Yeah, during the show there was a blurb that said something like 11 million viewers watched TWD first episode!
And from what I remember of the sneak peek into next weeks episode: Dixon or Dobson (the guy on the roof) is still handcuffed to the pipe, something comes thru the door(!), and he has a brother! Grimes and company finally make it too the basecamp(dum de dum dum!) and he says something about going back to town!
A second season?! YES!!!
I have noticed though that none of the survivors are packing anything more serious than a high powered hunting rifle, and handguns, no AKs, ARs, machine guns or even shotguns (although Grimes had a duffle bag full)! Nothing like we speculated in the old Zombie thread. I kinda wander why?
And yes I think the helicopter might show up, the camera sure stared at it for awhile.