Walking Dead fans!

Wondering how many of you wicked people are still following The Walking Dead. I know there are many who have abandoned the show, but those who remain are fervent followers. I've been a huge fan since before it even aired, and was excited to get a preview at New York Comic Con, along with a panel featuring Rick, Daryl and little Carl. I've been a faithful fan ever since and will remain so to the very end. What's great is that, even though the flagship show is ending after the next extended season 11, there are still a number of offshoots and spinoffs, like Fear the Walking Dead, which is excellent itself, that will keep the Dead Universe going. There's the Rick Grimes' films and a Daryl and Carol spinoff, so I'm excited for everything Dead.

Remember, zombies were pretty much a niche, cult, almost underground subgenre for a long time. I think the Dawn of the Dead remake helped bring them more into the mainstream along with 28 Days Later (you can argue whether they're zombies or not), Shaun of the Dead, and others. But Walking Dead catapulted zombies into the stratosphere, along with the films, Zombieland and World War Z. By its very nature, anything zombie is going to be excessively violent and gory, which puts it outside the mainstream. That it became mainstream at all is pretty amazing, and I think it will remain so at least to some extent until we reach a true zombie apocalypse ourselves. Maybe the Covid pandemic was just a warm-up. 

Anyway, back to my original reason for posting - who all is still watching The Walking Dead? We're in the midst of six new pandemic-shot extra episodes which are a great chance to give a number of characters more development. I'm really looking forward to next week's episode, which is a long-awaited Negan backstory.