12.4M watched 'Walking Dead' finale Sunday

NEW YORK, April 1 (UPI) -- About 12.4 million viewers tuned in for the Season 3 finale of the Georgia-set zombie drama "The Walking Dead" Sunday night, AMC announced Monday.

The viewership was the largest in the show's history. It also was the No. 1 program across all networks for the night.

"Two words: Grateful. Dead. It's a joy that we get to work with such tremendous talent to make 'The Walking Dead' and 'Talking Dead' come to life for audiences that continue to engage and grow," Charlie Collier, AMC's president, said in a statement.

"In just three seasons, 'The Walking Dead' has become a pop-culture phenomenon, entertaining millions of passionate viewers and obliterating traditional lines between cable and broadcast television."

The series stars Norman Reedus, Andrew Lincoln, Laurie Holden, David Morrissey and Chad Coleman.