at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.