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The Walking Dead has been Rick Grimes from day 1 |
I love The Walking Dead. When Rick Grimes and the walkers shambled onto my TV screen eight years ago, I was in Heaven. You see I love zombies, walkers, the undead, shamblers, whatever you want to call them - deadites, anybody, or is that just for the awesome Ash vs. Evil Dead?
Finally after so many years of making do with some fantastic
and not so fantastic zombie movies (Brain Dead, anyone - I can't be the only
one unlucky to see that?), I had the TV show of my dreams.
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How The Walking Dead began |
The first episode shot by Frank Dabaront, director of the
best movie ever according to imdb.com (The Shawshank Redemption) and filmed
like 28 Hours Later, was engrossing pulsating stuff. Immediately I was hooked
on sheriff Rick Grimes.
I wanted him to survive.
I wanted him to be reunited with his family.
I wanted him to kill Shane who was trying to kill him.
I wanted Morgan Jones who saved Rick's life and his son
Duane who was named, I hope, after the main character in the cult classic Night
of the Living Dead to be on the end of that walkie-talkie one day after they
parted.
The Walking Dead is Rick Grimes.
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"You're my brother, Daryl." |
He's the beating heart of The Walking Dead. He's the string
that ties everybody together, this weird bunch of survivors. He's Daryl's
brother. Michonne's lover. Maggie's mentor. Morgan's permanent anchor to this
world. He's the one who banished Carol then welcomed her back. He's Carl's dad.
He's the one man who got the better of Negan and before him
the Governor.
He's the man with the plan - even when it's not a particularly
good one.
Without him how can the show go on?
Of course I don't want the show to end. Talking with other
Walking Dead fans about walkers and how to survive in this apocalyptic hell has
been an absolute pleasure. It's gotten me through some tough times including
the death of my father. But here's the rub. I love the show so much I don't
want to see it limping on and becoming even more of a shadow of what it once
was.
I definitely don't want to see one of the best ever TV characters in Rick
Grimes ruined any more. Maybe Andrew Lincoln feels the same way and that's why
he's leaving?
The last two seasons have been pretty terrible. Since Negan
appeared, because of some awful writing every character has got a dose of the
stupids. Almost everyone got caught by braggart Negan and had to bow down as he
set about Abraham and then Glenn with the swing of a baseball bat. Worst of
all, Rick was broken. His de facto brother Daryl was broken when he was held
prisoner.
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Could Daryl and Carol save The Walking Dead? |
If as looks likely they do keep on making The Walking Dead, maybe the only two people who could try to replace Rick are Daryl and Carol and
together? Side by side they could be the dream team - I hope.
Magic happens
when they're on screen together. They could be the show's only hope, especially
if as looks likely Maggie and Michonne do leave - one for a TV show, the other
for movies and the possibility of an Oscar one day.
What do you think? Can The Walking Dead survive without Rick Grimes?
