Is 'The Walking Dead' Going on for Too Long?

The Walking Dead first started its run in 2010, and is beginning its ninth season this October. Although it has maintained its popularity, some fans are wondering if the show has overstayed its welcome.

Based on the comic series by Robert Kirkman, the show picked up speed and eventually strayed from the comics, killing off characters that are still alive in the comic book series. Some people admire that the show has taken its own path, to keep it from being predictable. On the other hand, this has angered some fans, especially with the most recent death of Carl. Many fans felt that Chandler Riggs, the actor who plays Carl, was 'done dirty' by AMC, and the outcry on Twitter the night of his penultimate episode was aggressive to say the least. For example, Twitter user @buchanangrimes said, "No one talk to me for the next week. Don’t approach me at school, don’t look at me or say “it’s just a show.” Y’all I’m broken I watched this kid grow up for the last eight years." Many other fans were similarly heartbroken.

The Rolling Stone published an article asking 'what happened' to the show. They article argues that "The coolest characters don’t stay cool for long" such as Carol being undercut numerous times throughout the show, and Morgan's inner turmoil and departure from the show. The article also states that there is, "way too much Negan," taking away screen time that could've been filled with better characters who deserve more than the time they get. The article names Daryl and Tara as examples.

Questionable Goodbyes

But on top of it all, the show has announced that two of its biggest stars are leaving, which is something it has never done before. Most deaths are "shock factor" and not announced beforehand at all. With the departure of Lauren Cohan as Maggie and Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes (both of whom are leaders in their own right), the audience is left wondering.

Cohan's character is pregnant on the show with the late Glenn Rhee's baby, and has proven to be an incredible leader at the Hilltop. It seems as though her character isn't finished growing yet, and Cohan herself said that Maggie's story remains "open ended," which hints that Maggie may not die like the rest of her family.

The previews for the new season show that Maggie and Norman Reedus's character Daryl will be uprising against Rick in upcoming episodes. This incites suspicions that Maggie and Daryl might kill Rick this upcoming season, and with the recent death of his son, would Rick give up and allow it? There are so many ways this story could go, but some fans seem to think that AMC will choose one that will receive the most criticism.

Rising Criticism

The Rolling Stone published an article asking 'what happened' to the show. They article argues that, "the coolest characters don’t stay cool for long" such as Carol being undercut numerous times throughout the show, and Morgan's inner turmoil and departure from the show. The article also states that there is "way too much Negan," taking away screen time that could've been filled with better characters who deserve more than the time they get. The article names Daryl, Tar, and Aaron as examples of characters who should be getting the time that Negan uses. You can read the whole Rolling Stone article below.

The Audience's Choice

Will you be watching The Walking Dead this October 7th? Despite the criticism, the ratings hold strong, and the spin off Fear the Walking Dead is also still running. Many fans are holding out hope that The Walking Dead will return to its former glory, but as evidenced in the sources above, some are not as convinced. Loyal fans can only hope that the show will stay true to itself and not rely on the things that people find most annoying about it. Will the show be able to continue to run without Rick and Maggie when they've paid little to no attention to many of their other 'main' characters. Only time will tell what the apocalypse thriller holds from here on out, and how far they can take it.