The records continue to fall in the wake of AMC and Robert Kirkman's zombie hit "The Walking Dead." The network has just announced that in addition to several of the show's characters, last night's season finale killed the ratings record for cable television, drawing in 9 million viewers.

The episode, which featured a massive herd of walkers, a number of bloody deaths, a new attitude for Rick Grimes and the deadly debut of the sword-wielding Michonne, was the highest-rated of the show to date. The midseason premiere set the previous record with 8.1 million viewers.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, last night's show saw 6 million 18-49 year olds tune in, and 3.2 million in the 18-34 demographics. Overall, the finale saw its numbers jump by over two million viewers from last week's episode, when 6.9 people tuned in to watch the final showdown between Rick and Shane.

"The Walking Dead" returns to AMC this fall with a 16-episode third season.