'Walking Dead' season 7 premiere scores 17 million total viewers

Negan's victim was revealed to 17 million "Walking Dead" fans with its season premiere on Sunday. That's 16 percent more than the comparable Season 6 start in 2015, and it nearly matches the series record.

Among viewers 18-49, Season 7 nabbed an 8.4 rating, per Nielsen's Live + Same Day metric.

Last year, the hit zombie apocalypse drama netted 14.6 million viewers and a 7.4 rating in the advertiser coveted adults 18-49 demographic. That was down from the fall 2014 premiere, which scored an incredible 17.3 million viewers and an 8.7 rating — that's still the record.

Also Read:'Walking Dead' Negan Victim Reveal Leaves Fans Devastated

AMC does not share L+SD measurements; the cable channel chooses to focus on Nielsen numbers that include three days worth of delayed viewing, which will be out on Friday.

More to come ...

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