'The Walking Dead' Ratings Rise With Season 8 Finale, Lowest Since Season 1

Compared to years past, it's been a tough year for The Walking Dead. The AMC horror series is still one of the more dominant shows on cable television, but its ratings and fan response pales in comparison to what it once was.

Just a couple of years ago, The Walking Dead was averaging nearly 14 million live viewers per episode. This season, with the exception of the premiere in October, not a single episode reached nine million live viewers. The struggle continued in the finale this past Sunday.

The Season 8 finale, "Wrath" saw 7.9 million viewers tune in, earning a 3.4 rating in the coveted 18-49 demographic. These numbers easily topped Sunday night's cable ratings, and the viewership rose 18 percent from last week's episode, but 'Wrath' will still be considered troublesome compared to the past Walking Dead finales.

This week marks the least-viewed season finale for The Walking Dead since Season 1, back in December 2010 when 5.97 million people tuned in.

Here's how the numbers have shaken out each week this season:

• Episode 8x01: 11.44 million (5.0)
• Episode 8x02: 8.92 million (4.0)
• Episode 8x03: 8.52 million (3.8)
• Episode 8x04: 8.69 million (3.9)
• Episode 8x05: 7.85 million (3.4)
• Episode 8x06: 8.3 million (3.6)
• Episode 8x07: 7.47 million (3.3)
• Episode 8x08: 7.9 million (3.4)
• Episode 8x08: 8.3 million (3.6)
• Episode 8x10: 6.8 million (2.9)
• Episode 8x11: 6.6 million (2.8)
• Episode 8x12: 6.66 million (2.83)
• Episode 8x13: 6.774 million (3.0)
• Episode 8x14: 6.295 million (2.6)
• Episode 8x15: 6.7 million (2.8)
• Episode 8x16: 7.9 million (3.4)

While the finale ratings were disappointing, not all was bad in The Walking Dead universe this Sunday. The Season 4 premiere of Fear the Walking Dead was it's second best season opener in the series history. The episode garnered 4.1 million live viewers, up significantly from its Season 3 numbers.

Now, that will likely be taken with a grain of salt considering all of the hype and scheduling that assisted the premiere. It was well-publicized that the episode would begin the crossover with The Walking Dead, as series Lennie James debuted on the spinoff. Fear also had the added benefit of premiering after The Walking Dead finale, which likely added to its overall viewership.

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 pm ET on AMC. Fear the Walking Dead will debut its fourth season after The Walking Dead concludes its eighth, at 10 pm ET on April 15. For complete coverage and insider info all year long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.