(DEADLINE) — As in past fall finales, last night’s The Walking Dead saw the death of a major character and the survivors confronting some of their worst fears. The Season 5 midseason ender also saw the AMC zombie apocalypse not only break its own records but tackle Sunday Night Football for the fifth time this season. In a season that has seen the show based on the Robert Kirkman co-created comic series smash through one record after another, last night’s WD was watched by 14.8 million, with 9.6 million among adults 18-49.
That’s a strong double-digit rise of 23% and 24% from the 12.1 million total viewers and 7.7 million in the key demo who tuned in for the Season 4 midseason finale last December 1. That episode was WD’s previous midseason record holder. The all-time record holder the AMC series is the Season 5 premiere of October 12 that drew 17.3 million total viewers and 11 million adults 18-49.
Compared with last week’s episode, The Walking Dead was up 8% among the key demo. Season-to-season, the first half of the current fifth season has risen 13% among the 18-49s vs. the first half of S4 and 13% among total viewers with 9.5 million in the demo and 14.6 million viewers overall.
