My complicated relationship with The Walking Dead
I used to be a major fan of The Walking Dead.听What was once an exciting, explosive听and emotional tale of survival in a post-zombie apocalypse world became an overblown, network TV-style听melodrama.
The series听lost sight of what made it special to begin with: a collection of complex and unique characters鈥helmed by the show鈥檚 hero Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln)鈥who formed an unlikely but ultimately irrevocable bond. At first, they were united听by nothing but the innately human instinct to tie yourself to the familiar,听and in a world overrun with the undead, that meant taking people for who they were and making the best (or in some cases, the worst)听of it.听
It might be a simple formula听but it鈥檚 an effective one, and by the end of season 1 (which could be appreciated in isolation as a powerful miniseries by the show鈥檚 creator,听Frank Darabont), I cared about the assortment of characters about as much as you can care about a fictional group of people. They transformed from a diverse group of individuals with conflicting world views, ideologies, and approaches to survival, to a makeshift family听鈥斕bound to each other through trauma and the constant fight to survive.
Perhaps most significantly, the writers seemed to have a grasp on how to craft complex (but not 鈥渃omplicated鈥) female characters,听like Carol (Melissa McBride), whose arc across the series has been like no other. We鈥檝e watched her grow from a meek victim of domestic abuse in her previous life to a ruthless warrior with a sensitive core.听Another example is Michonne (Danai Gurira)听who began her journey in the New World as a self-exiled loner and gifted swordsman who eventually joined Rick and the gang to become a capable leader. Michonne听was perhaps their most skilled fighter听but听she was also the calm and measured voice of reason, with a gentleness that began to reveal itself as time went on.
But all good things must come to an end. By season 7, The Walking Dead听began to lose control of its storyline and character arcs.听From that point on, as is often the case with shows that exceed their welcome, the storylines grew repetitive and听actors started to leave.听When it was announced at the end of season 8 that a new showrunner, Angela Kang, would be taking over,听my interest was briefly renewed. And while season 9 was certainly an improvement on the seasons prior, it was nonetheless a pale imitation of the听show in its听heyday: the听writing still felt听messy, the storylines empty听and exciting action scenes few and far between. By听the end of season 9, when Lincoln bid adieu to the series, I could no longer lie to myself. But for a few (genuinely very听good) episodes across seasons 7-9,听the show had well and truly jumped the shark.听
It was recently announced that season 11,听set to premiere this August,听will be the听series' last. It put up a good fight鈥better shows have suffered worse鈥but it seems听reality has finally hit.
I told myself I'd finish the series,听if out of听nostalgic loyalty alone. Truth be told,听I听find it difficult听not听finishing something once I've started,听even when it's no longer good听(for context, I鈥檝e seen all of听Saved by the Bell听including听The College Years). However,听in this case,听The Walking Dead听simply isn't a show I recognise anymore.听Still, word on the street is there's a spinoff and a few movies coming our way, and perhaps against my better judgement,听that gives me hope.