WINNER: Cable Underdogs
They’re a shady gang. Dark and profane and killing off characters left and right. Yet ethically murky antihero cable dramas like Showtime’s Dexter and Homeland, FX’s Sons of Anarchy, and AMC’s The Walking Dead all posted record ratings this fall. In fact, ultra-gory, rule-shattering Walking Dead’s third season is averaging 13.5 million viewers and, more impressively, a 7.2 demo rating— that’s big enough to give the broadcast networks an existential crisis, delivering more adults 18–49 than any entertainment series on TV.
