If "The Walking Dead" knows how to do anything it's make fans wait for a payoff, but AMC shouldn't have to wait long to hear better stuff and thangs about the Season 7 finale.

According to TV By the Numbers, the Season 7 finale earned 11.31 total viewers and a 5.4 rating in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic. That's the best Season 7 has done since the midseason return, but down from the first four episodes of Season 7, and the lowest finale haul since Season 2. The site added that, in terms of the season as a whole, TWD was down about 17 percent in the ratings from Season 6.

Deadline reported that the finale dropped 20 percent in viewers and 14 percent in 18-49s from the Season 6 finale, which itself which saw double-digit declines from the all-time finale high of Season 5:

"The Season 7 viewership and demo results are the third lowest in the show's history behind the 5.97 million of the short Season 1 in 2010 and the 8.99 million of Season 2's March 18, 2012 finale. Demo-wise, Sunday's TWD is the third worst rating the show has seen, with the 3.0 and the 4.7 for the Seasons 1 & 2 enders delivering lower ratings."

That sounds sad.

However.

The April 2, 2017 finale was up against WrestleMania, the ACMs, the "Big Little Lies" finale, the "Black Sails" finale, and nearly the finale of "Homeland." That's more than the usual amount of competition.

Also, as Deadline noted, last year's finale grew 30 percent in viewership and 32 percent in the demo in the Live+3 numbers. Many more viewers will watch the Season 7 finale later this week, especially since it got a pretty positive fan reaction, at least compared to last year's dragged-out cliffhanger. The good buzz should help.

The Season 7 finale ended with the start of All Out War, and Season 8 has ample opportunity to win back fans disappointed with Season 7. If you want more action, war should provide. We'll see when Season 7 starts in October.

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