While the ratings indicate cable television viewers all around the globe love The Walking Dead [READ: ‘The Walking Dead’ Premiere Draws Huge Ratings], AMC only ordered six episodes for the first season — meaning last week’s “Tell It To The Frogs” marked the official halfway point.

The good news is AMC has already announced that the show is coming back for a full 13-episode second season. The bad news, unfortunately, is that fans may have to wait until late October 2011, which would mark it nearly a full year since the Halloween debut of the show.

Why so long of a wait?

There are two main reasons for the potentially year-long delay, the first of which is largely due to the Fearfest horror movie marathon that gave a nice lead into The Walking Dead. The second more practical reason has to do with the already packed schedule of original programs on AMC that are likely to be spaced out throughout the year with little overlap so the network can concentrate their marketing efforts on each show properly, according a THR report.

None of this is official, but even if there was an official announcement, I would suspect it could change drastically since the second season hasn’t even started production yet.

I’m probably not alone when I say each of The Walking Dead episodes have felt more like Grade-A horror films than cautiously censored TV. And just like the sequels of an amazing movie franchise, perhaps a long break is only fitting.

[Source: THR via Zom_B]