The Walking Dead is one of the most popular and simultaneously divisive TV shows on television. AMC's apocalyptic drama accrues millions of viewers every week, and alongside Game of Thrones is the definition of water cooler conversation in modern TV. But that's not the say TWD is perfect, and the past two seasons in particular haven't faired well with critics and fans. Last season saw a ton of fans drop off, and it seems like the same thing is happening with Season 8, as it's reached its lowest numbers since back in Season 2. But that doesn't concern series star Andrew Lincoln, who doesn't spend time reading reviews or fan reaction. He found this part of show business distracting from the job he has to do, saying:
I just want to tell the best story we possibly can and it's very difficult when there's so many moving parts apart from me that control that destiny. That's why I don't watch it. That's why I don't get involved in the social media. Of course, I hear it. Of course, friends tell me and producers tell me.
This actually does make sense from Andrew Lincoln's perspective. Per his comments to Comic Book, he doesn't have control over what ends up appearing on The Walking Dead, only the performance he gives as Rick Grimes. And despite mixed reviews, no one seems to be putting his dedication to the role into question.
That being said, The Walking Dead has certainly had its fair amount of issues in the past two seasons. Last season opened with an absolutely horrifying premiere episode, but the pacing quickly came to screeching halt. What resulted were tons of capsule episodes, as the series had to set up the various communities that would come into play in the eventual war against Negan and The Saviors.
And while the current season is all about the highly anticipated All Out War plot from the comics, the results have left something to be desired. The episodes have taken place over the course of just a few episodes, and have had more gunfights than thrilling dialogue or unexpected plot twists. And once again, characters remain isolated from other members of the ensemble, making our favorite group of survivors separated from each other. As a result, the numbers have seriously dropped, especially with episodes that feature Eugene within The Sanctuary.
It should be interesting to see how The Walking Dead attempts to spice things up in the future. Tomorrow brings the midseason finale, which should plant the seeds for the back half of the season. And with Lennie James' Morgan transitioning over to Fear The Walking Dead next season, perhaps the promise of a crossover is enough to get fans once again excited about AMC's current flagship property.
The Walking Dead airs Sundays on AMC. Be sure to check out our midseason premiere list to plan your next binge watch, and our cancellation list to see if your favorite show got the chop.
