MovieChat Forums > The Walking Dead (2010) Discussion > Question for those still watching

Question for those still watching

posted 6 years ago by [deleted]
46 replies | jump to latest

Now that the producers are saying they have plans for 10 more years, I've decided this will be my last season. I only stuck it out last season because I wanted to see how it would end. But now that they want to go the never ending soap opera route, I know I have to bail. It's just not holding my interest enough anymore. My question for those still watching is how much longer do you plan to watch? Are there are any hardcore fans who see themselves sticking it out for another decade?

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I watched the last season out of habit, but I often found myself doing something else meanwhile.

I'll watch this season just to see how Rick will die and then I'll be out for good.

Maybe I'll check it again in three or four years, just to see if the quality improved by some miracle...

[–] Gastonian (946) 6 years ago

I'm on the same page as you. I find it telling that Andrew Lincoln's own personal idea for Rick's exit was by far one of the best ideas I've ever heard. It says a lot about the quality of the actual writers on the show. I would love it if they went with his idea, as it would give the audience some semblance of plot development that actually has to do with the zombie dystopia rather than just more of the same good survivors vs. deranged, sadistic survivors. But I'm betting they go with something lame, like killing him off unceremoniously.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Actually I have absolutely no idea about that. I've always just bothered with the show itself. Any extra info I came into contact with was just big news impossible to miss. Like AL leaving.

You are probably right though, there's every chance that the writers will come up with the lamest idea possible to say goodbye to Rick. We'll see. I hope to get at least mildly surprised, if not entertained, but I'm not very optimistic.

I think that the end of Season 9 would be the best opportunity to put the show on hiatus for a while and start again down the line with a new cast and new storylines and definitely a better team of writers.

[–] Gastonian (946) 6 years ago

Well, his idea was for Rick to get bitten. But then rather than turn, find out that he is immune to whatever pathogen or virus causes people to become zombies. And he gets taken away by the Govt. on one of those helicopters, we kept seeing in the last season.

I feel like that ending would be fitting. Although vague, it would show us some actual progress towards defeating the dystopia the world has become in the show.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Eh. Not a fan of the cure/immunity route.

Also it would clash with the premise and. frankly, as long as both the show and the comic stay profitable I don't think Kirkman will change his mind. And even if they became unprofitable I see them just ending the whole shebang without going there.

[–] Gastonian (946) 6 years ago

Well, the show is currently stuck in a never-ending cycle of telling the same story. Good guys v bad guys, with zombies as a backdrop. If a show is going to go on as long as this one is supposed to, I don't see how you don't go there or at least address it. Especially given how stale the storylines have become.

[–] carjones51 (205) 6 years ago

You are absolutely correct. They have to start exploring the idea of a cure, and Rick being carted away by the govt because of an immunity would be good. It would open the door for Andy to return too.

[–] Gastonian (946) 6 years ago

Agreed. It's also pretty great that Andy thought of it himself.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

No, it's not because it shows that he didn't get what the show's about.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

And I don't see any need to go there or to address it. There's something that makes dead people come back. Nice and simple, no need to overcomplicate the basic premise.

Having said that, TWD was always limited in scope and has pretty much exhausted it's possibilities. I agree that it's stuck in an endless rinse-and-repeat cycle and that's why it should end. It worked best with little groups trying to adapt and survive; now the new setting with different communities that no longer try to survive, but to build something more lasting shows how much the full potential has been already reached and stretched thin.

Anyway, as long as people is willing to follow the show and ratings stay high enough, the formula won't change. And frankly, I doubt that Kirkman's ego would let him step out of this endless cycle. That's what he wants and that's what he's going to until the very end.

[–] carjones51 (205) 6 years ago

I like that idea.

[–] Vechtersbaas (550) 6 years ago

I stopped watching after season 4. I absolutely loved this show, but its story is becoming very pointless with no end-game in sight. To make it worse they announced to keep going for like 20 seasons. What stories are they going to tell? Group finds safe place > safe place gets overrun/compromised > go on the run > people died during this, they find new people > find new safe space and rinse and repeat. Its the same shit every season and I can't be bothered to watch the same shit every year.

What ever the hell happened to finding a cure? To finding the purpose of all of this? Its become like a soap drama on tv like As The World Turns or something.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Exactly how I feel!

[–] chefao (426) 6 years ago

There was never a purpose to this show. It works in the same way shows like Lost and many others do. You come up with something that breaks normality (plane crash into magic island, zombie apocalypse, etc) and then you just talk about the characters and their day to day struggle. It's a very basic formula for the show writers tbh.

[–] Vechtersbaas (550) 6 years ago

I don't believe that. Every story needs a purpose and usually has one (except TV drama soaps that keep going on for 1000 years). Eventually people will stop watching if its not interesting enough. 20 seasons of just people going on their day to day business is boring a fuck and you can see it reflected in the viewers of TWD.

[–] chefao (426) 6 years ago

Reality doesn't care if you believe it or not! This is a well known basic formula for the people who write these shows.

[–] Kalus99 (10) 6 years ago

I almost stopped watching after they left the prison but the upcoming Negan storyline kept me watching but to be honest it was too long drawn out (like every season) and I though JDM was guilty of overacting and ruined the character.

I will probably stop when Rick does.

[–] chefao (426) 6 years ago

Uh this show has always been a soap opera show ever since season 2 or so. It's kind of like Lost in the sense that there is no plot, they just come up with something that breaks "normality" like crashing into a magic island or the zombie apocalypse and then they just talk about the characters, meanwhile there's no point to the story. It's a very simple formula and it was obvious ever since Shane died a boring death and the first groups trip to the lab or whatever was also pointless. This announcement really doesn't change anything I will probably keep watching when I have nothing better to watch as I have been for the past 6 years lol.

[–] modica (4169) 6 years ago

Once Rick and Maggie leave, I am done. The only thing they can do to keep me watching is to bring back Frank Darabont. Only he can make this stale show interesting again.

[–] carjones51 (205) 6 years ago

They must have been joking. I still enjoy the show - for the most part - but it needs to wrap up. There's no way this show can last another ELEVEN seasons. That's insanity. Maybe if they trim it down to 6-10 episodes a season. Maybe!!

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I still don't see anyway it could go that long simply because:

1) too many people have already stopped watching with more to drop out each year it continues.
2) it is really hard for a show that's been on for 9 seasons to gain new viewers to replace those that stopped watching.

True people who have never watched may decide to binge watch on Netflix but getting caught up on 9 seasons is daunting and since there are so many other critically acclaimed shows streaming, most people aren't going straight for WD.

[–] carjones51 (205) 6 years ago

I hear and agree. I think the show should think about wrapping up. As you said, it would be hard to gain new viewers in S9 of any show.

[–] exatera (3953) 6 years ago

Well, I am already done with Fear, the stupidity just got unbearable. As for this show, I'll see how this season goes, but I doubt I'll keep watching afterward.

For one thing, I no longer care what happens to any of the characters. I couldn't care less when Carl died (if anything, I thought his death was really dragged out), and I think I got a lot more emotional about Rick Moreweather's near-death experience in Get Shorty than I will about Rick Grimes's actual upcoming death.

[–] AtomicReturns (1252) 6 years ago

I told myself I'd stop after the horrid Season 8 (I personally cannot stand the TV Negan character or the Savior story arc), but I broke down and watched Season 9 -- these could be Rick's final episodes, and probably less boring Negan to have to sit through.