And Just Like That, Love for The Walking Dead Continues

The TWD Family is preparing to welcome the middle eight episodes of The Walking Dead’s final season. I couldn’t help but wonder, why do we keep tuning in to The Walking Dead? What continues to draw us, like moths to a flame, to these survival stories? What is it about this group of people that compels us to watch their triumphs and their struggles over and over again? 

Dedicated members of the TWD Family are tuning in each week because for them, new episodes of TWD are like a breath of fresh air. They plan their Sunday nights around live tweeting, now more than ever, even though the show premieres a week early for some viewers. It’s what they do, and they will do it through the final episode.

For some fans, it’s seeing the show through to the end. You started it back in 2010 when Rick Grimes woke from a coma and set out to find his family. Now you want to see how it all wraps up. 

Other fans are compelled to watch because they follow certain characters (and/or actors) and want to see how their individual stories come to an end. 

Some of you are watching because you want to see who lives and who dies. 

For me, personally, I’m intensely curious about how the show manages to bring such an epic journey to an end. I’m drawn into the show each week and even after eleven seasons I get caught up in each battle, each new villain, each journey and each victory. And each loss.

The Walking Dead’s success was always surprising given that it was a show about zombies that aired on a respected network in the middle of prime Sunday night real estate. Born before HBO’s juggernaut Game of Thrones, which really changed the landscape of must-watch TV and an insatiable demand for genre shows that were usually shunned by networks, The Walking Dead carved out a niche in television history and never let go. 

Even more impressive is the fact that after eleven seasons, The Walking Dead continues to surprise viewers by sidestepping its comic book canon when the need arises to branch out into new and exciting stories that deliver the same thrills as earlier seasons. 

Angela Kang’s tenure has been a turning point; her arrival in the pivotal ninth season gave wings to a show that could have crashed and burned following the departure of the main character. Under Kang’s guidance, the show has found new ways to thrill fans while also laying the foundation for an expanded universe that will continue to be a flagship for AMC for many years to come. 

Though the main show is ending, Fear the Walking Dead continues to deliver fresh new stories while The Walking Dead: World Beyond dropped a number of jaw-dropping moments in its final season that will tie into the larger TWD Universe. Casting announcements for Tales of the Walking Dead have gotten fans buzzing on social media. There’s no question that fans are ready and willing to go on more adventures in this universe. 

As we look ahead to the next eight episodes of The Walking Dead’s final season it’s easy to be sad that the show is ending, but there’s also a lot to be excited about. At the end of the day, the TWD Universe has given us so many incredible moments, and there’s every reason to believe that we’ll see more incredible moments in the future. 

There are so many places left to explore. There are more survivors out there doing their best to live in an uncertain world. There are villains doing unspeakable things, and there are heroes rising to make the best of a difficult situation. 

I know why I keep tuning in to The Walking Dead, and why I’ll continue to tune in for years to come. What about you? Why do you watch? I would love to hear from you!