AMC has handed a fifth season to juggernaut zombie drama “The Walking Dead.”

Program ranks as the number one show on TV among adults 18-49, and the season four premiere drew over 16 million viewers, a new record for AMC. With L+3 numbers taken into account, “Walking Dead” secures over 20 million viewers.

“We are very happy to make what has to be one of the most anti-climactic renewal announcements ever: ‘The Walking Dead’ is renewed for a fifth season,” said Charlie Collier, AMC president. “This is a show that has erased traditional distinctions between cable and broadcast. Its expanding base of passionate fans has grown every season, most recently – and most notably – with the season four premiere earlier this month, which broke viewership records for the series and became the biggest non-sports telecast in cable history. On behalf of the incredible team on both sides of the camera, thank you to the fans and here’s to more ‘Dead.'”

Scott Gimple will return as showrunner for season five of “Walking Dead” along with exec producers Robert Kirkman, Gale Ann Hurd, David Alpert, Greg Nicotero and Tom Luse.