The Walking Dead second most pirated show of 2015
By Adam Carlson
Fans of AMC’s The Walking Dead took to the internet to watch the hit zombie survival drama so often that it was the second most pirated program of 2015.
Sometimes, it’s easy to forget that AMC doesn’t reach as many viewers as over-the-air programming shows do during their initial broadcasts. In fact, a growing number of television customers “cutting the cord” has seen record numbers of people looking to watch the programming either through a torrent or pirated live stream.
The Walking Dead was one of the most pirated shows in 2015, landing in second on the list compiled by TorrentFreak.com. That isn’t much of a surprise, as AMC’s hit zombie show is a ratings juggernaut and is one of those “must-see” shows that can get spoiled for you at a moment’s notice.
Here are the top three shows that were pirated through BitTorrent along with the number times they were downloaded:
More from Undead Walking
- Walking Dead alum Jayson Warner Smith promotes new film, Chipper, watch it now
- Walking Dead actor Chandler Riggs filming new movie in Tampa Bay
- Why is there no season 12 of The Walking Dead?
- Will Morgan Jones find Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live spinoff?
- Watch Tales of TWD actress Jillian Bell in Prime Video’s Candy Cane Lane
- Game of Thrones – 14.4 million
- The Walking Dead – 6.9 million
- The Big Bang Theory – 4.4 million
It is no surprise that HBO’s popular series Game of Thrones took the #1 spot. HBO is a premium channel that many households don’t include as part of their programming packages with their cable or satellite television provider. With that in mind, it’s easy to understand why so many people turn to the internet to watch that show.
Meanwhile, The Walking Dead is on extended cable, making it more available to people, but still an expense that many folks skip and decide to download or stream the episodes on channels that they don’t get. It makes sense logically to do so, but pirating shows on networks like AMC lowers their advertising revenue and increases the amount that it will cost to provide the programming.
Still, it’s nice to see The Walking Dead among the most popular shows in any category since the show is in its sixth season and still going strong. Many times, hit shows can lose their luster and become much less popular as its run goes on, but individuals are still watching by the droves to find out what will happen next with Rick Grimes and the rest of the survivors.
The Walking Dead will return for the second half of season 6 starting on February 14, 2016.