‘Better Call Saul’ sets cable rating for biggest premiere

LOS ANGELES — AMC’s “The Walking Dead” returned with monster — though not quite record-breaking — ratings on Sunday and also helped lead-out “Better Call Saul” to the best-ever cable premiere delivery in key demos.

According to Nielsen estimates, “Walking Dead” averaged an 8.0 rating in adults 18-49 (about 10.1 million) and 15.6 million viewers overall, the third best scores for the show to date behind only its season premieres in 2014 (8.65 demo rating, 17.29 million viewers overall) and 2013 (8.2 demo rating, 16.11 million viewers overall).

This marks the first time the zombie drama hasn’t set a series record in 18-49 with a season or midseason premiere: 2.7, 3.8, 4.2, 5.8, 6.1, 8.2, 8.6 and now 8.0.

Sunday’s midseason return of “Dead” is the top-rated regularly scheduled entertainment series telecast of 2015 in the demo (close behind only the special post-Super Bowl episode of NBC’s “The Blacklist”). It held up well to the Grammys, too, with the CBS music awards show beating it in 18-49 by a close margin (8.5 to 8.0).

“Better Call Saul,” which shifts to its regular Monday timeslot tonight, debuted with 6.9 million viewers and 4.4 million adults 18-49. The previous high for a cable premiere in the demo was USA’s “The Dead Zone” in 2002 with 4 million viewers in the demo.

Among all series premieres during the 2014-15 season, “Saul” ranks third in 18-49 (3.4 rating), behind only ABC’s “How to Get Away With Murder” and Fox’s “Empire” (both 3.8).