How 'The Walking Dead' Can Make Things Right Again

​Written by John Edward Betancourt

It's only been a few weeks since the season six finale of The Walking Dead completely and utterly rocked our worlds with the controversial decision to not reveal who died at Negan's hands and since that time, the rancor and disdain from the fan base has not cooled over the matter in the slightest. The fury that came out of it prompted a breakdown and explanation of said decision by showrunner Scott M. Gimple himself but even that did not appease since Robert Kirkman took the time to apologize for the whole thing in issue #154 of the comic recently.

Clearly the fans are angry and that fury isn't going to fade anytime soon. There was a high expectation for this finale to deliver something that we've never seen before on television and instead the show fell back upon an everyday trope for television, the cliffhanger, and the constant explanation and apologizing from the powers that be means they know that they ticked off the legions of fans that tune in weekly. But words can only go so far, everyone that loves this show is expecting something more when it returns this fall and the question on all of our minds is a simple one, how will the series make everything right again?

After all, the decision to do all of this, along with what happened with Glenn earlier in the season has given the show a reputation; one where it looks like it wants to simply screw with the audience for shock value over giving us an awesome story. Whether the folks behind the scenes want to acknowledge it or not, this move will cost the show some of its fanbase, and those that remain will either be at peace with everything that went down or feel slighted and raise their expectations in the process, which means the show will have to act fast in season seven to satisfy the millions of folks that tune in weekly. 

In order to do that, the first real olive branch the show can extend our way is simple, give us a quick and powerful resolution as to who died. Don't play any games with the aftermath of who passed away and how life has changed since their unfortunate loss, take us right back into the moment. Give us back the fear and tension we all experienced in the last fifteen minutes of the season six finale and let us suffer with the rest of the group because that's exactly what we missed in those final moments. But outside of resolving that matter, the fans still need assurances that the series is back on track and done messing with the audience. 

Which means the series has to return to its roots; and that means providing us with intense stories that bring back a sense of danger, which also means...more of the characters have to die. While that may sound sadistic, it's an element of the show's design that we have come to expect and we debate who will go for that matter and it's something that hasn't happened in quite some time to be honest. This is a series about the end of the world and the horrors that come with it and that means we need to say goodbye to some of the cast from time to time and by giving us back that sense of danger, where no one is safe, we will find ourselves glued to our seats once again, compelled to know how the story ends. Either way, whether you were good with the finale or not, the message from the fans has made its way straight the top and it's in the hands of folks behind the scenes to make it up to everyone.

---