AMC Sends Message To Investors With "Into The Badlands" Renewal

Wall Street doesn't normally put much emphasis on the overnight ratings of a one specific series, but in 2015 as "The Walking Dead" went, so did the stock price of AMC Networks (NASDAQ: AMCX).When the long-running smash hit debuted down in live numbers, the stock took a hit and even this year despite the company putting up stronger earnings, some are still bracing for a potential Q2 decline for the same reasons (even though the numbers rebounded with time-shifting data).Analysts have been all over AMC to not be as reliant on "The Walking Dead" series and while the network has more than accommodated with new successful rookies like "Better Call Saul," "Humans" and "Dead" spin-off "Fear The Walking Dead," that still hasn't quite been enough.A lot of that tension eased when "Into The Badlands" debuted last November as it was the first fully original series for the network all year. With "Dead" as its lead-in "Badlands" delivered the third highest-rated first season of any cable series, behind "Fear" and "Saul." In Live+7 ratings, the series averaged over 5.5 million viewers per episode, with nearly 3.5 million of them coming from the key 18-49 demo. The final few airings came without the benefit of a "Dead" lead-in.On Tuesday, AMC officially renewed "Badlands" for a extended 10 episode second season. The move cements a streak of consecutive freshman series renewals that dates back to 2013. While not all of its shows are as record-breaking, it is important to note since AMC launched "Mad Men," only two original programs ( "Rubicon" and "Low Winter Sun") has not been renewed.Next up for AMC is comic-adaptation "Preacher" and limited series "The Night Manager."