The Walking Dead Finale Ratings Down From 2015

Viewers' moods weren't the only thing down after the Season 6 finale of The Walking Dead.

Deadline reports that Sunday's finale claimed a total viewership of 14.2 million, with 8.8 million in the key 18-to-49 demographic, down over 10 percent in total viewers and 16 percent in the demo, respectively, from the Season 5 finale on March 29, 2015. Last year's "Conquer" hit a record finale high for AMC's blockbuster series, with 15.8 million total viewers and 10.2 million in the demo. In contrast, Sunday's "Last Day on Earth" is the lowest-rated season finale since Season 3's in March 2013.

The dip in ratings for the finale mirrors the dip from the Season 5 to Season 6 premieres. The Season 6 premiere on Oct. 11 was down 16 percent from the record-breaking Season 5 premiere, which remains the highest-rated episode in Walking Dead history. The Season 6 finale was about equal in viewers with November's midseason finale.

How The Walking Dead's Jeffrey Dean Morgan transformed into Negan

It's not all bad news, though. The Walking Dead is still by far the top-rated show on cable and the most-viewed show in the valuable 18-to-49 demo. AMC emphasizes the Live+3 numbers, which account for views after the premiere and add double-digit percentage increases to ratings, and won't be available until later this week. And of course, the show has already been renewed for Season 7, which begins filming soon.