NEW YORK (AP) — The zombies really know how to make an entrance.

AMC’s “The Walking Dead” returned with an audience of 17.29 million people on Sunday, the Nielsen Co. said. That’s a record for the series and, in fact, for any non-sports event on basic cable. It was easily the most-watched scripted series of the season for viewers ages 18 to 49, the demographic advertisers crave.