"6 Or 7 More Years": How The Walking Dead Getting Canceled Saved The Franchise

In 2022, The Walking Dead premiered its last season, and though it was disappointing to see the show come to an end, its cancelation actually saved the franchise. After its premiere in 2010, The Walking Dead became a staple of both the zombie genre and primetime television. In just a few years, the series became AMC's flagship TV show, and over time, it accumulated a number of award nominations and accolades. To this day, the show's iconic "Walkers" and lovable characters remain a part of pop culture. Yet, strangely enough, The Walking Dead's ending became its biggest strength.

One aspect of The Walking Dead that proved its success was all The Walking Dead spinoff series. The show's strong viewership and loyal fanbase allowed it to create other television series. In 2015, Fear the Walking Dead became the first The Walking Dead spinoff, and it was well-liked enough to warrant eight seasons. Five years later, World Beyond premiered, and started to explore the origins of The Walking Dead's virus. Now, several fan-favorite characters have earned their own TV shows, pushing the world's boundaries even further. However, The Walking Dead has helped these series in more than one way.

Canceling The Walking Dead Secretly Saved The Franchise

The Walking Dead Allowed Other Shows To Thrive

Though the mere existence of The Walking Dead opened the door for other spinoff series to happen, the main show's cancelation also allowed for a new beginning. This scenario is perfectly exemplified by recent comments from Daryl Dixon actor, Norman Reedus. When discussing Daryl's Walking Dead future in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, Reedus revealed that he could continue playing Daryl for six or seven more years (Mr. Feelgood.) This is a long amount of time for Reedus to remain in The Walking Dead world, and it likely wouldn't have been possible without the main series ending.

The reason why Norman Reedus sees a far-off future for Daryl Dixon is because his spinoff, and others like Dead City and The Ones Who Live, have replaced The Walking Dead. If the main show hadn't ended, characters like Daryl and Maggie would still be trucking along with the original series. They would not have had the chance to explore new stories in New York and France. Ultimately, these explorations into different corners of The Walking Dead world have allowed the franchise to stay fresh and interesting. At a certain point, the original story was bogging the franchise down.

6 Or 7 More Years Of Daryl Dixon Sounds Great After A Strong Season 1

Daryl Dixon Has Enough Story For The Next Few Years

Norman Reedus' comments highlight the importance of The Walking Dead's end, but they also increase anticipation for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. After the first season premiered in September 2023, the show became an immediate hit. It earned a 71% on Rotten Tomatoes and was renewed for a second season even before season 1 came out. Though Daryl Dixon is far from the perfect show, it has many amazing elements to it, including a new story and a strong leading man. Six or seven more years of the show doesn't seem like a bad deal at all.

Luckily, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon seemingly has the story for six more seasons as well. With Daryl in France, surrounded by Daryl Dixon's all-new cast, there is potential for the series to go in many directions. Furthermore, Daryl still has connections to home to expand on as well, including The Walking Dead's Carol. Ultimately, it seems that Daryl Dixon has the chance to not only switch up The Walking Dead's typical story but also reveal secrets that have been kept under lock and key for years, including the source of the zombie virus.

Years More Of The Walking Dead Projects Mean A Crossover Must Happen Eventually

Daryl Dixon Meets Rick & Michonne Or Maggie & Negan

There is another reason why the future of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon is so bright. If the show truly does continue for six or seven more seasons, it seems inevitable that the series will get a crossover with another The Walking Dead spinoff. At the moment, The Walking Dead: Dead City is on its way to a season 2, and though The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live has not been confirmed for a season 2, it could still happen. There's also the chance that more spinoffs could be created.

Overall, The Walking Dead is still going strong, just in a different format. At this point, it is impressive how the franchise has managed to stay popular over the course of so many years and shows. Though it was sad to say goodbye to the original show, it is exciting to see all the ways in which it is moving forward and growing bigger. It is fitting that The Walking Dead continues on through its best characters.