Tag Archives: Talking Dead

Status update #2 on your favorite new and returning shows

The TV landscape is a fickle thing as viewers decide whether or not to tune into new and returning series. With that being said, it is prime time to check back into the status of programs spanning the big networks, cable, and premium cable. Shall we?

CBS is a fan of Limitless, the new fall drama that’s based on the 2011 Bradley Cooper film; it has received the Back 9 order that lifts its episode count to a full-season 22. The same can be said for ensemble sitcom Life in Pieces.

NBC is injecting even more life into its solid performers BlindspotChicago FireChicago P.D., and Law & Order: SVU. All four dramas–including Blindspot, which was previously granted a full season order–have been allotted one extra episode, upping their respective seasons from 22 to 23 episodes. Elsewhere on the Peacock network, underperformers The Player and Truth Be Told are getting episodes taken away from them. The Wesley Snipes casino drama is seeing its episode count reduced from 13 to 9, and the barely-on-the-radar sitcom is shedding three episodes seeing its total drop from 13 to 10.

Over on FOX, Tuesday night sitcoms Grandfathered and The Grinder led by John Stamos and Rob Lowe, respectively, have both received Back 9 orders, thus sealing their fates to last at least until May of next year.

More updates from ABC, FX, AMC, Starz, and HBO after the break. Continue reading Status update #2 on your favorite new and returning shows

TV reminder: ‘The Walking Dead’ premieres tonight (10/13) at 9PM on AMC [Update: record ratings]

The highly anticipated season 4 premiere of The Walking Dead airs tonight, Sunday, October 13 at 9PM on AMC. When we last saw our band of survivors they let into the prison the straggling strangers from the defeated Woodbury. Trailers tease a mysterious danger from within that’s “not really walkers and it’s not other people.” Whatever it is, will it drive Rick and company out of their safe haven as alluded to in the prison break-out poster pictured above?

The premiere is called “30 Days Without An Accident” and its written by new showrunner Scott M. Gimple and directed by special effects specialist and executive producer Greg Nicotero. Following the episode is the return of Chris Hardwick’s after-show Talking Dead with special guests Gimple and Castle‘s Nathan Fillion.

Update (10/14): Another Walking Dead premiere, another series high ratings record. 16.1 million viewers tuned into the season 4 premiere last night; 10.4 million of them fall into the coveted adults aged 18-49 demographic. TWD reigns as the #1 show on TV in that demo. AMC proposes that after factoring in time-shifted playback (DVR, etc.), last night’s premiere should exceed 20 million viewers. The previously most-watched episode was the season 3 finale which attracted 12.4 million viewers, 8.1 million of which fell into the 18-49 demo. In other words, the Dead continue to rise…exponentially. Talking Dead also saw big gains; it too debuted to its biggest numbers with 5.1 million viewers, including 3.3 million in the 18-49 demo.

AMC President Charlie Collier commented on the expected yet still exciting news, as he does. “Sincere thanks to the fans, who have welcomed The Walking Dead back for its fourth season with the highest-rated episode in the show’s history. We could not be more proud of this show and everyone on both sides of the camera who work so hard to give life to this story of character, leadership and survival. It starts with series creator, writer and executive producer Robert Kirkman, show runner and executive producer Scott Gimple and the director of last night’s episode (and the man behind the make-up) executive producer Greg Nicotero, their fellow executive producers and an extraordinary cast and crew who are giving their all every day. So clearly, thanks to them, the dead have never been more alive.”

Update 2The Walking Dead season 4 premiere is now being hailed as “the most watched non-sports telecast in cable history” after factoring in Live+3 data; an additional 4.1 million viewers watched the episode in the three days following the live Sunday airdate bringing its total viewership to a whopping 20.2 million.

Chris Hardwick to host live after-show “Talking Dead” on AMC

So you know that feeling after you watch an episode of The Walking Dead and you want to burst out in excitement about just how awesome that episode really was? Well AMC is giving you an outlet to do that. Prepare for (what for it) Talking Dead, a live after-show to be hosted by comedian Chris Hardwick (Web Soup, Attack of the Show). According to a press release the show “features Hardwick spending time with fans, actors, producers and tv enthusiasts, recapping that most recent Dead episode, and taking questions and comments from viewers. Fans may continue to engage with the Aftershow following the on-air conclusion, online, at amctv.com for more conversations, questions and trivia.”

Says fanboy Hardwick: “As an enormous fan of both The Walking Dead comic and television show, I pretty much begged for this job. I’m fairly certain I slobbered on the phone while doing it. Dissecting the moves of Rick Grimes and the remaining survivors after every episode is something I would be doing with my friends anyway, so the fact that AMC is actually paying to do so is a bonus. This half-hour after-show gives fans the opportunity to nerd out about the story in a very public forum: what they like, what they don’t like, or what questions they may have. Additionally, it will better inform viewers on making intelligent decisions when faced with the zombie apocalypse which will probably happen sooner or later.”

Adds AMC’s Joel Stillerman: “Fans of The Walking Dead are incredibly engaged with every aspect of the show. They tweet, blog, and post comments in very large numbers, and we wanted to give them an opportunity to interact with the show in a way that they don’t currently have – a kind of live water cooler. And, we knew we needed a great host, and are thrilled to have Chris Hardwick on board. He is genuinely knowledgeable about the genre, and truly entertaining.”

So there you have it. Now here’s how it’ll air. Talking Dead will debut immediately following the encore airing of The Walking Dead season 2 premiere (that is on Sunday, October 16) and then beginning on Friday, November 4th it’ll follow TWD‘s encore at 11PM.

[Via Nerdist; image via Flickr]