The Season 7 premiere also scored a massive 8.4 rating in the sought-after 18-49 demographic and drew a record-setting 8.7 rating in the 25-54 demo. Season 7 came in with 2.37 million more viewers and a whole ratings point higher in the 18-49 demo than the Season 6 premiere.
A jump in viewership between the 6th and 7th Season of any show is rare, but many viewers likely didn’t want The Walking Dead season premiere spoiled by social media after last season’s cliffhanger ending left the lives of every major character hanging in the balance.
The live plus three day ratings have yet to be released.
The Season 7 premiere isn’t without its detractors. The Parents Television Council called for the unbundling of cable channel packages in response to what it called “one of the most graphically violent shows we’ve ever seen on television” (see “'The Walking Dead' Season Premiere Draws Criticism”). Fans and critics have turned to social media to decry the violence as well, but it remains to be seen whether the uproar will affect ratings of subsequent episodes.