The Walking Dead: Dead City Takes a Bite Out of the Big Apple With Series Becoming Biggest Premiere Ever on AMC+

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Ever since The Walking Dead wrapped its 11-season run on AMC, the franchise has promised to expand some more thanks to countless spinoffs.

The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 1 launched on June 18, and the early numbers are encouraging.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Old Acquaintances" managed 683,000 viewers in its linear airing on AMC.

Maggie in New York - The Walking Dead: Dead City

With simulcasts on AMC Networks cable channels and replays, the number rose to 1.12 million viewers.

While these numbers are way down from the original series' heyday, it is an improvement on the premieres of Interview With the Vampire (622,000 viewers), Mayfair Witches (577,000), and Tales of the Walking Dead (572,000).

Maggie vs. Negan Again - The Walking Dead: Dead City

Another thing to consider: The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 1 Episode 1 launched on AMC+ three days earlier than its linear debut.

While the company didn't provide raw viewership statistics for the Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan drama, it did reveal that it was the top series premiere ever on AMC+ in viewers.

AMC has aired episodes of shows early in the past on its streaming sibling, and it seems many people signed up to watch the latest chapter in The Walking Dead universe.

The series was also the top acquisition, surpassing recent premieres like Mayfair Witches and Lucky Hank.

New Face in New York

"We are thrilled so many viewers joined Maggie and Negan in the streets of Manhattan for the first episode of The Walking Dead: Dead City," said Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks.

"The thrill ride keeps rolling from here, and we can't wait for the fans to see all the twists and turns in the city that never sleeps. Turns out walkers don't sleep, either."

TV Fanatic has screened the entire six-episode season and we can confirm that the premiere was just the tip of the iceberg.

The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 1 is a wild ride from start to finish, and Sunday's new episode delivers plenty of talking points for fans of the franchise.

Negan in New York - The Walking Dead: Dead City

AMC also has a Norman Reedus-led Daryl Dixon series in the works (is Melissa McBride returning as Carol?) and an Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira-led spinoff in production.

Fear the Walking Dead is set to wrap up its eight-season run in the fall.

What are your thoughts on the numbers?

Hit the comments.

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Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.

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The Walking Dead: Dead City Quotes

Perlie: My name is Perlie: Armstrong. I don't drink. I don't smoke. I like a good hog stew. Just want to give you a sense of what kind of people I am. I'm not your enemy. I come from New Babylon. Capital city. It's more of a small town, tree-lined streets, families looking out for each other. I got a wife and three daughters. They're my everything. Now, I don't know why you with that man I'm looking for. Or why you've taken one of our marshals hostage. But I'm guessing you got your reasons. Heck, might even be a good one. I'm open to hearing it. And I mean that sincerely. But if I get to you first, I'm going to be a little less open, and I will get to you.

Negan: I hate to even ask, but how do I figure into this, Maggie?
Maggie: The man who's got Hershel, they call him the Croat. Bullshit. You know him. When he scaled our walls, had us surrounded in the dark, right before he took my son. Do you know what he did? [ whistles one high tone, one low tone ] That rings a bell, doesn't it? It did for me. That's the last thing I heard before I met you.
Negan: Oh, that Croat. All right, so what you're thinking is, since I knew this guy back in the day when I was running the show, that maybe I had some special insight into his modus operandi. Or, hell, maybe I could just sweet-talk him into giving you your boy back. We're talking about the same Croat? Let's just say there were a lot of psychos in my crew back then. But he always stood out as being an exceptionally insane son of a bitch. So the odds are if it's the Croat that's got him... No. All right, tell me this. Why would I help you? Maggie: Because you owe me...
Negan: Because I owe you, right.
Maggie: You're the last person that I wanted to ask for help. It doesn't look like you got too many options yourself. Because if I found you here, the marshals will too. Far as I can tell, you have exhausted every shithole.
Negan: Still got a decent setup at Hilltop? Kids? School?
Maggie: I'll put up that girl. You, we see how things play out.

The Walking Dead: Dead City

The Walking Dead: Dead City Photos

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