The Walking Deadclosed its sixth season Sunday with a90-minute finalethat delivered 18.4 million viewers and 11.5 million adults 18-49 (9.1 US RTG) in Nielsen live+3 ratings. The episode is expected to generate more than a million additional digital views, and capped a season that again sawThe Walking Deadas the #1 show on television among adults 18-49, with an average live+3 viewership across the season’s 16 episodes of 18 million total viewers, 11.5 million adults 18-49 and 11.3 million adults 25-54. TheTalking Deadfinale delivered 7.4 million viewers in live+3 ratings, including 4.5 million adults 18-49 (3.5 US RTG) and 4.7 million adults 25-54. Here’s what AMC presidentCharlie Collierhad to say in a statement.
“We know how rare it is to have the #1 show on television for four years running and to share aseason six finaleon AMC with more than 18 million fans, to say nothing of the passionate and appreciated conversations that followed. So, as we close this season, first and foremost, a heartfelt ‘thank you’ is on all of our minds. Thank you to everyone who makesThe Walking Deadpossible, from those working in the Los Angeles-Senoia-New York ‘zombietriangle’ to our fans around the world. We now put down Lucille for a while and leave the ‘at bats’ to baseball until our October return.”
The Walking Deadseason finale drew in 18.4 million viewers in live+3, up 30% from live/same day (growth of 4.2 million). The show attracted 11.5 million Adults 18-49, up 32% from live/same day (growth of 2.8 million), along with 11.7 million Adults 25-54, up 32% from live/same day (growth of 2.9 million).Talking Deadfinale drew in 7.4 million viewers in L+3, up 16% from live/same day (growth of 1.1 million), with 4.5 million Adults 18-49, up 15% from live/same day (growth of 595k) and 4.7 million Adults 25-54, up 17% from live/same day (growth of 680k).
The Walking DeadendedThe Walking Dead Season 6with the highest live+3 season average for all of television (cable and broadcast) among adults 18-49. The hit series averaged a 9.1 average audience rating with 11.4 million viewers each week in the adults 18-49 demographic, beating shows such asNBC Sunday Night Football(7.5 rating, 9.5 million viewers), Empire (6.7 rating, 8.5 million viewers) andThe Big Bang Theory(5.6 rating, 7.05 million viewers).
Onfinale nightand across its entire sixth season,The Walking Deadwas again a major focus of attention insocial mediaon platforms including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. On the day of the season six finale,The Walking Deadranked as the most talked about television show on all three platforms and generated nearly 3 million social engagements on Sunday night. Across the entire season,The Walking Deadsocial content garnered more than 47 million total social engagements during primetime with Twitter and Instagram social engagements seeing double-digit gains of 35% and 55% over the previous year.
