The Walking Dead Scares Up Record Ratings

The Walking Dead was a hit after just six episodes.

But following last night's second season premiere, this AMC thriller is now a record-breaking hit.

The original airing of "What Lies Ahead" earned 7.3 million total viewers, a 38 percent leap over last season's average. Moreover, 4.8 million of these households fell into the coveted 18-49-year old demographic. That's a record for basic cable.

“The Walking Dead is one of those rare television programs that reaches both a core genre fan as well as broad audiences simply looking for a great, character-based story,” AMC president Charlie Collier said in a statement. “That The Walking Dead is now the most watched drama in the history of basic cable is staggering, just like our zombies.”

For a look ahead, check out this Walking Dead promo now!

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.