‘Fear the Walking Dead’ premiere: What should AMC’s ratings expectations be?

AMC has to be grateful that they have the premiere of “Fear the Walking Dead” coming up on Sunday, but there is a big question mark the remains: How big of a hit is this really going to be?

It is really unfair to put the expectations for the premiere anywhere close to the 8.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic and the 15.8 million people who watched the season 5 finale. That show has the beloved characters, and the source material from Robert Kirkman. This story, save for the zombie apocalypse, is completely original. There is nothing that the writers are using here as a template at all.

We feel like really, the show should be compared more to the launch of the original “Walking Dead,” which generated around 5.3 million viewers back in October 2015. That show also only had a six-episode first season, and while there was buzz, it’s not on the level that it is today. It’s remarkable in a way that the original managed to more than triple its viewership throughout its run to the point where it is now so dominant.

It’s hard to imagine that “Fear the Walking Dead” will be a dud, but regardless of how it performers, it is going to have more or less every chance in the known world to succeed. The show already has a renewal for an extended second season, and there is a big promotional push behind it. While the zombie genre is losing steam, most early reviews for this show have been positive.

If you missed it, there is an opportunity to watch the opening three minutes of “Fear the Walking Dead” at the link here. Check that out! Also, you can sign up in the event you want some more TV scoop on everything we cover, sent right to you via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: AMC.)