AMC’sNautilushad the network’s most-watched premiere since the best spinoff ofThe Walking Deadpremiered over a year ago. Shazad Latif leads thecast ofNautillusas Captain Nemo, the iconic character from Jules Verne’sTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.Nautiluseasily draws comparisons toPirates of the Caribbean, and it may be just as much of a hit.
Now,Deadlinereports thatthe premiere ofNautilusdrew in 2.6 million viewers, the most of any AMC show’s premiere sinceThe Walking Dead: The Ones Who Livepremiered in February 2024.The Ones Who Live, in turn, had 3 million viewers, making it the network’s biggest premiere of a new original series since 2018’sThe Terror, which gathered 4.1 million viewers.
Though relatively new,The Ones Who Liveis widely considered one of thebestWalking Deadspinoffs.The Walking Deadin general is also considered AMC’s flagship franchise, and has a baked-in audience from the wildly popular original series.Nautilus, however, had no such advantages leading to its high viewership. In fact, it was actually relatively unsuccessful in its European release by Prime Video.
What Nautilus' High Viewership Means For The Show & AMC
After A Rocky Start, Nautilus May Have Found An Enduring Home At AMC
Nautilushad a truly rocky development. Originally produced for Disney+, the show was then acquired by Prime Video and distributed in England and Ireland to mixed reviews.This news, however, indicates thatNautilusmay have found the perfect network and audience to really thrive. AMC’s American viewers clearly had an interest inNautilus, and the show may simply be better suited to its viewers' senses of humor and adventure.
IfNautiluscan continue to draw in audiences for AMC, its future seems incredibly bright. Though it is a high-concept science fiction series that carries an inherently high budget, the series also has an evergreen premise.It’s easy to imagine Nemo and his crew getting into mischief and adventures across the seven seas for multiple seasons, as long asNautiluscan continue to justify its price tag.
AMC may also be looking for a new franchise to hang its hat on to replaceThe Walking Dead.The Walking Dead’s spinoffs haven’t been able to fully recapture the original’s magic.Dead City’s premiere, for example, drew in just 1.12 million viewers.It’s no originalWalking Dead, butNautilus' impressive viewership may be exactly what AMC is looking for: another popular show to supplement other programming.
Our Take On Nautilus' Record-Breaking Premiere
I Hope Nautilus' Strong Start With AMC Lets The Show Continue & Find Its Footing
As previously mentioned,Nautilushad a very uncertain beginning.Reviews forNautilus, for example, have noted that the show doesn’t really know where it stands yet.I hope this news ofNautilusbeing a sleeper hit for AMC means that the show will be renewed. I just know that with a few more seasons,Nautiluscan find its footing and blossom into a really great sci-fi series.
Nautilus Release Schedule (Sundays @ 9 p.m. ET)
Ride of the Valkyrie
Too Big to Fail
August 23
I also hope thatNautilus' success can help bring AMC back to its golden age. While all great, many of AMC’s original shows in recent years have been dark, broody series likeThe Ones Who LiveorDark Winds.Nautilusis the kind of outrageous, adventurous, and fun show that AMC hasn’t had since shows likePreacher, and I hope it can bring that era of AMC back.
