Walking Dead finale delivers best-ever ratings

The final installment of the third season of The Walking Dead garnered the best-ever ratings for the hit zombie drama.

The series won 12.4 million viewers for cable net AMC, making it the most popular show on US TV on Sunday night and meaning it beat The Bible on History. The two shows have been stellar performers for their respective cable nets and taken the top two ratings spots in recent weeks.

Of the total viewership for the season finale, 8.1 million were in the 18-49 demographic. Among this category of viewers, season three of The Walking Dead is the top show of the US broadcast season so far, beating broadcast favourites Big Bang Theory and The Voice.

Companion talk show Talking Dead also registered its highest-ever numbers, winning 5.2 million viewers and 3.3 million in the 18-49s.

Charlie Collier, AMC’s president said: “Two words: Grateful. Dead.”

He added: “In just three seasons, The Walking Dead has become a pop-culture phenomenon, entertaining millions of passionate viewers and obliterating traditional lines between cable and broadcast television.”