The Walking Dead: 10 Ways To Make The Show Great Again
8. Less Carl, Please
I dont want to knock Chandler Riggsthe actor who plays Ricks son Carl on the showbecause I think eventually, as he grows and polishes his craft, he has the potential to become a very good actor. But hes not one right now. As such, having him be the centrepiece of any episode is a mistake, as was the case in the episode After, the first since returning from the current midseason hiatus. The episode highlights Rick and Carls journey away from the prison in the aftermath of the Governors last-ditch effort to claim it. Rick is badly injured, and Carl has the unenviable task of guiding them someplace where Rick can rest. They find a house, Carl tells Rick he doesnt need him, goes off to find food and supplies, fumbles around with walkers, wastes bullets, comes back and tells an unconscious Rick that he was wrong. All in one episode. Unfortunately, Chandler Riggs doesnt carry the on-screen presence of some of the other actors, and as such, moments like these are diluted to the point of banality. Simply put, it doesnt work, and the show shouldnt try to force a role on Riggs hes plainly not ready for. Carl is best served as an ancillary character. Yes, hes a main character, but hes not one we want to see hogging all the screen time. Carl works in much the same way that Lori did not only an opposing viewpoint, but also a reminder of familial ties and bonds. This is something often forgot during current episodes of The Walking Dead. Dont get me wrong, Im not advocating for Carl to be killed off. Im simply stating the shows creators should play to the strengths of the actor, if not the character. This will make Carls screen time more effective, and more important. Carl had such a unique view of the world in the earlier seasons, it served as a reminder to some of the adults that the innocence of humanity is not totally lost. Yes, the creators burned this storyline when they turned Carl into a gun-toting walker-killer, but that doesnt mean Carl still doesnt struggle with the world hes living in. We shouldnt forget that his experience is very distinctive. Hes one of the very few characters still growing up, and this should be examined more closely as the show goes on. Dont bury this by turning him into a jaded sociopath. Speaking of burying stuff, why dont we talk about the disease anymore?
