The Walking Dead Season 2 Premiere sets Ratings Records

After breaking AMC and basic cable records last year with the series premiere, The Walking Dead has done it again. Last night's intense season 2 premiere garnered a whopping 7.3 million total viewers and broke basic cable's previous demographic ratings records.

Deadline broke the demographic numbers down a bit:

- 4.8 Million viewers in Adults 18-49
- 4.2 Million viewers in Adutls 25-54
- 7.3 Million total viewers for the 9PM ET premiere
- 11 Million total viewers for the night
- 1.2 Million viewers for the Midnight encore (795k / 735k split between the demographics)

The record was last posted by USA Network's The Dead Zone in June 2002, which had 4.0 million in 18-49 and 4.1 million in the 25-54 demographic.

Against last year's premiere numbers, the show saw an increase from the 5.2 Million viewers to 7.3. The increase was met with surprise from the press as there's been much behind the scenes turmoil with AMC and The Walking Dead producers (see: Frank Darabont's firing).

Could a third season order be announced soon after this bit of good news?