Walking Dead or the Grammys

[Psithyrus]

Katy Perry, then Walking Dead.

[chrisco37]

[universal soldier]

The bigger question for me was Bruins/Sabres or Walking Dead. WD won, I'll re-watch the third period on NESN tonight.

[ThoseBackPages]

[Artboy99]

Will Axel get to have some fun while the big boys are out playing? Who will stop him? Carl? Or the old guy on the crutches? Hrmmm....

[Anfield Fox]

http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/02/11/the-walking-dead-record-rating/

 

The Walking Dead has done it again.

 

Another. ANOTHER. Series-high rating.

 

Sunday night’s midseason return of the AMC zombie drama delivered 12.3 million viewers and a 6.1 adults 18-49 rating — its biggest yet in both measurements.

 

And that was against The Grammys.

 

To give you an idea of how stunning this performance is, ABC’s Once Upon a Time sank to a series low 2.2 in the adult demo last night and Fox’s Family Guy went down to a 2.4 — and those are the broadcast shows that performed the best against the music awards show.

 

Put another way: Last Thursday’s American Idol had 13.3 million viewers and a 4.1 rating and Wednesday’s edition had 14.3 million and a 4.6 rating. So in the all-important adult demo — if not total viewers — The Walking Dead beat last week’s American Idol telecasts. In fact, The Walking Dead‘s average for its current third season in the demo is higher than top broadcast shows like Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory and NCIS. And among cable, there’s no comparison — last night’s episode was the biggest adult demo number ever for a basic cable series.

 

These ratings must confound broadcast executives. Because so much that’s on the air now is struggling to get noticed, straining to do even a 3.0 rating, especially dramas. To see a cable show pull out a 6.1 is enough to cause an existential crisis. That it’s a show broadcast executives ultimately rejected before it landed at AMC must sting too (not that broadcast could get away with AMC’s level of graphic content).

 

“When you look at numbers like this, the first thing that comes to mind is how grateful we are to the fans of this show,” Charlie Collier, AMC’s president. “They embrace The Walking Dead in a way that we wanted to believe was possible but we never take for granted.The cast and crew put everything they have into making this show. They’re a phenomenally talented group who truly give their all. We congratulate everyone involved.”

 

You want a little more Walking Dead, do you? Here’s EW’s interview with showrunner Glen Mazzara about the episode. Here’s our interview with Robert Kirkman about the episode. Here’s our interview with Sarah Wayne Callies about the episode. Here’s our recap of the episode. Here’s our commemorative Walking Dead paperweights. It’s an EW Walking Dead fire sale, all Walking Dead content must go!

[Mark 1]

[crnbrd]

What's the Grammys? Isn't it one of those shows old people watch? Like the news or the weather channel.

[Marvelfangirl]

I didn't watch either one last night.

 

I watched my San Antonio Spurs beat the Nets

[ciorac]

Which one did you watch, if either, and do you think the return of the walking dead is bigger news than the grammys?

 

 

Neither. No interest in either show

[DrWatson]

I didn't watch either one as they both suck.

[mikenyc]

I didn't watch either one as they both suck.

 

Elitist scum.

[paperheart]

 

poison ivy

[lizards2]

I didn't watch either one as they both suck.

 

Elitist scum.

He's actually the premiere judge of what sucks - takes one to know one, and all that.

[comicstock]

I only watched the Walking Dead. More realistic.

[mrmyst]

 

poison ivy

 

Sp-Sp-Spec-tac-tac-tac-ulaaaaahhhr.

[bluerosekiller]

Not to be an , but don't the vast majority of folks here have cable or one of the satellite services, along with a DVR? Seriously, how many simply do the broadcast television or basic cable thing, I'm curious.

Maybe I'm pathetic, but I can't even imagine going back to the pre-HD, pre-DVR days. UGH, everything would look like mud.

 

As for making a choice between the two programs ( if I had to ), TWD trumps pretty much everything.

The Grammy's? I had no interest whatsoever.

It seems like over the course of the past few years it's just become a platform for whomever wants to make a complete spectacle of themselves the most & not much else. Although, apparently last night was pretty much uneventful. Which is good, I guess, but unexpected.

At least night nobody died & that maladjusted creep Chris Brown didn't elect to light Rihannah's face up with his fists again. Although I'm quite certain that THAT's a repeat performance that's just around the corner. Of course, that's assuming that the next time he abuses her he'll just beat her up again & not kill her.

[bluerosekiller]

Oh, last night's episode?

I thought it was pretty good, although maybe just a bit too... overwrought.

Know what I mean?

With Glen freaking out & Rick losing the plot altogether at the end, it was a bit much. Honestly, although I know it's following a plotline/series of events from the comic ( which I haven't gotten to yet in my reading ), I hope that Rick's lunacy doesn't last for the entire remainder of the season, 'cause me, personally? I'm already a wee bit tired of it.

Not that Andrew Lincoln isn't doing an excellent job of portraying Rick's insanity. But, to me, it's a detour to the progression of the show's events. I'd just rather not see things come to a screeching halt for several episodes while Rick snaps, recovers & comes back to reality.

But, that's just me.

[Buzzetta]

Not to be an , but don't the vast majority of folks here have cable or one of the satellite services, along with a DVR? Seriously, how many simply do the broadcast television or basic cable thing, I'm curious.

Maybe I'm pathetic, but I can't even imagine going back to the pre-HD, pre-DVR days. UGH, everything would look like mud.

 

 

I know quite a few people, myself included, who purposely do not have DVR. My reasoning is that if the show is that great I will make an appointment to sit down and watch it. Strangely I do not watch a lot of episodic TV shows.

 

Currently I try never to miss Walking Dead and Boardwalk Empire. In the past LOST, 24 and Law and Order (Original) were my must see sit down shows.

 

After that, whatever I catch, I catch. TV viewership habits are rapidly changing. Thanks to the internet, more people are watching shows in bulk to catch up on a series or simply watching online.

 

As quickly as it arrived, I feel that DVR is already headed the way of the VCR player.

[Beige]

My wife and I spent this weekend and last night getting caught up with season 2 (watching the finale tonight). We've gone through most of our other shows, and are finally getting around to this one. I know I'm in the minority, and not trying to be snarky - but I expected TWD on television to be much better than it is. The episodes are incredibly slow, and they have an annoying habit of cutting away to other scenes for 10-15 seconds to establish nothing in the plot. The characters on the show are unique, but poorly developed. The death of Dale? Missed opportunity. The death of Shane? Horrible. Carl drawing his gun before he even gets up as a Zombie? WTF was he going to do initially? Shoot his dad? Sighhhh. The show is full of this nonsense.

 

Anyways - the show is hard to watch. We're finishing it up because we have time invested, but unless something amazing happens in the finale, we are probably not watching season 3. And I really liked the book (up to #100) - which is perhaps why I'm so critical of the show, perhaps.

 

Jason - the show is not the comic.

Season 4 is virtually a 100% breakaway from Kirkmanland.

The show is not the comic!

If you don't get that, with the utmost of respect ( and I hope you know I mean that) - why the dickens did you watch in the first place?

Shane being alive after ep #3 should have been enough.

 

Step back, deep breath, and just imagine it as a story that is "based on" a book and things are easier.

Season 2, in retrospect, is not as bad as people make out.

Without it, we would not miss Dale or Shane (screw Sophia).Or see Andrea become a killer, see Glenn and Maggie bond - and wish to see Lori dead ASAP!!

Shane made Rick what he is now.....