'The Walking Dead' Ratings Rise, Rock Solid Post-Rick

The Walking Dead saw an uptick in ratings on Sunday night, proving the post-Rick Grimes era of the show is holding steady through four episodes.

The Walking Dead's first episode of 2019 delivered a 2.0 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, with 1.1 million viewers in the demo. The age range of 25-54 posted a 2.5 rating, totalling 1.3 million viewers. The total viewership sat at 5.2 million viewers, which is a 1 percent increase from Episode 9x08.

Talking Dead also saw an upward bump by three percent in adults aged 18-49 for a 0.8 rating and 1.1 million viewers. It totalled 2.3 million viewers overall as Greg Nicotero and Norman Reedus joined Chris Hardwick to recap the Mid-Season Nine premiere.

The numbers aren't the same as The Walking Dead's previous live viewership stunners but in the post-Rick Grimes era, the AMC zombie series has proved its ability to maintain the current audience. The equivalent episode from Season Eight garnered 8.28 million live viewers.

In competition with the Grammy Awards, The Walking Dead managed to finish atop the charts for cable programming, hauling in more than double the audience of 90 Day Fiance: Tell All. Talking Dead placed seventh on the night.

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 pm ET. Fear the Walking Dead will return for its fifth season in 2019. For complete coverage and insider info all year long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter and watch ComicBook.com's After The Dead each Sunday night following new episodes.