Rick Grimes is essential to the survival of the undead – here's why

Rick Grimes is essential to the survival of the undead – here's why

The dead who walk is easily one of the biggest hits of television. The series is derived from the popular comics of the same name and it took years for television adaptation to come together. Ironically, the entire property has seen an exponential increase in popularity due to the immediate status of the series as a success story. In the eight and a half seasons of television that followed, The dead who walk has had unprecedented success with fans and critics. Long shows always have ups and downs. Until recently, The dead who walk had more highs than lows.

In many ways, The dead who walk was the beneficiary to arrive at the right time and in the right place. The show had the luxury of coming straight from the heels of Lost, which left a void on the television market. In addition, he was also on the same network as breaking Bad and Mad Men, two of the most prestigious shows on television. These factors led the show to build an increasingly loyal fan base among 18-49 year olds. So much so that cable TV is still the highest rated of all time in this age bracket. However, the last two seasons of the series have been marked by a sharp drop in ratings.

The show has always been known for its cast. In fact, it's part of the pleasure of The dead who walk These are the issues he brings from week to week. In other words, almost everyone can die at any time. That said, it was once believed that some characters in the series were untouchable. For many viewers, this illusion was shattered by Glenn's death in the premiere of season seven. It's easy to revisit this episode and designate it as the beginning of the end for The dead who walk. From that moment on, it seemed that no one was safe, except for Rick.

Earlier this year, fans were shocked to learn that Andrew Lincoln was going to leave The dead who walk is currently in the ninth season. It goes without saying that the Lincoln portrait throughout the show was iconic. At this point, Rick and Lincoln are so synonymous that it is difficult to differentiate the two. There is a certain part of the cultural spirit that will forever associate this character with The dead who walk. Indeed, it is very difficult to dissociate the actor from his character on the screen. More than that, it's even harder to imagine The dead who walk without his real thread.

If we are honest, The dead who walk probably caught up with most of the rich stories of comics much faster than expected. Now the show is entering a new territory with the new season. The dead who walk was always centered on Rick, and later on the character's morality. There is something to be said about how Rick anchors the series in an unquantifiable way. At a broader level, Rick's internal conflict is driving the series. Without this, it will be difficult for The dead who walk to regain his legs once he's gone. There is something to say about how a character can define a series. In The dead who walkThe case is certainly true. At the same time, Rick's lack of presence could very well sabotage the series.

Objectively, the idea of The dead who walk without Rick Grimes is … theoretical, at best. Rick remained anchored throughout the many seasons of the series. In more ways than one, Rick is the moral core of the series. He can sometimes make indisputable choices, but it is certain that Rick addresses all the moral and ethical issues that drive the series. Maybe it's hyperbole to say, but there's something about The dead who walk without Rick Grimes who feels so catastrophic. Even in comics, Rick is and will probably always remain the thread of the story. As announced last week, Lincoln will resume his Rick role in at least three Walking Dead movies on AMC. However, Lincoln said he did not intend to return to the show once the films were finished. This leaves a burning question: how The dead who walk to survive without his main character?

There is an obvious successor that could perhaps fill the void left by Lincoln – Norman Reedus. His portrait of Daryl Dixon is probably more popular than Rick himself. As the only main cast member not to be derived from comics, Daryl works honestly better as a secondary character. What makes Daryl so interesting is the fact that he has an aura of mystery around him.

If Daryl becomes the main character of the series, chances are that his most intriguing qualities are lost in the mix. Daryl is certainly a nuanced character, but Rick is more essential to the series than many people realize. The true extent of Rick's absence will not be fully known until the end of the season. That said, there is simply no need to replace Lincoln's presence as Rick in the series without changing the very fabric of The dead who walk is. According to the epilogue of the last episode of Rick, it seems that this may be the intention. No matter who is chosen to lead the series, there is really no way to replace Rick Grimes.

In 2014, producers in the series stated that they already had plans to The dead who walk until the twelfth season. Now, it seems that it can be much more than originally thought. Although some major comic book stories have not yet been adapted, they all focus on Rick. Screenwriters could simply force Daryl to play Rick from comics, but that's not necessarily the best solution. Their characters are cut in a totally different fabric and they are simply not interchangeable. We will have to wait and see how things go. However, there is a good chance that The dead who walk can very well continue his free fall without the face of the franchise. Regardless of the outcome, there is no doubt that the series advance in untested waters.

Do you think The dead who walk TV show will flourish without Rick Grimes? Or is he doomed to decline? Let us know in the comment section below!