The Walking Dead has been steadily heading downhill for a while now. Fans attribute their waning support on many factors. Among them are the repetitive storylines, Negan's continued presence, and the lackluster zombie action. After 8 seasons, how many more ways can you kill a zombie anyway? The ninth season of The Walking Dead touched down this past Sunday, and it earned the lowest ratings in their key demographic in series history.
According to Variety, Nielsen data reported that the AMC series brought in a 2.5 rating in adults 18-49 and 6.1 million viewers. The previous low sat at a 2.7 for a series premiere. In comparison, the season 8 premiere drew a 5.0 rating and 11.4 million viewers last year. The viewership has essentially been cut in half. None the less, The Walking Dead still reigned supreme in the Sunday night slot. It was the top-rated show on Sunday night by a landslide, and according to AMC, the premiere also brought in the highest day of new sign-ups in the history of the channel's premieres.
The ninth season of The Walking Dead will mark leading actor Andrew Lincoln's final run with the series. After starring as Rick Grimes since episode one, Lincoln is ready to remain comfortably at home with his family overseas.