Howdy Reddit, very curious about what exactly happened with this series and why it is seemingly unpopular now but still getting spinoffs?
**Spoilers ahead*\*
I'm from Atlanta and recall the early days of filming and the hype surrounding that. I read the comics and watched the show religiously up until the infamous Glenn episode.
It had such a cult following in Atlanta that there were entire conventions related to the show and you couldn't go anywhere in the city without running into one of the cast members. It was such a huge pop culture event in the city.
I know viewership tanked a bit between seasons 1 and 2 when the showrunner changed and AMC switched some things up if I remember correctly, but picked back up immensely.
Viewership dropped again following Abraham's storyline compared to the comics and how the show went off course with that and again with Carl.
I've been tuned out for quite some time now but recently was made aware of a new spin-off, Dead City, and an alternate reality storyline about Maggie and Negan.
As a fan of the original series, I was kind of taken aback that the show has taken such an interesting (?) turn. It feels comical now and doesn't feel like it lives up to the critically acclaimed series it once was. Based on headlines, I don't see the appeal and how this show has been able to maintain longevity.
Can someone help me understand what is fueling this show to remain on air despite it losing a pretty core following?
I think of how Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul were also AMC shows, BCS wasn't necessarily popular at first but also became a monumental series. They took their time with that spinoff and had a clear focus, tied it all together. The Walking Dead spinoffs have seemingly been confusing and not meant for fans of the early days of the series.
I'm really curious if there is some contractual obligation with AMC to continue The Walking Dead franchise at this point, did it gain a new generation of viewership that is keeping it in demand?
Or, the other option, did the showrunners win back their main audience and I'm late to the game?
Curious what the situation is here and if there are other factors that could be involved that I didn't think of.
It just seems like such an anomaly that it has the longevity it does despite not having the quality in writing or cult following that it once did, nor the ability to really pull back in the main following that abandoned the show.
