Rick Grimes Actor's Criticism Highlights Exactly When The Walking Dead Started Going Wrong

Having played Rick Grimes since 2010, Andrew Lincoln recently commented on The Walking Dead and he helped highlight exactly when the franchise started going wrong. The Walking Dead was once one of the most popular shows on TV and while it still maintains a devoted fan base, it has nowhere near the same mainstream appeal it once possessed. The zombie series endured a lot of changes throughout its main show run, and with the franchise continuing through spinoffs, it looks like it will stick around for a while yet; however, one moment defined The Walking Dead's twist in fortunes.

After achieving incredible numbers and amassing a huge viewership, the show looked untouchable, but one controversial scene altered the franchise forever. Given the brutal nature of the zombie setting, The Walking Dead understandably had some major character deaths during its 11 seasons, many of which hit hard for the audience. Despite their impact, the series managed to replace or move forward without these characters, but one departure completely changed the franchise's trajectory. Although the show managed to survive this, it was never the same afterward, and even Andrew Lincoln admitted the significance of this unforgettable moment.

Andrew Lincoln Thinks Glenn's The Walking Dead Death Scene Went Too Far

Lincoln Expressed His Opinions On Glenn's Controversial Death Scene

Glenn's death is undoubtedly The Walking Dead's most controversial moment, and even Andrew Lincoln suggested the scene may have gone too far. In a recent interview with Empire, Lincoln commented on Glenn's death, claiming "I do still think [Glenn’s death] might have been when we over-egged the omelet." This isn't the first time the Rick Grimes actor has expressed similar feelings, as Andrew Lincoln also talked about Glenn's Walking Dead death in 2018. He suggested the death may have been too gory and it potentially diminished what the show was trying to do, proving how controversial the scene was.

With Lincoln having some regrets about Glenn's fate, it justifies those who were outraged at the time and opted to stop watching the show. Although not everyone will agree with Lincoln's feelings on the scene, it only adds to how divisive this moment was, as it completely split the audience and caused mixed feelings. Rather than being a sad moment that the audience all embraced and moved on from, Glenn's demise proved to be The Walking Dead's most haunting death, and the surrounding circumstances only added to the drama, making it all the more controversial.

The Walking Dead Was Never The Same After Glenn's Death

Glenn's Death Had A Lasting Impact On The Walking Dead Franchise

Although Glenn's death is still The Walking Dead's most talked-about moment, the franchise has never been the same since. Negan's tense and cold introduction instantly captured audiences, but after swinging his baseball bat and killing Glenn, he changed the show forever. The brutal and graphic nature of the scene proved too much for some people. While audiences had come to expect some bloody moments, watching a man being brutally murdered in front of his wife and friends was dark - even by The Walking Dead's standards - and prompted many viewers to stop watching.

While this may have seemed like a reactionary response, the show's viewership suffered a steady decline ever since season 7's premiere which it never recovered from. The response to Glenn's TV death was much worse compared to the comics, and The Walking Dead went from averaging almost 15 million live viewers during its peak to barely eclipsing 3 million for its finale. There is no denying this single scene massively impacted the franchise, and although it still has a core fan base, its popularity has cooled off significantly, with The Walking Dead no longer being the televised juggernaut it once was.

Glenn's Death Was Necessary, But Could Have Been Handled Better

The Walking Dead Handled Glenn's Death Poorly

The Walking Dead's decision to kill off Glenn was necessary to the story, but it could have been handled far better. Audiences loved Glenn from the moment he debuted on the show until the moment he was killed which is why his death hit so hard and caused so much backlash. However, his role in the overall plot was becoming less crucial in the lead-up to his departure, and being killed off was essential for Maggie's story. After her husband's death, Maggie became one of the franchise's central characters and stepped up as a leader.

Her dynamic with Negan remains interesting to this day and has a whole spinoff dedicated to it, which wouldn't have happened without Glenn's death. Despite this, The Walking Dead handled this situation poorly, as the show left season 6 on a cliffhanger. Having teased someone being killed off in season 6's finale, the reveal didn't happen until over six months later during season 7's premiere. While comic book readers would've known Glenn's death was inbound, the show actually changed the source material, killing Abraham instead before offing Glenn just moments later.

This only added to viewers' frustration, as Abraham's death would have been a shocking twist that was also heartbreaking, but choosing to kill Glenn as well was overkill. To make matters worse, this reveal leaked online beforehand, proving how badly The Walking Dead handled this situation. Glenn's death remains an iconic part of the franchise's legacy, but the TV depiction was poorly executed and began The Walking Dead's downfall. While it remains loved by its hardcore audience, the franchise's popularity has dwindled massively, and this scene highlights exactly where things started going wrong.