Michael Cudlitz enjoyed his time on The Walking Dead, and he also seems to enjoy the AMC series as a fan. That said, fans are never completely satisfied all the time, and neither was Cudlitz when the show featured a moment that he felt was stupid. Specifically, Cudlitz was particularly miffed on how Rick handled the situation with the Saviors in the Season 8 premiere to the point he thinks Rick should've been killed by Negan instead of him.
Let's be real clear, if he was gonna kill anyone other than me and I had a choice, it would be Rick. Because how many more people was that asshole gonna get killed? Hey, I got a plan, let's show up to where all the Saviors are with 500 weapons, have them step 15 feet out into the balcony unarmed, and shoot the windows out above his head.' You all know that sucked.
Michael Cudlitz didn't mince words when talking about the scene, which was criticized by media and fans alike for the same reason. While the move to trap the Saviors in with the Walkers attracted to the noise was successful, it didn't make sense why Rick and crew wouldn't just kill Negan. Attendees at Walker Stalker Con Atlanta (via Comicbook.com) reacted with a mixture of laughter and gasps, perhaps implying Cudlitz's opinion is correct to some and polarizing to others.
Some gasps may have been from the frankness of Michael Cudlitz's words, especially given his occasional appearances on the program post-exit. Eugene actor Josh McDermitt was also in attendance and stated that he liked the scene but joked it was because he's "still on the show and like my job." Cudlitz followed on his former co-star's joke with more of his thoughts on the moment and why he's okay with airing out his grievances on The Walking Dead.
It's like one of those things where you're so into something and then you're like, 'really, guys?' I get pissed off because I love it.
So even if Michael Cudlitz is doing the convention circuit and openly expressing his distaste for aspects of how The Walking Dead does certain things, at least he's doing it as a fan. Additionally, he's specifically referencing a scene he's wasn't involved in, which removes any bias he may have towards what happened. One would think there was no love lost for Rick and his poor decision making on Cudlitz's end when Andrew Lincoln exited the show in Season 9.
The Walking Dead returns from its break on AMC Sunday, February 10 at 9:00 p.m. ET. For a look at what all is happening on television towards the end of 2018 and the start of 2019, visit and bookmark our handy fall and midseason premiere guides.
