Thomas Roach on why The Walking Dead companion show is unnecessary….
Just a few days ago it was announced that The Walking Dead companion series which has been in the pipeline for some time at AMC will be getting a pilot episode that is set to shoot later on this year. If the pilot is successful then fans of The Walking Dead will have another show to watch set in the post-apocalptic world.
Not much is known about the show although Robert Kirkman who wrote the comic books is activily involved with this project alongside The Walking Dead. The show could follow characters who would eventually run into Rick’s group, which some fans would really like. However it is likely that the show will follow a group of surviors elsewhere in the USA.
As this companion series will be set in the same world as The Walking Dead fans pretty much know what to expect from it. The Walking Dead is about to air its fifth season next month with no current signs of slowing down. However is it worth asking whether a companion series is worth it?
Frankly The Walking Dead doesn’t really need a companion series. I feel that the show has established the post apoclyptic world really well. Even though it has all been set in the state of Georgia in the USA, the audiences still get a deep understanding of how the world has been affected by the zombie outbreak. Another show exploring that would seem redundant.
If the show is set in the same world but is aimed at a different demographic then surely the charm and the style of The Walking Dead will not be present. There is something about The Walking Dead being shot on location in Georgia and the fact it follows a graphic novel set in the same place that really adds something to the show.
I also think it would be bad for the shows to compete with each other which they likely will do even if they are on the same network. People lead busy lives and wont really have time to watch both shows. It is unrealistic for AMC to think that people who watch The Walking Dead only watch the AMC network. There is such a variety of good television at the moment on a range of different networks. Having two shows set in the same world may force fans to choose one or the other. The Walking Dead would likely triumph over this companion show, as both fans who have followed the show from 2010 and fans of the graphic novel will be loyal to the original series.
A companion series could also mean that AMC will have less time to devote to The Walking Dead. Frankly I don’t want AMC’s resources spread thin in an attempt to get more viewers. The Walking Dead is already massivly popular and its fan base keeps growing. They should make sure that the quality on The Walking Dead should not decrease. Maybe the network does have the resources and Robert Kirkman has enough time to work on both, but I really don’t want The Walking Dead to decline in favour of this new show.
The Walking Dead has established the apocalptic world really well to date and will likely continue to do so. If the comics are followed in the series then we may actually end up following characters to different parts of the country anyway, which will add some more depth to the world.
On the other hand, the companion show may introduce us to a range of new characters that we love even more. Daryl Dixon was made specifically for the show and he is a fan favourite. Maybe some new characters in a new part of the country will just mean more time to watch people in The Walking Dead world and surely that is great. However if the pilot doesn’t do well then there will be no companion series. And maybe it won’t be too well recieved from the outset, seeing as it will be compared to the already popular original. We’ll just have to wait and see…
Are you looking forward to the companion series for The Walking Dead? Let us know…
Thomas Roach
Originally published September 9, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
