The Walking Dead is one of the most popular shows on television right now; and with the concept combined with a passionate fanbase, the show could continue for another decade.
UPDATE: We can now confirm Andrew Lincoln will leave AMC’s The Walking Dead after season nine. According to Collider, Lincoln will appear in only six episodes.
With the fact Lauren Cohan will only appear in six episodes next season and the rumor season nine will be Andrew Lincoln’s last, it is time to recast characters on the show so the writing becomes the most critical aspect of the series. When writers are forced to change the narrative of a series because an actor leaves, the show suffers. The viewer never gets to see the true vision of the show. When Jeffrey DeMunn left the series in support of Frank Darabont, Dale was killed off way too soon, and major plot points were shifted to Scott Wilson’s Hershel Greene. Chandler Riggs was forced out by showrunner Scott Gimple, and Carl was killed off. In the comics, Carl’s story keeps evolving, and he has the most potential for growth in the book. The fans will never see Carl become a man because AMC did not recast the character and took the easy way out.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has never looked back after recasting the HULK and WAR MACHINE. Edward Norton was a massive star ten years ago, but now Mark Ruffalo is the definitive Bruce Banner. Terrence Howard thought he was bigger than IRON MAN, but he quickly found out Marvel Studios had other ideas. Don Cheadle stepped into the character of Lt. Col. James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes and proved to have better chemistry with Robert Downey Jr.
Lincoln and Cohen are great actors, but if they want to move on, let them, but don’t sacrifice the story in the process. When the story is the most essential part of a show, everyone wins; even if a fan favorite actor is replaced.
Who would recast as Rick or Maggie? Comment below.
