because the central narrative of the television show has been more than a little aimless, especially in season four. It needs a clear cut ending of previous stories. It needs a new focus: a new start. One of the first things The Walking Dead did when the show began was separate itself from the comic book source material by significantly deviating from the original storylines. Daryl Dixon isnt even in The Walking Dead comics, and hes hands down the most popular character on the television adaptation. But one of the few things that the comics and the show have in common is that Rick Grimes is there, front and centre. No matter who else might fall by the wayside, Ricks untouchable, right? I mean, hes the hero, the leader. Except, as weve been discussing throughout this article, in the TV show Rick Grimes is no hero, and Rick Grimes isnt much of a leader. Hes not even the main character hes the lead in an ensemble, a heroic protagonist thats become a narrative cul-de-sac and almost a cautionary tale. How many times in the future can we bear to watch Rick vacillate over whether hes a good man or a cold-blooded killer? How many times are we going to have to struggle through him deciding whether to be the groups leader or not, while more promising characters are sidelined? And is a character who only seems to succeed when hes brutally killing people the person you want in charge? Writing Rick out of the story would force people like Daryl, Glenn and Carol to the fore. Itd bring Carl out from under his shadow; perhaps give the new, more motherly Michonne a chance to step up. Perhaps more importantly than any of that, itll give the story and by extension, the show a new lease of life. No longer tied down by one mans flawed and wobbly vision, the group can go anywhere and do anything. And everything would be up for grabs no one would ever be able to predict what would happen in The Walking Dead, ever again.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
