If you read a lot of articles out there, many are suggesting that Walking Dead should end. Forbes especially, they hate TWD. Sure, the viewership has fallen, but 6 million viewers a week is nothing to scoff at. I even read an article recently that suggested they would never up their ratings. I’m going to disagree. Last I heard there were 118 million viewers in the US. Even at top game (18 Mil) there are a 100 million viewers that haven’t been tapped by them.
I don’t think it’s a lost cause. Granted I am one of those people who doesn’t love it as much as I did, but it's not because they have run the course, it’s because they made bad decisions that made me shake my head.
They can, in my opinion, not only stay alive but get better ratings.
So I thought I’d give a tip sheet (Not like they’ll ever read this) on ways Walking Dead can rise up from the stalemate it is in. Some of these are also reasons for the decline. All my opinion, of course.
More Older People
The 18-49 demographic is the focal age group of The Walking Dead, therefore most of, if not all, of their main characters fall into that age group. But if we look back to the seasons more successful than this one, there is an important factor they had and let slide. Older, wiser, Americans. Actors/actresses/characters over the age of 50, will attract viewers in the same age group. I’m not talking about the occasional senior in the background or one that has a word or two. I’m talking main characters. Don’t believe me?
Season 1 – Dale (Sixties)
Season 2 – Dale and Hershel (70)
Season 3, 4 – Hershel
Seasons 5 and 6 – Deanna (60’s)
Seasons 7 and 8 …. None.
Ratings cascaded in season 7 and never recovered. Bring back an older character, bring in some older viewers.
Have an End Game
There is no end in sight. Nowhere to aim for, there for viewers, like the characters are moving aimlessly. Walking Dead needs an end game, even if it seasons away, it’s a goal to shoot for and a goal for the viewers to wait for. IE: Game of Thrones
Get Rid of Negan
He needs to go. Whether he dies or goes away, he needs to leave. While loved in the graphic novels, he didn’t transpose well to the screen and the viewers hate him. Most do. I realize Kirkman has a hardon for him, but his fans don’t. It’s no coincidence ratings dropped when he appeared. It’s like dating someone your family hates. They won’t invite you as much or treat you the same while you’re dating an asshole. Get rid of Negan.
Race for a Cure
It’s fact in the Walking Dead universe, for some reason everyone has this virus. They have it, yet they can still get infected with it and die. Whatever. Damn show needs some hope. Introduce a scientist who is on a breakthrough for a cure., A real cure.
Up the Zombie Game
Let’s face it, our characters are zombie killing gurus. There is no threat anymore. I’m surprised they haven’t wiped them all out. So, if they won’t get rid of Negan, add some old people, have an end game … how about upping the zombie game. Virus mutates. Imagine, Daryl is out, he sees a walker, he lifts that crossbow … bam, that walker isn’t walking, it races top speed at him. New game.
All is not lost in Walking Dead. I don’t think they’ll try any of these, but it’s not gonna hurt to toss it out in the universe. Maybe Gimble will read this.
I love it!
ReplyDeleteI love it too!!
ReplyDeleteI agree about Negan - I'm so over him. I'm a 57 year old female zombie loving apocalypse dork and I've loved TWD since the beginning. After Hershel's death though it became harder and harder to watch. And then when Negan bashed in Glen and Abraham, man that was just too gruesome. We're KIND of seeing the first rays of hope, with Carl's death and Rick sparing Negan (I can NOT see that ending well). I think you are right - we need an end in sight. We need to wrap things up. I don't want to keep watching year after year of THIS. Things need to change up. We get a) A new threat, b) The group reacts, c) The threat escalates, d) The team moves, e) Big showdown, f) Season ends. One thing I've wondered, why do we never see famous people zombified? I mean, they have to be out there too. Why no Oprah zombie, or Bill Clinton. And don't make a big deal of it, just have the famous zombie appear, get killed, maybe Rick and Daryl look at each other like, "Was THAT.... nahhhhh, couldn't be." And then go on with the story.
ReplyDeleteGirl, we are soul sisters. Have you been reading my mind again? We last chatted about this show season one, wow! Lol but seriously every point you made I scream about episode. I think part of the problem is too that Kirkman believes he is untouchable and can do no wrong anymore. I think he is so far removed from what the fans think that he is just doing this for himself. I don't understand how anyone could accept Began after he killed members of team family. It baffles me. Oh, so he's hot? Pfft that's just stupid. Let's be realistic, there is no way he could ever be accepted. He needs to die!
ReplyDeleteBut most of all, we need hope as you said.im sure you've heard the spoilers and I'm not sure we have much hope left if they are true. The powers that be have made some crappy decisions throughout but I hope they can pull out of this nosedive.
GREAT ideas! If anything like these concepts were included in the show, I would start watching again. Just too tired of how the show has been since Negan started.
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