Ratings: The Walking Dead Expectedly Down vs. Killer Negan Reveal 

opened Season 8 on Sunday night with 11.4 million total viewers and a 5.0 demo rating, expectedly down (by 33 and 40 percent) from last year’s record-setting premiere in which the first victims of Negan’s barbed bat were revealed.

Those Live+SD tallies mark the series’ smallest premiere audience since Season 3 (which drew 10.9 million) and its lowest-rated opener since Season 3 (which scored a 3.8 in the demo).

Compared to its April finale (11.3 mil/5.4) and Season 7 average (11.4 mil/5.4), the post-apocalyptic drama was steady in audience while down a bit in the demo.

Cable/Streaming Scorecard: What’s Renewed? What’s Cancelled?

TVLine readers gave the episode an average grade of “B-.”

, or for any other show? Email InsideLine@tvline.com and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line.

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