'The Walking Dead' Ratings Kill Everything Else on TV

Another season premiere, another record shattered by 'The Walking Dead'. 16.1 Million people tuned into the season 4 premiere of 'The Walking Dead' on AMC, becoming the highest rated show of the season. The previous record for the series was 12.4 Million. The Cable show is getting live ratings that the Broadcast networks could only dream of right now. It also seems like the walkers took a chunk out of the ratings for all the broadcast network shows, which were all down across the board in competition. 'The Walking Dead' is an event now, people want to watch it live so they can talk about it afterwards rather than DVR it and possibly get spoiled.

Another big milestone is that the show received 10.4 Million viewers in the 18-49 demographic, which makes it the most watched program of the season in that advertising coveted group, surpassing every NFL game. Before last night, all the highest rated programs among 18-49 year olds were all NFL games. The pigskin is no match for flesh eating zombies.

The new season is off to a solid start as well with a good first episode. Some clear storylines forming with Rick (Andrew Grimes) now taking on a role as farmer & having a new hatred of violence. Michonne (Danai Gurira) is leaving the prison for extended periods in search of the Governor (David Morrissey) to get her revenge on him for the death of Andrea (Laurie Holden). Glenn (Steven Yeun) & Maggie (Lauren Cohan) have a wedding to look forward to...and we have to wonder if it will be as insane as the Red Wedding on 'Game of Thrones'.

Carol (Melissa McBride) is teaching story-time to the children...with a fun twist of knife lessons to defend against walkers. Story-time during the zombie apocalypse is badass. Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) & Tyreese (Chad L. Coleman) have acclimated well and are important members of the prison. Daryl (Norman Reedus) is still the Daryl we love. The survivors finally found a Big Lots! superstore after 4 years...and just their luck the roof caves in with zombies raining down. Dear superstores: please build stronger roofs.