The Walking Dead season 8 ratings chart proves TWD is still on top
By Sonya Iryna
The Walking Dead’s ratings are remarkably consistent and still high enough to make the show the number one on cable.
A lot has been said about The Walking Dead’s ratings for season 8. The show’s numbers have dropped from past seasons. But that doesn’t mean that the show isn’t still popular enough to be far and away the most popular show on cable TV.
Despite some critics saying that show is headed for the end due to low numbers the extended ratings are remarkably consistent. The extended views prove that the show still has a huge following.
What has changed is the way that people are watching the show. New streaming options mean that people are no longer limited to watching the show when it airs on Sunday night. Cable subscriptions have dropped more than 33% in 2017 alone.
According to Variety more than 15 million dropped their cable subscription this year. People are looking for more cost effective options to watch their favorite shows like streaming platforms. More people than ever are either buying individual seasons of their favorite shows on streaming platforms, watching shows on other services like Netflix, or simply buying DVDs of entire seasons.
The Walking Dead’s Ratings
Check out the numbers for yourself:
*all views in millions *available data compiled from TV By The Numbers
| Episode | Live Views | Live+3 | Live+7 | % Gain |
| 801 | 11.4 | 15.0 | 15.7 | 37% |
| 802 | 8.9 | 12.2 | 13.0 | 47% |
| 803 | 8.5 | 12.0 | N/A | 42% |
| 804 | 8.6 | 12.3 | N/A | 42% |
| 805 | 7.8 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 806 | 8.2 | 11.8 | 12.7 | 53% |
| 807 | 7.4 | 10.7 | 11.6 | 56% |
| 808 | 7.89 | 11.5 | 12.1 | 54% |
It’s easy to look at the drop in views from past seasons and declare the show is done for, which is what critics have been doing all season. But that’s not what the data shows. The drop in ratings is the result of many different factors.
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And the actual viewing numbers from cable subscribers show that The Walking Dead still has a loyal following. But more people are watching the show later in the week. The Live+3 and Live+7 increases for each episode show a consistent pattern of views. And even the live view numbers are still millions more than any other show on cable.
The numbers don’t lie: Despite reports, The Walking Dead ratings are fine!