It looks like TV viewers can't get enough flesh eating zombie action on Sunday nights. 'Fear The Walking Dead', the prequel spinoff to AMC's all-conquering undead flagship 'The Walking Dead', set a record as 10.1 million viewers tuned in to see the pilot-- the most ever for a cable series.
According to Variety, 6.3 million viewers in the coveted 18-49 year old target demographic tuned in. This figure dwarfs that of AMC's other spin-off show 'Better Call Saul', which raked in 4.4 million 18-49 year olds when it launched earlier this year.
Most critics say that the show has gotten off to a slow start and believe it will take some time for things to ramp up.
The Washington Post's Hank Stuever says:
'The new series is compelling in its own way, but it will take a while to see how it congeals. Or, more aptly, if it coagulates.'
While Tom Long of The Detroit News claims that:
'The slow burn approach actually works nicely, assuming you can calm your appetite for immediate destruction.'
Many have praised the performances of series leads Kim Dickens and Cliff Curtis. Vox's Todd VanderWerff wrote:
"In Curtis and Dickens it has two of the best performers the franchise has ever featured, and it knows how to use them. Both are able to balance the sense that they're simultaneously terrified for the state of society and worried they won't be able to save their kids from becoming zombie chow..."
The show also features newcomer Alcyia Debnam Carey.
The first season is set to run for just six episodes. However, fans who are hungry for more will be pleased to know that a second season of 15 episodes is already penciled in for 2016. The original 'Walking Dead' series is also set to return on October 11, 2015, which will consist of 16 episodes split into two 8-part halves.
