Hey friends, are you still watching AMC's The Walking Dead? If so, you're in good company, but that company is also dwindling as the seasons go on. Things aren't exactly dire for the network's juggernaut yet; it's still the #1 cable show on Sundays. But the numbers tell a tale of declining audience tune-ins and it looks like we're on the downward slope of a ratings arc that peaked in Seasons 4, 5, and 6, at least when it comes to the midseason premiere ratings.

As Variety reports, the Nielsen Live+Same Day data for "Honor", the ninth episode of the returned eighth season, pulled in a 3.6 rating in adults 18-49 and 8.3 million viewers. That's still a ton of people and it's actually up from the season's midseason finale this past December, but it's also a series' low as far as the midseason premiere ratings are concerned.

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Image via AMC

Here's a look at how the previous season's midseason premiere ratings have panned out (except for Season 1, which didn't have one):

  • Season 4 (2014)– 8.2 rating, 15.8 million viewers
  • Season 5 (2015)– 8.0 rating, 15.6 million viewers
  • Season 6 (2016)– 6.8 rating, 13.7 million viewers
  • Season 3 (2013)– 6.1 rating, 12.3 million viewers
  • Season 7 (2017)– 5.7 rating, 12 million viewers
  • Season 2 (2012)– 4.2 rating, 8.1 million viewers
  • Season 8 (2018)– 3.6 rating, 8.3 million viewers

The closest competitor to The Walking Dead this past Sunday night? It's own after-show, Talking Dead. Both were likely boosted by the departure of a major character during the episode's events, but overall the series has been losing viewers and its "Appointment TV" status in a slow and steady drip. Hopefully Angela Kang's appointment to showrunner in Season 9 will help to inject some new life into the undying series, but with Scott Gimple in charge of the overall brand, don't get your hopes up.

For more on The Walking Dead, take a look at these recent write-ups:

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Image via AMC