AMC renews The Walking Dead as numbers stack up for zombie series

US cable net AMC has renewed The Walking Dead after the comic book inspired zombie series recorded a stellar debut in the US and internationally. The first season order of 6x1hrs has been followed by a second season order for 13x1hrs, with the new episodes being delivered next year.

In the US the show has done better numbers than those recorded by AMC’s other signature shows Mad Men and Breaking Bad, making it the cable net’s most popular ever original series. It notched 5.3 million and 4.7 million viewers respectively across its first two episodes.

The show, based on the Robert Kirkman comics, has been acquired internationally by Fox International Channels, which launched it on 120 of its international cable nets this week. In the UK, on FX, the show is expected to record a million viewers and FIC said that, internationally, it has outperformed every other US cable series launched this year.

Other audience share highlights include 17.2% of pay TV viewers on Sky channels in Italy, making it the second-highest ever Fox series. In Spain it was the highest rated show in its slot and the best premiere on Fox this year. In Argentina and Mexico it won its overall timeslot across all pay TV.

The show is produced by AMC, in association Valhalla Motion Pictures and Circle of Confusion. It is distributed by Entertainment One.