The Walking Dead season 8 will get a hour-long preview special next month. Despite taking a slight ratings hit last year, Walking Dead remains the highest rated series on TV among the advertiser-prized 18-49 viewer demographic, and there's no real reason to expect it to fall off that perch anytime soon. Yet, were one to judge things strictly by online chatter, one might think that The Walking Dead was the most divisive series on TV as well.

Last year's season 7 was arguably the most controversial season of The Walking Dead to date too, starting with the infamous season premiere, which saw Negan violently bash the brains of Glenn and Abraham in with his trusty weapon Lucille. That was of course not the only source of fan division over the course of the season, with what some felt was an overly lagging pace being a popular source of discord - along with the series' continued tendency to kill off other characters in sudden and unceremonious fashion.

Related: The Walking Dead Will Explain Old Man Rick in Season 8 Premiere

Still, all that stuff's now in the past, and they'll be soon another whole new season of The Walking Dead for fans to both look forward to and argue about incessantly. To help fans get caught up on the journey so far - and also take a look at what's to come - AMC will air a hour-long preview special for The Walking Dead season 8 on Sunday, September 10.

Walking Dead - Lennie James as Morgan Jones

This date is exactly six weeks prior to the season 8 premiere broadcast, but there's a good reason for airing the special so far in advance, and that reason is the fine art of corporate synergy. The Walking Dead's season 8 preview special will air directly before the two-hour premiere of Fear the Walking Dead season 3B. Eight episodes remain in season 3 of Fear - Walking Dead's not quite as popular, but still successful, prequel spinoff.

Other than just presumably recapping previous events and looking ahead to episode 100, The Walking Dead season 8 preview special will also include appearances by showrunner Scott Gimple, and stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lennie James. Chris Hardwick will be hosting the proceedings, because if there's a a show that needs a host, chances are Hardwick will be that host.

NEXT: 15 Awesome Things You Didn’t Know About Daryl

The Walking Dead season 8 premieres October 22 on AMC.

Source: AMC [via ComicBook]