'Walking Dead': Zombie hit eats up ratings in Season 3 premiere

By Scott Collins

Oct. 15, 2012 12 AM PT

Zombies must eat brains -- and ratings too, if the huge numbers of AMC’s season premiere of “The Walking Dead” are any indication.

Sunday’s Season 3 rollout of the zombie drama devoured basic-cable ratings records and also became the highest-rated entertainment premiere this fall. Yep, that’s right -- higher than “Revolution” and “Vegas” and everything else the broadcasters have put on.

The 9 p.m. premiere of “Walking Dead” drew 10.9 million total viewers, according to Nielsen. That’s a 50% hike over the Season 2 premiere and now ranks as the biggest telecast of any drama series in basic-cable history.

That’s not all. The season debut also scored 7.3 million viewers in the key category of adults ages 18 to 49, which is the main category the broadcasters are selling to advertisers. “Walking Dead” did better on that score than all the new fall shows.

When the repeats shown later in the evening were thrown in, “The Walking Dead’s” total audience was 15.2 million viewers.

That’s a lot of zombies -- er, fans.

What did you think of the Season 3 premiere?

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‘Walking Dead’ review: Fresh meat for the hungry hordes

‘Walking Dead’: Glen Mazzara promises ‘hard-hitting’ action

‘Walking Dead’ star Steven Yeun discusses the Season 3 premiere

Twitter: @scottcollinsLAT